Machine and method for marking articles
AssigneeIllinois Tool Works Inc.
InventorsFlorent Demange, Vincent Tarnowski
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention relates to a machine for marking articles, comprising a marking head suitable for applying a marking force on an article along a marking axis. The marking head comprises a carriage movable in translation along the marking axis and along a transverse axis, which is perpendicular to the marking axis (X10). The marking head also comprises a first roller and a second roller carried by the carriage, rotatable respectively around a first axis and a second axis each located in a plane perpendicular to the marking axis. The rollers are capable of alternately marking the same article or two successive articles, depending on movements of the carriage. The invention also relates to a method for marking articles.
Claims19
A marking machine for marking articles, the machine comprising a marking head suitable for applying a marking force on an article along a marking axis, the marking head comprising a carriage movable in translation along the marking axis and along a transverse axis which is oriented perpendicular to the marking axis, the marking head including a first roller and a second roller carried by the carriage, rotatable respectively around a first axis and a second axis each located in a plane oriented perpendicular to the marking axis, the rollers being capable of alternately marking the same article or two successive articles depending on movements of the carriage.
A method comprising:
- positioning a first article facing a marking head;
- marking the first article under the action of the marking head;
- positioning a second article facing the marking head;
- and
- marking the second article under the action of the marking head;
- wherein a first roller and a second roller of the marking head mark alternately both mark each article or each alternately mark one article out of two articles during marking of the first article and marking of the second article,
- wherein the first roller and the second roller are offset relative to one another along a direction parallel to the first axis and the second axis, each of the first and second roller marking a different part of the same article during marking of the first article and marking of the second article.
A machine comprising:
- a carriage holding a first roller that is rotatable around a First axis and a second roller that is rotatable around a second axis, the first roller rotatable to engage a first marking tape to print onto a first area of an article, the second roller rotatable to engage one or more of the first marking tape or a second marking tape to print onto a differently sized second area of the article,
- wherein the first axis of the first roller and the second axis of the second roller are offset from each other along a direction that is parallel to a third axis such that the first marking tape is engaged by the first roller and the article between the first roller and the article during printing on the first area of the article, and the one or more of the first marking tape or the second marking tape is engaged by the second roller and the article between the second roller and the article during printing on the differently sized second area of the article.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.