Method and apparatus for precise alignment on a continuous belt disc printer
OwnerWalter Waflerinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A continuous feed printer for printing on the surface of an object, such as a CD, a DVD or a Blu-Ray disc, wherein the continuous feed printer has a continuous loop belt, a feed mechanism for depositing the object onto the continuous loop belt, at least one pair of alignment elements located on the continuous loop belt, and an alignment device which urges the object into abutment with the alignment elements. After the object is aligned against the alignment elements it is printed in a printing zone.
Claims20
A continuous feed printer for printing on the surface of an object, comprising a continuous loop belt having an upper surface moving in a direction of travel, a targeted landing area, and a print zone spaced apart from the targeted landing area in the direction of travel of the upper surface comprising:
- a) at least one pair of alignment elements located on the continuous loop belt;
- b) a feed mechanism for depositing the object onto the upper surface of the continuous loop belt at the targeted landing area;
- c) an alignment device between the targeted landing area and the print zone, for urging the object into abutment with the at least one pair of alignment elements;
- and
- d) a print mechanism for printing on the object, located in the print zone.
A method of printing on objects using a printer comprising a continuous loop belt having an upper surface moving in a direction of travel, a targeted landing area on the upper surface, at least one pair of alignment elements located on the continuous loop belt and a print zone spaced apart from the targeted landing area in the direction of travel of the upper surface, the method comprising:
- a) positioning an object on the targeted landing area forward of the at least one pair of alignment elements;
- b) aligning the object by urging it against the at least one pair of alignment elements with an alignment device;
- and
- c) printing on the object with the print mechanism.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.