METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR DECORATOR COMPONENT IDENTIFICATION AND SELECTED ADJUSTMENT THEREOF
First Claim
1. A system for printing patterns on peripheral surfaces of cylindrical containers comprising:
- a mandrel wheel having a plurality of mandrels disposed thereon, each mandrel being operative to carry an individual cylindrical container around a periphery of the mandrel wheel;
a print blanket wheel having a plurality of print blankets disposed thereon, the print blanket wheel being adjustable, each print blanket being operative to print a pattern on a peripheral surface of individual cylindrical container carried by a mandrel of the mandrel wheel;
an inspection system operative to inspect the cylindrical container for faults or variations in the printed pattern on the individual cylindrical containers, the inspection system being operative to identify the individual mandrel which carried an individual cylindrical container and a corresponding print blanket that printed on the individual cylindrical container, and operative to generate fault or variation information; and
,a control system operative to receive the fault or variation information to facilitate correction of the system.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Automated inspection technology is integrated with a cylindrical container print decorator machine to optimize the decoration process by making critical process and machine information properly and immediately available for corrective adjustments to the process. With this information, a high speed decoration machine operator will be made directly aware of the portions or subsystems of the decorator machine not functioning properly. The information directly facilitates, and can even recommend, corrective adjustments that are necessary to the decorator to better optimize printing functions. It is possible to use this information to optimize the operation of the decorator. It is possible to use this information by way of a properly configured control system, after specific augmentation capabilities are added to the decorator machine, to automatically close the loops with specific decorator printing machine parts or subsystems to dramatically improve the decorating process even while the machine is printing.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. A system for printing patterns on peripheral surfaces of cylindrical containers comprising:
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a mandrel wheel having a plurality of mandrels disposed thereon, each mandrel being operative to carry an individual cylindrical container around a periphery of the mandrel wheel; a print blanket wheel having a plurality of print blankets disposed thereon, the print blanket wheel being adjustable, each print blanket being operative to print a pattern on a peripheral surface of individual cylindrical container carried by a mandrel of the mandrel wheel; an inspection system operative to inspect the cylindrical container for faults or variations in the printed pattern on the individual cylindrical containers, the inspection system being operative to identify the individual mandrel which carried an individual cylindrical container and a corresponding print blanket that printed on the individual cylindrical container, and operative to generate fault or variation information; and
,a control system operative to receive the fault or variation information to facilitate correction of the system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method for controlling printing patterns on peripheral surfaces of cylindrical containers comprising:
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printing a pattern on a peripheral surface of individual cylindrical container carried by a mandrel of the mandrel wheel; inspecting the cylindrical containers for faults or variations in the printed pattern on the individual cylindrical containers; identifying the individual mandrel which carried an individual cylindrical container or a corresponding print blanket that printed on the individual cylindrical container; generating fault or variation information based on detected faults or variations and the identifying; and
,processing the fault or variation information to facilitate correction of the system. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A method for controlling and optimizing the printing of patterns on peripheral surfaces of cylindrical can bodies comprising:
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configuring a can decorator machine which is integrally connected to an automated vision inspection system to inspect each can at production speed soon after printing; printing a pattern on the peripheral surface of each individual can carried by a mandrel of the mandrel wheel by making rolling contact with a print blanket which is carried on a speed synchronized print blanket wheel; inspecting the can body for visual faults or variations in the printed pattern on each individual can body; identifying at least one of the individual mandrel, print blanket, colors, and other machine components which were in contact with each individual can in the decorator machine; generating and associating fault or variation information related to specific machine component adjustments that may be needed to further optimize or correct the decorating process; and
,sending electrical signals to a control system operative to automatically make the recommended adjustments to the specific machine components in need of adjustment; - View Dependent Claims (27)
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Specification