Compensating for variations in article speeds and characteristics at different article positions during article irradiation
First Claim
1. A method of applying radiant energy to articles, including the steps of:
- providing radiant energy in a first direction, conveying the articles past the radiant energy in a second direction transverse to the first direction, such that incremental positions of the articles in a third direction transverse to the first and second directions are conveyed at different speeds past the radiant energy, scanning the radiant energy on a cyclical basis in the third direction, varying the intensity of the radiant energy in the incremental positions of the articles in the third direction to compensate for the different speeds of the incremental positions of the articles in the second direction as the articles are conveyed past the radiant energy, and offsetting the scanning of the radiant energy in the third direction in alternate cycles relative to the scanning of the radiant energy in the third direction in the other cycles.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
First embodiment: an article is conveyed in a first direction at different speeds at different positions on the article in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction. For example, when the article is conveyed in a rotary direction, the positions on the radially outer side of the article rotate at higher speeds than the positions at the radially inner side of the article. Radiant energy directed against the conveyed article is scanned on a cyclic basis in the second direction between the radially inner and outer sides of the article. During the scanning, the intensity of the radiant energy is varied at each position in the second direction to direct a constant intensity of radiant energy against the article at every position in the article. Second embodiment: the article scanning in the second direction is varied according to the article characteristics (e.g. thickness) in the second direction.
23 Citations
5 Claims
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1. A method of applying radiant energy to articles, including the steps of:
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providing radiant energy in a first direction, conveying the articles past the radiant energy in a second direction transverse to the first direction, such that incremental positions of the articles in a third direction transverse to the first and second directions are conveyed at different speeds past the radiant energy, scanning the radiant energy on a cyclical basis in the third direction, varying the intensity of the radiant energy in the incremental positions of the articles in the third direction to compensate for the different speeds of the incremental positions of the articles in the second direction as the articles are conveyed past the radiant energy, and offsetting the scanning of the radiant energy in the third direction in alternate cycles relative to the scanning of the radiant energy in the third direction in the other cycles. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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Specification