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US 9,238,326 B2Granted
Print pitch correcting apparatus for plastic film
AssigneeTotani Corporation
InventorMikio Totani
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
It is intended to correct print pitches P at which a pattern A is printed on a plastic film 1 repeatedly. A first optical sensor detects positions at which the pattern A is printed on the plastic film 1 repeatedly, to measure the print pitches P individually. A first stretching device 4 stretches the plastic film 1 after measuring the print pitch P to correct the print pitches P individually. A second optical sensor detects the positions after correcting the print pitch P to measure a sum of print pitches P(1)+P(2)+ - - - +P(N) of a number of patterns A. A second stretching device 10 stretches the plastic film 1 after measuring the sum of print pitches to correct the sum of print pitches.
Claims15
An apparatus for correcting print pitches at which a pattern is printed on a plastic film repeatedly, the apparatus comprising:
- feeding rollers by which the plastic film is fed intermittently for a length corresponding to the print pitch and stopped temporarily whenever being fed intermittently;
- a first optical sensor disposed at a path along which the plastic film is fed intermittently, and detecting positions at which the pattern is printed on the plastic films repeatedly, to measure the print pitches individually;
- a first stretching device disposed at the path and downstream of the first optical sensor and stretching the plastic film after measuring the print pitch and when the plastic film is stopped temporarily, to correct the print pitches individually;
- a second optical sensor disposed at the path and detecting the positions after correcting the print pitches, to measure a sum of print pitches of a number of patterns;
- and
- a second stretching device disposed at the path and stretching the plastic film after measuring the sum of print pitches and when the plastic film is stopped temporarily, to correct the sum of print pitches.
3 more elements
An apparatus for correcting print pitches at which a pattern is printed on a plastic film repeatedly, the plastic film being fed longitudinally thereof, the apparatus comprising:
- an upstream optical sensor disposed at a path along which the plastic film is fed, to detect positions at which the pattern is printed on the plastic film repeatedly;
- feeding rollers disposed at the path and downstream of the upstream optical sensor, the plastic film being fed by the feeding rollers;
- a first stretching device disposed at the path and downstream of the upstream optical sensor, to stretch the plastic film;
- a downstream optical sensor disposed at the path and downstream of the feeding rollers and the first stretching device and spaced from the upstream optical sensor at a distance corresponding to an integral multiple of reference value of print pitch, to detect the positions at which the pattern is printed on the plastic film repeatedly;
- a second stretching device disposed at the path and downstream of the downstream optical sensor, to stretch the plastic film;
- and
- a control device arranged to receive detecting signals transmitted from the upstream and downstream optical sensors, the feeding rollers being operated by the control device in response to the detecting signals transmitted from the upstream optical sensor so that the plastic film should be fed intermittently for a length corresponding to the print pitch and stopped temporarily whenever being fed intermittently, the control device being further arranged to measure the print pitches individually to obtain measurement values in response to the detecting signals transmitted from the upstream optical sensor, the first stretching device being operated by the control device to stretch the plastic film and correct the print pitches individually when the measurement value is less than a reference value of print pitch to result in a difference exceeding a first predetermined value and when the plastic film is stopped temporarily, the control device being further arranged to measure a sum of print pitches of a number of patterns to obtain an additional measurement value in response to the detecting signals transmitted from the upstream and downstream optical sensors, the second stretching device being operated by the control device to stretch the plastic film and correct the sum of print pitches when the additional measurement value is less than a reference value of sum of print pitches to result in a difference exceeding a second predetermined value and when the plastic film is stopped temporarily.
4 more elements
An apparatus for correcting print pitches at which a pattern is printed on a plastic film repeatedly, the plastic film being fed longitudinally thereof, the apparatus comprising:
- an upstream optical sensor disposed at a path along which the plastic film is fed, to detect positions at which the pattern is printed on the plastic film repeatedly;
- feeding rollers disposed at the path and downstream of the upstream optical sensor, the plastic film being fed by the feeding rollers;
- a plastic film stretching device disposed at the path and downstream of the upstream optical sensor, to stretch the plastic film;
- a downstream optical sensor disposed at the path and downstream of the feeding rollers and the plastic film stretching device and spaced from the upstream optical sensor at a distance corresponding to an integral multiple of reference value of print pitch, to detect the positions at which the pattern is printed on the plastic film repeatedly;
- and
- a control device arranged to receive detecting signals transmitted from the upstream and downstream optical sensors, the feeding rollers being operated by the control device in response to the detecting signals transmitted from the upstream optical sensor so that the plastic film should be fed intermittently for a length corresponding to the print pitch and stopped temporarily whenever being fed intermittently, the control device being further arranged to measure the print pitches individually to obtain measurement values in response to the detecting signals transmitted from the upstream optical sensor, the plastic film stretching device being operated by the control device to stretch the plastic film and correct the print pitches individually when the measurement value is less than a reference value of print pitch to result in a difference exceeding a first predetermined value and when the plastic film is stopped temporarily, the control device being further arranged to measure a sum of print pitches of a number of patterns to obtain an additional measurement value in response to the detecting signals transmitted from the upstream and downstream optical sensors, the plastic film stretching device being operated by the control device to stretch the plastic film and correct the sum of print pitches when the additional measurement value is less than a reference value of sum of print pitches to result in a difference exceeding a second predetermined value and when the plastic film is stopped temporarily.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.