APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR PRINTING THREE DIMENSIONAL ARTICLES
First Claim
1. An apparatus for printing an image onto a curved surface of a three dimensional article, the apparatus comprising:
- a support fixture adapted to support the article;
an ink jet print head having a plurality of nozzles coupled to a source of printing medium;
an articulatable robotic arm, one of the print head and the support fixture being mounted to and carried by the robotic arm, the robotic arm having more than three degrees of freedom of movement and being moveable so as to cause relative movement of the print head along a series of scanning paths following surface contour of the curved surface of the article;
a controller coupled to the robotic arm and being configured to cause articulation of the robotic arm so as to cause relative movement of the print head along the series of scanning paths, the controller causing the robotic arm to continuously locate the print head relative to the curved surface of the article in a position suitable for printing as the print head is moved along the series of scanning paths, the controller coupled to the print head and further configured to cause the plurality of nozzles to eject printing medium at predetermined locations along the scanning paths so as to form the image on the curved surface of the substrate; and
a sensor configured to sense part features on the curved surface of the part, wherein the controller is configured to cause the plurality of nozzles to eject printing medium based on the sensing of part features by the sensor;
wherein the controller is configured to cause articulation of the robotic arm to position the print head at an orientation normal to the curved surface of the article.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus for printing an image onto a curved surface of a three dimensional article. The apparatus principally includes a support fixture, an ink jet print head having a plurality of nozzles, and an articulatable robotic arm. One of the support fixture and the print head are mounted to and carried by the robotic arm. The robotic arm is moveable so as to cause relative movement of the print head along a series of scanning paths that follow the surface contour of the curved surface of the article. A controller is coupled to the robotic arm and is configured to cause articulation of the robotic arm. The controller causes the robotic arm to continuously locate the print head relative to the curved surface and to cause the plurality of nozzles to eject printing medium at predetermined locations along the scanning paths so as to form the image.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. An apparatus for printing an image onto a curved surface of a three dimensional article, the apparatus comprising:
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a support fixture adapted to support the article; an ink jet print head having a plurality of nozzles coupled to a source of printing medium; an articulatable robotic arm, one of the print head and the support fixture being mounted to and carried by the robotic arm, the robotic arm having more than three degrees of freedom of movement and being moveable so as to cause relative movement of the print head along a series of scanning paths following surface contour of the curved surface of the article; a controller coupled to the robotic arm and being configured to cause articulation of the robotic arm so as to cause relative movement of the print head along the series of scanning paths, the controller causing the robotic arm to continuously locate the print head relative to the curved surface of the article in a position suitable for printing as the print head is moved along the series of scanning paths, the controller coupled to the print head and further configured to cause the plurality of nozzles to eject printing medium at predetermined locations along the scanning paths so as to form the image on the curved surface of the substrate; and a sensor configured to sense part features on the curved surface of the part, wherein the controller is configured to cause the plurality of nozzles to eject printing medium based on the sensing of part features by the sensor; wherein the controller is configured to cause articulation of the robotic arm to position the print head at an orientation normal to the curved surface of the article. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for printing an image onto a curved surface of a three dimensional article, the method comprising:
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locating an ink jet print head having a plurality of nozzles proximate to a curved surface of a three dimensional article; causing relative movement of the ink jet print head along a scanning path across the surface of the article while positioning the ink jet print head at an orientation normal to curvature exhibited by the surface of the article; sensing the height of the print head relative to the actual surface of the article and adjusting the height of the print head to an off-set height relative to the actual surface of the article; and ejecting ink from the plurality of nozzles according to the position of the print head relative to the article based on location of the sensed part features correlated with image data stored in memory of a controller and correlated to the surface of the article. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification