Direct-to-product printing tray with label dispensing mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
In direct-to-product printing, there is a high likelihood of mislabeling personalized photo products during shipping due to incorrect matching of shipping labels, especially in mass production scenarios where each product is unique, and printing tracking information directly on the product would detract from its appearance.
Innovation Solution
A direct-to-product printing tray with a label-dispensing system that prints tracking labels as part of a composite image alongside personalized images, allowing for automatic advancement of labels and reducing the need for frequent reloading, ensuring accurate matching and shipping of products.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If tracking information is printed directly on the product, then shipping accuracy is improved, but product appearance is degraded
Solution Approach 1:
The patent separates tracking information from the product by printing it on individual labels rather than directly on the product surface. Each label is printed separately and then attached to the corresponding product, maintaining product appearance while ensuring accurate tracking information is available for shipping.
2Shape
If labels are printed separately from products, then product appearance is maintained, but matching accuracy deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the printing of product images and corresponding tracking labels into a single composite image printed on one tray. The tray is divided into sections where each section contains both a product image and its corresponding tracking label, ensuring they remain associated and are printed together in the correct sequence, thus maintaining matching accuracy while preserving product appearance.
3Productivity
If mass production of personalized products is increased, then productivity is improved, but mislabeling frequency increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple product images and their corresponding tracking labels into a single composite image on one tray, allowing mass production while maintaining accurate matching. The tray layout ensures that each product image is paired with its correct tracking label, enabling high-volume production without increasing mislabeling frequency.
4Quantity of substance
If frequent label reloading is required, then label availability is maintained, but printing efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent prepares multiple tracking labels in advance by including them as part of the composite image on the printing tray before the printing process begins. This preliminary preparation ensures that labels are ready and available when needed, eliminating the need for frequent reloading during the printing process and maintaining high printing efficiency.
Data Source
AI summary
A direct-to-product printing tray to hold a photo product and a plurality of labels in place while a composite image is printed on the photo product and a first label. The direct-to-product printing tray includes a label-dispensing system within the direct-to-product tray. The label-dispensing system is configured to automatically advance a second label to a position previously occupied by the first label in response to the removal of the first label from the label-dispensing system.