Fixed Print Head Grid for Continuous Multi-Lane Web Printing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing printers in stick pack machines require frequent stopping and starting of the web and movement of print heads, leading to wear and tear and reduced production rates due to the need for moving parts to shuttle print heads across multiple lanes.

Innovation Solution

An imaging device with a ski plate that holds multiple print head assemblies in a grid configuration, allowing continuous web advancement without the need to stop the web, featuring an adjustable engagement structure for print head assemblies and a self-contained module for easy maintenance, enabling simultaneous printing across multiple lanes.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a single print head or multiple print heads are shuttled across multiple lanes, then printing can be achieved on multiple lanes, but the web must repeatedly start and stop and the print heads must traverse the width of the web, which slows down the production rate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemulti-lane printing capabilityVSAvoidproduction rate

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of moving the print heads across multiple lanes as in conventional systems, this patent inverts the approach by keeping the print heads stationary in a fixed grid array and allowing the web to move continuously underneath them. This eliminates the need for print head traversal and web stopping, thereby maintaining multi-lane printing capability while significantly improving production rate.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the mechanical shuttling mechanism of print heads with a stationary print head array. The printing function is achieved through the relative motion of the web passing under the fixed print heads, eliminating complex moving parts and mechanical synchronization requirements, thus improving productivity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Adaptability or versatility

If print heads are shuttled across multiple lanes, then printing on multiple lanes is enabled, but moving parts are subject to wear and tear

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemulti-lane printing capabilityVSAvoidwear and tear on moving parts

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the motion function from the print heads and transfers it to the web itself. By making the print heads stationary and allowing the web to move continuously underneath them, the system eliminates the moving parts associated with print head shuttling, thereby improving reliability and reducing wear and tear while maintaining multi-lane printing capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of moving print heads across lanes, the patent inverts the system by keeping print heads fixed and moving the web underneath them. This inversion eliminates the mechanical wear and tear on print head mounting mechanisms while preserving the ability to print across multiple lanes simultaneously.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

3Manufacturing precision

If the web is stopped while bags are being sealed and print heads traverse the width, then printing can be completed, but the production rate is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprint placement accuracyVSAvoidproduction rate

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent enables continuous web advancement during printing by using a stationary print head array. The web moves continuously underneath the fixed print heads without stopping, maintaining continuous useful action throughout the printing process. This eliminates the need to halt the web for print head traversal, thereby improving production rate while maintaining print placement accuracy through the fixed grid positioning.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

4Adaptability or versatility

If multiple print heads are used to print across multiple lanes, then multi-lane printing is achieved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemulti-lane printing capabilityVSAvoidprint head array configuration

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the printing function into multiple independent print head assemblies arranged in a grid array, with each assembly responsible for a specific lane. This segmentation allows each print head to remain simple and stationary while collectively achieving multi-lane printing capability, reducing the complexity of individual components and their mounting mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The stationary print head array design creates a universal printing system where multiple print heads operate simultaneously on different lanes without requiring complex coordination or movement mechanisms. Each print head performs the same printing function on its designated lane, simplifying the overall system architecture while achieving multi-lane capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS10363761B2Flexible packaging printer with multiple print lanes

Publication Date: 2019.07.30 NORWIX INC

AI summary

An imaging device or printer for depositing ink on continuously moving media, such as a film web in a vertical fill form seal machine (i.e., a stick pack machine), that allows for printing on multiple print lanes while eliminating the need for shuttling of print heads or expensive lasers. In one embodiment, plurality of print head assemblies are fixed into a grid during a print operation, whereby the grid of print head assemblies are capable of printing within multiple print lanes while the media is continuously moving, without shuttling any of the print heads.