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AssigneeMikkelsen Graphic Engineering, Inc.
InventorsPeter Alsten, Geo Andersen, David G. Jansson
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An improved method and apparatus for cutting graphics areas from a sheet of material bearing a combination of graphics areas and a plurality of registration marks in predetermined positions with respect thereto, the combination being in a predetermined approximate position and orientation with respect to a set of reference features of the sheet. The method involves automatically determining whether the reference features are in an expected coordinate region on a sheet-receiving surface, and, if not, automatically determining the coordinate region of such features. Further steps then include sensing metrics of the reference features to determine the position and orientation of the sheet, inferring therefrom the approximate positions of the registration marks and then sensing the precise positions thereof with a main sensor, and cutting the graphics areas from the sheet in response to such precise positions.
In a method for cutting at least one graphics area from a sheet of material bearing a combination of such graphics area(s) and a plurality of registration marks in predetermined positions with respect to the graphics area(s), such combination being in a predetermined approximate position and orientation with respect to a set of reference features of the sheet of material, the method including (a) placing the sheet of material on a sheet-receiving surface, (b) sensing precise positions of the marks with a main sensor, and (c) cutting the graphics area(s) from the sheet of material in response to such precise positions, the improvement comprising:
The method of claim 7 wherein the moving step includes rotating the main sensor such that the field of view changes.
In apparatus for cutting at least one graphics area from a sheet of material bearing a combination of such graphics area(s) and a plurality of registration marks in predetermined positions with respect to the graphics area(s), such combination being in a predetermined approximate position and orientation with respect to a set of reference features of the sheet of material, such apparatus including (a) a sheet-receiving surface, (b) a main sensor, (c) a cutter operatively connected to the sensor and adapted to move about the sheet-receiving surface to cut the graphics area(s) from the sheet of material in response to precise positions of the marks sensed by the main sensor, the improvement comprising;
In a method for cutting at least one graphics area from a sheet of material bearing a combination of such graphics area(s) and a plurality of registration marks in predetermined positions with respect to the graphics area(s), such combination being in a predetermined approximate position and orientation with respect to a set of reference features of the sheet of material, the method including (a) placing the sheet of material on a sheet-receiving surface, (b) sensing precise positions of the marks with a main sensor, and (c) cutting the graphics area(s) from the sheet of material in response to such precise positions, the improvement comprising:
In a method for narrow-path-processing with respect to at least one graphics area on a sheet of material bearing a combination of such graphics area(s) and a plurality of registration marks in predetermined positions with respect to the graphics area(s), such combination being in a predetermined approximate position and orientation with respect to a set of reference features of the sheet of material, the method including (a) placing the sheet of material on a sheet-receiving surface, (b) sensing precise positions of the marks with a main sensor, and (c) narrow-path-processing with respect to the graphics area(s) in response to such precise positions, the improvement comprising:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.