System for applying a mark to an object in an object holder of a direct-to-object printer

• US 10,154,158 B2
• Filed: 04/03/2017
• Issued: 12/11/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: McConville, Paul J., Lefevre, Jason M., Liu, Chu-Heng, Herrmann, Douglas K., Burton, Kelly, Atwood, Christopher Douglas, Crossen, Elizabeth M., Liu, Annie
• Primary Examiner(s): Rogers, Scott A
• Application Number:
  US15/477,156
• Publication Number:
  US 20180281456A1
• Time in Patent Office: 617 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B41F 17/002 Supports of workpieces in machines for printing on hollow articles
• CPC Class Codes: B41F 17/006 for printing on curved surfaces not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 3/4073 Printing on three-dimensional objects not being in sheet or web form, e.g. spherical or cubic objects B41J3/283, B41J3/286 take precedence; building up a 3D object using individual droplets from jetting heads B29C64/112
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 3/40731 Holders for objects, e. g. holders specially adapted to the shape of the object to be printed or adapted to hold several objects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00129 with a display device, e.g. CRT or LCD monitor with a television apparatus H04N1/00283; arrangements for control of display devices G09G
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00278 with a printing apparatus, e.g. a laser beam printer
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00326 with a data reading, recognizing or recording apparatus, e.g. with a bar-code apparatus arrangements for the associated working of recording or reproducing apparatus with related apparatus G11B31/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00342 with a radio frequency tag transmitter or receiver storage of additional information in an RFID tag attached to an image bearing paper sheet H04N1/32138
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00411 the display also being used for user input, e.g. touch screen
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/0044 for image preview or review, e.g. to help the user position a sheet
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/3872 Repositioning or masking
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/3873 defined only by a limited number of coordinate points or parameters, e.g. corners, centre; for trimming
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/3877 Image rotation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/393 Enlarging or reducing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0084 Digital still camera

Abstract

What is disclosed is system which facilitates the application of a mark to a surface of an object in a direct-to-object print system and a direct-to-object print system configured to use various embodiments of the present marking system. The present marking system comprises a camera for capturing an image of an object retained by an object holder configured to slideably traverse a support member positioned to be parallel to a plane formed by at least one printhead configured to eject in onto a surface of the object. A processor receives an image of an object held and communicates the image to a display. A mark to be printed on the object is retrieved and overlaid on the object in the image. A location of the overlaid mark is determined and communicated to a controller which causes the printhead to print the mark on the object at the location.

Claims

1. A system for applying a mark to a surface of an object in a direct-to-object print system, the system comprising:

a camera for capturing an image of an object retained by an object holder configured to slideably traverse a support member positioned to be parallel to a plane formed by at least one printhead of a direct-to-object print system comprising, at least in part, an actuator for operatively causing the object holder to slideably traverse the support member, the controller being configured to cause the actuator to move the object holder past the printhead;

a belt that contacts pulleys, one of the pulleys being operatively connected to the actuator which causes the pulley to move the belt about the pulleys and move the object holder past the printhead, wherein the belt is entrained about the pulleys to form an endless belt; and

an additional pulley that engages the endless belt to enable the additional pulley to rotate in response to a movement of the endless belt to move the object holder; and

a processor executing machine readable instructions which configure the processor to;

receive, from the camera, an image of the object in the object holder;

communicate the image to a display of a user interface;

retrieve a mark desired to be printed on the object;

overlay the mark on the object in the image in a default location;

determine a final location of the overlaid mark relative to any of;

at least one edge of the object, at least one edge of the object holder, and at least one reference point on the object holder; and

communicate the mark and the determined final location to a controller configured to cause the printhead to print the mark on the object at the final location.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising an actuator for operatively causing the object holder to slideably traverse the support member, the controller being configured to cause the actuator to move the object holder past the printhead.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to enable a user to selectively perform any of:

adjust a location of the mark on the object, adjust a size of the mark, edit the mark, and change an orientation of the mark relative to an edge of the object holder.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to perform any of:

adjust a position of the camera, change a focus of the camera, change a resolution of the camera, zoom a lens of the camera, and cause the camera to capture an image of the object in the object holder.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the processor is configured to retrieve the mark from any of:

a memory, a hard drive, a user input device, and a remote device over a network.

6. A direct-to-object print system for printing on a surface of an object, comprising:

at least one printhead configured to eject marking material on to a surface of an object;

a support member positioned to be parallel to a plane formed by the printhead;

an object holder configured to slideably traverse the support member, the object holder retaining the object while it is being printed;

an actuator for operatively causing the object holder to slideably traverse the support member, the controller being configured to cause the actuator to move the object holder past the printhead;

a belt that contacts pulleys, one of the pulleys being operatively connected to the actuator which causes the pulley to move the belt about the pulleys and move the object holder past the printhead, wherein the belt is entrained about the pulleys to form an endless belt;

an additional pulley that engages the endless belt to enable the additional pulley to rotate in response to a movement of the endless belt to move the object holder;

a camera for capturing an image of the object held by the object holder; and

a processor executing machine readable instructions which configure the processor to;

receive, from the camera, an image of the object in the object holder;

communicate the image to a display of a user interface;

retrieve a mark desired to be printed on the object;

overlay the mark on the object in the image in a default location;

determine a final location of the overlaid mark relative to any of;

at least one edge of the object, at least one edge of the object holder, and at least one reference point on the object holder; and

communicate the mark and the determined final location to a controller configured to cause the printhead to print the mark on the object at the final location.

7. The direct-to-object print system of claim 6, wherein the support member is oriented to enable one end of the support member to be at a higher gravitational potential than another end of the support member.

8. The direct-to-object print system of claim 6, wherein the processor is further configured to enable a user to selectively perform any of:

adjust a location of the mark on the object, adjust a size of the mark, edit the mark, and change an orientation of the mark relative to an edge of the object holder.

9. The direct-to-object print system of claim 6, wherein the processor is further configured to perform any of:

adjust a position of the camera, change a focus of the camera, change a resolution of the camera, zoom a lens of the camera, and cause the camera to capture an image of the object in the object holder.

10. The direct-to-object print system of claim 6, wherein the processor is configured to retrieve the mark from any of:

a memory, a hard drive, a user input device, and a remote device over a network.

11. The direct-to-object print system of claim 6, further comprising an identification tag and an input device.

12. The direct-to-object print system of claim 11, wherein the identification tag comprises any of:

a RFID tag containing an identifier and the input device is a RFID reader, a barcode containing an identifier and the input device is a barcode reader, and at least one mechanical feature and the input device is a biased arm that follows the mechanical features and converts a position of the arm into an electrical signal comprising an identifier.

13. The direct-to-object print system of claim 11, wherein the controller is further configured to:

receive the identifier from the input device;

compare the identifier to at least one identifier stored in a memory; and

disable the actuator in response to the identifier failing to correspond to any of the identifiers stored in memory.

14. The direct-to-object print system of claim 11, wherein the controller is further configured to:

receive the identifier from the input device;

compare the identifier to identifiers stored in a memory; and

disable operation of the printhead in response to the identifier failing to correspond to any of the identifiers stored in memory.

15. The direct-to-object print system of claim 6, wherein the controller is further configured to:

detect a configuration of the printhead and ink supplied to the printhead; and

communicate a message to the user interface, the message being any of;

that ink needs to be changed, and that the printhead needs to be reconfigured.

16. The direct-to-object print system of claim 6, further comprising a sensor positioned to capture image data from one of:

the object holder, the object, and a sheet of printed media, the controller being configured to receive the image data from the sensor and analyze the image data to identify any of;

printhead alignment, image quality, and inoperative ejectors.