Processes and machines for decorating articles of manufacture
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A process for decorating an article of manufacture, the process comprising:
- providing an elongated, three-dimensional, discrete article of manufacture with a longitudinal axis and an exterior surface, which includes an exterior side surface, at least part of which is offset from the longitudinal axis, wherein said exterior side surface comprises a textural pattern-receiving portion of said exterior side surface, and said pattern-receiving portion has a curvature when viewed perpendicular to said longitudinal axis, said article of manufacture further comprising an indicium disposed on the exterior side surface at a particular location;
providing a predetermined textural pattern of raised portions and open areas, to be applied to the exterior side surface;
providing one or more non-contact, linearly arrayed, depositing-on-demand, pattern deposition devices, each of which includes a linear deposition axis, wherein points along the pattern-receiving portion of the exterior side surface of said article of manufacture are in alignment with said linear deposition axis, and said points on said article of manufacture are spaced different distances away from the linear deposition axis when measured perpendicular to said linear deposition axis at different locations along the longitudinal axis of the article of manufacture; and
depositing one or more layers of a material to form the predetermined textural pattern of raised portions on at least a portion of the exterior side surface, by using the one or more pattern deposition devices, while the article rotates around the longitudinal axis and while the one or more pattern deposition devices are stationary with respect to the longitudinal axis, wherein each of the layers is deposited according to a common registration, which is based on the particular location, wherein the raised portions have an overall height of 10-500 microns and are separated by open areas.
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Abstract
Processes and machines for decorating exterior surfaces of elongated, three-dimensional, discrete articles of manufacture, with decorative indicia and textural patterns.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A process for decorating an article of manufacture, the process comprising:
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providing an elongated, three-dimensional, discrete article of manufacture with a longitudinal axis and an exterior surface, which includes an exterior side surface, at least part of which is offset from the longitudinal axis, wherein said exterior side surface comprises a textural pattern-receiving portion of said exterior side surface, and said pattern-receiving portion has a curvature when viewed perpendicular to said longitudinal axis, said article of manufacture further comprising an indicium disposed on the exterior side surface at a particular location; providing a predetermined textural pattern of raised portions and open areas, to be applied to the exterior side surface; providing one or more non-contact, linearly arrayed, depositing-on-demand, pattern deposition devices, each of which includes a linear deposition axis, wherein points along the pattern-receiving portion of the exterior side surface of said article of manufacture are in alignment with said linear deposition axis, and said points on said article of manufacture are spaced different distances away from the linear deposition axis when measured perpendicular to said linear deposition axis at different locations along the longitudinal axis of the article of manufacture; and depositing one or more layers of a material to form the predetermined textural pattern of raised portions on at least a portion of the exterior side surface, by using the one or more pattern deposition devices, while the article rotates around the longitudinal axis and while the one or more pattern deposition devices are stationary with respect to the longitudinal axis, wherein each of the layers is deposited according to a common registration, which is based on the particular location, wherein the raised portions have an overall height of 10-500 microns and are separated by open areas. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A process for decorating an article of manufacture, the process comprising:
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providing an elongated, three-dimensional, discrete article of manufacture with a longitudinal axis and an exterior surface, which includes an exterior side surface, at least part of which is offset from the longitudinal axis, wherein said exterior side surface comprises a textural pattern-receiving portion of said exterior side surface, and said pattern-receiving portion has a curvature when viewed perpendicular to said longitudinal axis, said article of manufacture further comprising an indicium disposed on the exterior side surface at a particular location; providing a predetermined textural pattern of raised portions and open areas, to be applied to the exterior side surface; providing one or more non-contact, linearly arrayed, depositing-on-demand, pattern deposition devices, each of which includes a linear deposition axis, wherein points along the pattern-receiving portion of the exterior side surface of said article of manufacture are in alignment with said linear deposition axis, and said points on said article of manufacture are spaced different distances away from the linear deposition axis when measured perpendicular to said linear deposition axis at different locations along the longitudinal axis of the article of manufacture; depositing one or more layers of a material that is curable with ultra-violet light to form the predetermined textural pattern of raised portions on at least a portion of the exterior side surface, by using the one or more non-contact pattern deposition devices, while the article rotates around the longitudinal axis and while the one or more pattern deposition devices are stationary with respect to the longitudinal axis, wherein each of the layers is deposited according to a common registration, which is based on the particular location, such that the one or more layers of material do not overlap the indicium, wherein the raised portions have an overall height of 10-500 microns and are separated by open areas; and pinning at least a portion of each of the layers of the material, after the layer is at least partially deposited, but before depositing any subsequent layer of the material.
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23. A process for decorating an article of manufacture, the process comprising:
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providing an elongated, three-dimensional, discrete article of manufacture with a longitudinal axis and an exterior surface, which includes an exterior side surface, at least part of which is offset from the longitudinal axis, wherein said exterior side surface comprises a textural pattern-receiving portion of said exterior side surface, and said pattern-receiving portion has a curvature when viewed perpendicular to said longitudinal axis, said article of manufacture further comprising an indicium disposed on the exterior side surface at a particular location; providing a predetermined textural pattern of raised portions and open areas, to be applied to the exterior side surface in registration with said indicium, wherein said indicium and said predetermined textural pattern are different in type and/or in the processes used to create the indicium and the predetermined textural pattern; providing a machine for decorating the article of manufacture, said machine comprising; an indexing sub-assembly, comprising; at least one article holder, configured to;
hold in a fixed relationship, an elongated, three-dimensional, discrete article of manufacture; and
rotate an article that is being held; andat least one angular encoder, configured to detect an angular position of an article that is being held and rotated by the article holder, wherein the indexing sub-assembly is configured to move with an indexing movement within the machine to move the at least one article holder through each of a plurality of indexed positions, including;
a registration indexed position with respect to a registration sub-assembly; and
a deposition indexed position with respect to a deposition sub-assembly; anda registration sub-assembly comprising a sensor configured to detect a presence of a feature on an article that is being held by the article holder in the registration indexed position, wherein the registration sub-assembly is mounted to the machine separate from the indexing sub-assembly; a deposition sub-assembly comprising one or more non-contact, linearly arrayed, depositing-on-demand, pattern deposition devices, each of which is configured to deposit one or more layers of a material onto an exterior side surface of an article that is being held by the article holder in the deposition indexed position and that is being rotated by the article holder, wherein the deposition sub-assembly is mounted to the machine separate from the indexing sub-assembly; and a controller in communication with the sensor, the angular encoder, and the one or more pattern deposition devices; and
the controller is configured to;
receive a detection signal from the sensor;
receive an angular position from the angular encoder; and
to send instructions to the one or more pattern deposition devices, to deposit one or more layers of material in a predetermined textural pattern, onto an exterior side surface of an article that is being held in the deposition position and rotated by the article holder;providing one or more non-contact, linearly arrayed, depositing-on-demand, pattern deposition devices, each of which includes a linear deposition axis, wherein points along the pattern-receivirg portion of the exterior side surface of said article of manufacture are in alignment with said linear deposition axis, and said points on said article of manufacture are spaced different distances away from the linear deposition axis when measure perpendicular to said linear deposition axis at different locations along the longitudinal axis of the article of manufacture; and depositing one or more layers of a material to form the predetermined textural pattern of raised portions on at least a portion of the exterior side surface, by using the one or more pattern deposition devices, while the article rotates around the longitudinal axis and while the one or more pattern deposition devices are stationary with respect to the longitudinal axis, wherein each of the layers is deposited according to a common registration, which is based on the particular location, wherein the raised portions have an overall height of 10-500 microns and are separated by open areas.
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Specification