Rotating Print Heads for Consistent Curved Container Printing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional printing apparatuses struggle with maintaining print quality on curved surfaces of containers due to varying distances between the print head and the surface, which is often unsatisfactory along a curved surface.
Innovation Solution
A printing apparatus with multiple print heads that rotate about the container and container holders that provide both rotational and linear movements to maintain a constant perpendicular distance from the print heads, allowing for continuous printing on curved surfaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional print heads are used with vertical positioning, then print quality is maintained on flat surfaces, but print quality deteriorates on curved surfaces due to varying distances from the print head to the surface
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the container holder movable rather than stationary. The holder is configured to move the container linearly towards and away from the print head in continuous motion, allowing the distance to be dynamically adjusted and maintained at a substantially constant perpendicular distance despite the curved surface geometry. This dynamic adjustment resolves the contradiction between maintaining print quality and adapting to curved surfaces.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback control through the continuous motion mechanism that maintains a substantially constant perpendicular distance between the print head and the curved surface. The container holder's movement is controlled to compensate for the varying distance that would naturally occur on curved surfaces, ensuring consistent print quality through active distance regulation.
2Manufacturing precision
If the print head is positioned close to the container surface, then print quality is improved, but the apparatus cannot accommodate curved surfaces where distance varies
Solution Approach 1:
The container holder is designed with dynamic movement capability, allowing it to adjust the container's position continuously during the printing process. This dynamic adjustment enables the system to maintain an optimal constant distance between the print head and the curved surface, resolving the contradiction between maintaining close print head positioning for quality and accommodating curved surface geometry.
3Device complexity
If the container is stationary during printing, then the printing process is simple, but print quality on curved surfaces deteriorates due to distance variation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms the stationary container setup into a dynamic system where the container holder continuously moves the container during printing. This dynamic movement compensates for the distance variations on curved surfaces, maintaining substantially constant perpendicular distance and ensuring print quality while adding controlled complexity to the printing process.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs continuous motion of the container holder throughout the printing process, ensuring that the useful action of maintaining optimal print head-to-surface distance continues without interruption. This continuous adjustment resolves the contradiction between process simplicity and print quality on curved surfaces.
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus for printing on a plurality of containers includes a plurality of print heads configured to print directly on a curved surface of each of the plurality of containers. At least one of the print heads is configured to rotate about at least one of the containers. A plurality of container holders is included for retaining the plurality of containers, each of the plurality of container holders configured to move a container linearly towards and linearly away from a print head in a continuous motion to maintain a print location on the curved surface of the container during a printing process while the print head rotates about the container. The plurality of containers are configured to move in a continuous printing direction different from the linearly towards and linearly away moving directions generally traverse to the plurality of print heads.