Print Control Strip With Curved Measuring Fields
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing print control strips are inefficient for monitoring print quality on substrates with non-rectilinear edges, as they require more substrate space and cannot fully utilize the printing area, especially in applications like packaging where printed images have arbitrary shapes.
Innovation Solution
A print control strip design with measuring fields whose centroids or leading edges follow a non-rectilinear path, such as a circular arc, sinusoidal, or sawtooth shape, allowing for maximum utilization of the substrate area and enabling inline detection of printing parameters even with non-rectilinear substrates.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a straight print control strip is used, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but it cannot fully utilize the substrate area and requires more substrate space
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies curvature by replacing the traditional straight print control strip with a curved or non-linear configuration. The measuring fields are arranged along a curved path rather than a straight line, allowing the control strip to conform to the shape of the substrate or printed image. This curvature enables better utilization of the substrate area while maintaining the functionality of measuring fields for printing parameter detection.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a one-dimensional straight arrangement to a two-dimensional curved or non-linear arrangement of measuring fields. By adding the dimension of curvature or non-linearity, the control strip can adapt to the geometry of the substrate, thereby increasing the effective area utilization without compromising the ease of manufacture.
2Measurement precision
If measuring fields are arranged across the entire printing width, then the measurement coverage is complete, but the substrate space requirement increases
Solution Approach 1:
By arranging measuring fields along a curved path rather than a straight line across the entire width, the patent achieves complete measurement coverage while reducing the substrate space requirement. The curved arrangement allows the measuring fields to be positioned more efficiently within the available substrate area.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces dynamic positioning of measuring fields through non-linear arrangement. Instead of a static straight-line configuration, the measuring fields are dynamically positioned along a curved or non-linear path, allowing flexible adaptation to the substrate geometry while maintaining comprehensive measurement coverage.
3Area of stationary object
If a non-rectilinear print control strip is used, then the substrate area utilization is maximized, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies curvature to the print control strip arrangement, which increases substrate area utilization. The curved configuration of measuring fields allows better adaptation to the substrate shape, maximizing the effective use of available area while the curvature itself becomes a manageable structural feature rather than added complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the geometric parameters of the print control strip from a straight-line configuration to a curved or non-linear arrangement. By modifying the spatial parameters of the measuring fields' positions and orientations, the system achieves maximized substrate area utilization without proportionally increasing device complexity.
4Adaptability or versatility
If the print control strip is designed for non-rectilinear substrates, then the adaptability is improved, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs the print control strip with a curved or non-linear configuration that adapts to non-rectilinear substrates. This curved arrangement provides versatility for different substrate shapes while maintaining a relatively simple manufacturing process by using standard printing techniques that can accommodate the curved layout.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a universal print control strip design that can be applied to various non-rectilinear substrate shapes. The curved or non-linear arrangement of measuring fields serves multiple functions: it adapts to different substrate geometries, maintains measurement accuracy, and can be manufactured using conventional printing processes, thereby achieving versatility without excessive manufacturing complexity.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a pressure control strip 10 for printing onto a substrate 2 moving in a printing direction X during a printing process, with a substrate width B extending perpendicular to the printing direction X, wherein the pressure control strip 10 extends at least over a part of the substrate width B, wherein the pressure control strip 10 comprises at least one row 11 extending in the printing direction X, and wherein one or each row 11 comprises a plurality of measuring fields 12 arranged side by side perpendicular to the printing direction X, and wherein each measuring field 12 has a centroid 13 and an edge 14 extending in the printing direction X.The invention is based on the objective of providing a solution that enables the monitoring of print quality with a print control strip 10 comprising a plurality of measuring fields 12, even with a non-linear edge profile of the subject 3, while simultaneously optimizing the space requirement and thus the substrate requirement. The print control strip 10 according to the invention is characterized in that the centroid 13 of at least one measuring field 12 or the leading edge 14 of at least one measuring field 12 is arranged offset in or against the printing direction X relative to the centroid 13 of at least one adjacent measuring field 12 of the same row 11.