Wire marking system and method
AssigneeElectronic Cable Specialists, Inc.
InventorsPaul J. Smyczek, Youssef Azmani, Jerry R. Harrison
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The problem of getting inked printing applied to and permanently adhered to a fluorocarbon insulation material on wires or the surface of a fluorocarbon sheath covering a plurality of twisted insulated wires where the sheath also becomes twisted and contoured is overcome by treating the fluorocarbon surface with an electrical corona to etch it and alter its surface characteristics and then printing the desired information on the sheath with an ink jet printer which can reach into the depressions in the sheath which result from the sheath being twisted.
Claims23
Apparatus for printing on the surface of a fluorocarbon insulating material surrounding at least one elongated electrical conductor, comprising:
- a drawing device for drawing said conductor from a source under tension along a predetermined path, said device being spaced from said source,
- at least one electrode arranged along said path between said source and drawing device and means for applying an electrical potential of at least 25,000 volts to said electrode for electrical corona to be radiated from said electrode through which corona said conductor passes for exposing the surface of the fluorocarbon to corona, and
- an ink jet printer arranged along said path in a position for printing on said surface of said fluorocarbon insulating material after said conductor is exposed to the corona.
A method of printing with an ink jet printer on the surface of insulation covering individual conductors and on the surface of an insulation sheath covering a plurality of insulated twisted individual conductors where the insulation of the individual insulated conductors and of the sheath is a fluorocarbon material, the sheath presenting an irregular surface having contiguous prominences and depressions due to the wires being twisted, comprising the steps of:
- drawing at least one of said fluorocarbon insulated individual conductors or conductors containing a fluorocarbon sheath through a housing wherein the fluorocarbon surface is exposed to corona produced with an electrode to which a voltage of at least 25,000 volts is applied,
- printing on said fluorocarbon surface with an ink jet printer after the surface has been exposed to the corona.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.