Multi-tiered screen printing machine
AssigneeM&R Printing Equipment, Inc.
InventorsDariusz Tkacz, Alex Iaccino, Allen Mark Repashy
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A turret style printing machine (10) includes a first tier (16) of pallet supporting members (14), a second tier (20) of printing head supporting members (18) and a third tier (24) of printing head supporting members (22). One can thus selectively move either a second tier member (18) or a third tier member (22) into alignment and registration with a first tier member (14). A uniform registration is further provided ensuring the second third tier supporting members consistently align with the first tier supporting members (14). This expansion increasing the number of stations is accomplished without necessarily increasing the required floor space or system diameter.
Claims32
A printing machine comprising:
- a first tier of pallet supporting members, each supporting a pallet and each having a first registration assembly associated therewith;
- a second tier of printing head supporting members, the second tier above the first tier, at least one of the second tier printing head supporting members supporting a printing head, and each having a second registration assembly associated therewith;
- a third tier of printing head supporting members, the third tier above the second tier, at least one of the third tier printing head supporting members supporting a printing head, and each having a second registration assembly associated therewith;
- and,
- means for selectively bringing either a second tier printing head supporting member or a third tier printing head supporting member toward a pallet supporting member and the first and second registration assemblies cooperating with one another when a printing head is brought into close proximity to a pallet.
A turret style printing machine having a lower set of radial arms supporting pallets and an upper set of radial arms supporting printing heads, the upper and lower radial arms cooperating with one another during the printing process for permitting the printing heads to cooperate with substrates on the pallets, comprising:
- an auxiliary set of arms also supporting printing heads positioned above the set of upper radial arms for cooperating with the lower radial arms during the printing process wherein at least one of the printing heads generally cooperates with a substrate on at least one of the pallets;
- and,
- each upper radial arm and each auxiliary radial arm has a second registration assembly thereon for selectively engaging a first registration assembly on each lower radial arm during the printing process.
A printing machine comprising:
- a centrally located base section;
- a plurality of pallet supporting radial arms projecting and spoking outwardly from the base section;
- a plurality of printing head supporting radial arms projecting and spoking outwardly from the base section above the pallet supporting radial arms;
- at least one auxiliary printing head supporting radial arm projecting and spoking outwardly from the base section above the printing head supporting radial arms;
- a first registration assembly supported by each printing head supporting arm and auxiliary printing head supporting arm;
- and,
- a second registration assembly supported by each pallet supporting arm for mating with the first registration assembly during the printing process.
A printing machine comprising:
- a centrally located base section;
- N equally spaced apart pallet supporting arms spoking outwardly from the base section;
- at most N-1 printing head supporting arms and a gap spoking outwardly from the base section above the pallet supporting arms, the gap together with the printing head supporting arms being equally spaced apart;
- and,
- at least two auxiliary printing head supporting arms spoking outwardly from the base section above the printing head supporting arms.
A printing machine comprising:
- a centrally located base section;
- N radially and equally spaced apart pallet supporting arms spoking outwardly from the base section with each being adapted to optionally support a pallet proximate a distal end thereof;
- at most N-1 radially spaced apart printing head supporting arms spoking outwardly from the base section above the pallet supporting arms with each being adapted to optionally support a printing head proximate a distal end thereof;
- and,
- N radially and equally spaced apart auxiliary printing head supporting arms spoking outwardly from the base section above the printing head supporting arms with each being adapted to optionally support an auxiliary printing head proximate a distal end thereof.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.