Printing apparatus for printing an image on a selected surface

• US 6,832,864 B2
• Filed: 01/16/2003
• Issued: 12/21/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
• Original Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
• Inventors: Patton, David L., McIntyre, Dale F., Allen, Loretta E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Colilia, Daniel J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Crenshaw, Marvin P.
• Application Number:
  US10/346,148
• Publication Number:
  US 20040141784A1
• Time in Patent Office: 705 Days
• Field of Search: 400/323, 400/323.1, 400/319, 400/320, 400/283, 33/181, 33/211, 33/26
• US Class Current: 400/323
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 11/008 Controlling printhead for accurately positioning print image on printing material, e.g. with the intention to control the width of margins
• 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

Abstract

Printing apparatus for printing an image on a selected surface, includes a print head for printing the image, respective supports for the print head that allow the print head to translate left and right along an x-axis and to translate up and down along a y-axis perpendicular to the x-axis to move the print head over the selected surface, and respective supports for the print head that allow the print head to translate forward and rearward along a z-axis perpendicular to the x-and y-axes and to swing in a plurality of curves from the z-axis in order to adjust the print head for surface variations on the selected surface.

Claims

1. A printing apparatus for printing an image on a selected vertical surface of a fixed, permanent structure comprising:

a support structure adapted to be attached to the fixed, permanent structure, the support structure including at least one horizontal member adapted to be supported generally parallel to the selected vertical surface;

a marking engine including a print head for printing the image, the marking engine supported on the at least one horizontal member;

a sensor mounted on the marking engine, movement of the marking engine allowing the sensor to collect mapping data of the selected vertical surface;

a logic and control unit that stores coordinates representing the image and representing a map of the selected vertical surface and also instructs the motor to drive movement of the marking engine along the at least one horizontal member as well as telescoping and partial rotational movement of the printhead in accordance with the stored coordinates; and

a motor for translating the marking engine along the at least one horizontal member.

2. A printing apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein:

the support structure includes at least two mounting portions anchoring the support structure to at least two respective surfaces of the fixed permanent structure adjacent to the selected vertical surface.

3. A printing apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein:

the support structure includes at least two mounting portions anchoring the support structure to the selected vertical surface.

4. A printing apparatus as recited in claim 3 wherein:

the at least two mounting portions anchoring the support structure to the selected vertical surface are suction cups.

5. A printing apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein:

the printhead is rotatably mounted for partial rotational movement about a horizontal axis.

6. A printing apparatus as recited in claim 5 wherein:

the printhead includes a telescoping mechanism to allow for telescoping movement of the printhead along a z-axis perpendicular to the selected vertical surface.

7. A printing apparatus as recited in claim 5 wherein:

the printhead is rotatably mounted for partial rotational movement about a vertical axis.

8. A printing apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein:

the support structure includes two vertical support tracks, the horizontal member being supported between the two vertical tracks, the horizontal member with the marking engine supported thereon being translatable in a vertical plane generally parallel to the selected vertical surface.

9. A printing apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein:

the logic and control unit includes software that compensates for misalignment of the selected vertical surface with an adjacent surface of the fixed permanent structure generally perpendicular to the selected vertical surface.

10. A printing method for printing an image on a selected vertical surface of a fixed, permanent structure comprising the steps of:

mounting a marking engine including a sensor and a print head on a support structure including at least one horizontal member;

attaching the support structure to the fixed permanent structure such that the at least one horizontal member resides generally parallel to the selected vertical surface;

translating the marking engine along the horizontal member and mapping the selected vertical surface with the sensor mounted on the marking engine;

storing in a logic and control unit coordinates representing the image and representing a map of the selected vertical surface;

compensating for misalignment of the selected vertical surface with an adjacent surface of the fixed permanent structure that is generally perpendicular to the selected vertical surface; and

controlling with the logic and control unit a motor to drive movement of the marking engine along the at least one horizontal member as well as telescoping and partial rotational movement of the printhead in accordance with the stored coordinates.

11. A printing method for printing an image on a selected vertical surface of a fixed, permanent structure comprising the steps of:

mounting a marking engine including a sensor and a print head on a support structure including at least one horizontal member;

attaching the support structure to the fixed permanent structure such that the at least one horizontal member resides generally parallel to the selected vertical surface;

translating the marking engine along the horizontal member and mapping the selected vertical surface with the sensor mounted on the marking eneine;

storing in a logic and control unit coordinates representing the image and renresenting a map of the selected vertical surface;

compensating for irregularities in the selected vertical surface; and

controlling with the logic and control unit a motor to drive movement of the marking engine along the at least one horizontal member as well as telescoping and partial rotational movement of the printhead in accordance with the stored coordinates.

12. A printing method as recited in claim 11 further comprising the step of:

moving the horizontal support member vertically during both the mapping and printing steps.