Roll mechanics for enabling printed electronics
AssigneeCorning Incorporated
InventorsRobert Addison Boudreau, Douglas Edward Brackley, Raymond Charles Cady, Gary Edward Merz, James Paul Peris, Kevin Lee Wasson
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Abstract
A print press system and a method are described herein that print an electronic circuit onto a material (e.g., glass substrate, plastic film, plastic film-glass substrate laminate). In exemplary applications, the print press system can print an electronic circuit onto a material to form, for instance, a flexible Liquid Crystal Display, a retail point of purchase sign and an e-book.
Claims10
A method for printing an electronic circuit on a material, the method comprising the steps of:
- setting-up a lead print cylinder station and at least one subsequent print cylinder station, where each print cylinder station includes:
- a base;
- a plurality of adjustable mounts located on the base;
- at least one component, each component located on one or more of the adjustable mounts;
- a pair of bearings, each bearing located on one or more of the adjustable mounts;
- and
- a print cylinder rotatably supported between the pair of bearings, wherein the one or more of the adjustable mounts associated with the pair of bearings and the one or more of the adjustable mounts associated with each component have been positioned to ensure that each component is substantially aligned with the print cylinder;
- aligning the print cylinder in the lead print station and the print cylinder in the at least one subsequent print cylinder station next to one another such that the material is able to move from the lead print cylinder station to each subsequent print cylinder while the electronic circuit is printed on the material;
- and
- adjusting one or more of the adjustable mounts associated with the pair of bearings and adjusting one or more of the adjustable mounts associated with each component under control of a main control system to adjust an alignment of the print cylinder and to adjust an alignment of each component relative to the print cylinder and ensure that each component is substantially aligned with the print cylinder,
- further comprising a step of engraving at least one of the print cylinders within an engraving machine while the print cylinder is rotatably supported between the pair of bearings and the pair of bearings are supported by the one or more adjustable mounts;
- removing the at least one of the print cylinders and the pair of bearings from the engraving station as a unit;
- and
- mounting the at least one of the print cylinders and the pair of bearings as a unit in a corresponding one of the lead print station and at least one subsequent print cylinder station on a corresponding one of the plurality of adjustable mounts.
A method of preparing a print cylinder comprising the steps of:
- positioning a unit relative to an engraving machine, wherein the unit includes a pair of bearings and a print cylinder rotatably supported between the pair of bearings;
- engraving a desired configuration on the print cylinder with the engraving machine;
- removing the unit from the engraving machine;
- and
- mounting the unit on a base of a printing machine.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.