System and method for rotating a three-dimensional (3D) object during printing of the object

• US 10,214,026 B1
• Filed: 08/11/2017
• Issued: 02/26/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Jaskowiak, Timothy R., Liu, Chu-Heng, McConville, Paul J., LeFevre, Jason M., Herrmann, Douglas K., Gunnell, Reid W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Huffman, Julian D
• Assistant Examiner(s): Konczal, Michael T
• Application Number:
  US15/674,764
• Publication Number:
  US 20190047297A1
• Time in Patent Office: 564 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 29/00 Details of, or accessories for, typewriters or selective printing mechanisms 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: B41J 3/40733 Printing on cylindrical or rotationally symmetrical objects, e. g. on bottles

Abstract

A direct-to-object printer includes an object rotating subsystem. The object rotating subsystem includes an actuator with an output shaft, a holder mounted to the output shaft, the holder being configured to grip a portion of the object, and a controller operatively connected to the actuator. The controller is configured to operate the actuator to rotate the holder and the object gripped by the holder to enable at least one of the printheads in a printer to print a portion of a circumference of the object that is longer than a width of the at least one printhead.

Claims

1. A printing system comprising:

at least one printhead, the at least one printhead being configured to eject drops of marking material;

a member having a first end and a second end, the first end of the member being at a greater gravitational potential than the second end and the at least one printhead being positioned opposite the member and between the first and second ends of the member;

an object rotating subsystem configured to hold an object and to move along the member between the first end and the second end to carry the object past the at least one printhead to enable the at least one printhead to eject drops of marking material onto the object, the object rotating subsystem having;

a first actuator;

a holder operatively connected to the first actuator, the holder being configured to grip a portion of the object;

a second actuator having an output shaft;

an extension rotatably mounted to the output shaft of the second actuator, the extension being configured to support a planar surface of the object at an end of the object opposite the portion of the object gripped by the holder; and

a controller operatively connected to the first actuator and the second actuator, the controller being configured to operate the first actuator to rotate the holder and the object gripped by the holder to enable the at least one printhead to print a portion of a circumference of the object that is longer than a width of the at least one printhead and to operate the second actuator to extend the output shaft of the second actuator to move the extension into engagement with the planar surface of the end of the object opposite the portion of the object gripped by the holder and to retract the output shaft of the second actuator to support the object and move the object away from the holder after the holder releases the object.

2. The printing system of claim 1 wherein the holder is a chuck.

3. The printing system of claim 1 wherein the first actuator connected to the holder is a stepper motor.

4. The printing system of claim 3, the object rotating subsystem further comprising:

a rotary encoder configured to generate an electrical signal indicative of an angular displacement of an output shaft of the first actuator; and

the controller is further configured to process the electrical signals generated by the rotary encoder to identify a position of a surface of the object.

5. The printing system of claim 4, the object rotating subsystem further comprising:

an electrical power source;

an electrical switch operatively connected to the electrical power source and the first actuator; and

the controller is operatively connected to the electrical switch, the controller being further configured to operate the electrical switch to connect the electrical power source to the first actuator selectively.

6. The printing system of claim 5 further comprising:

a third actuator operatively connected to the object rotating subsystem; and

the controller is operatively connected to the third actuator, the controller is further configured to operate the third actuator connected to the object rotating subsystem to move the object rotating subsystem in a bidirectional process direction along the member.

7. The printing system of claim 6 further comprising:

a fourth actuator operatively connected to the at least one printhead, the fourth actuator being configured to move the at least one printhead toward and away from the object gripped by the holder of the object rotating system; and

the controller is operatively connected to the fourth actuator, the controller is further configured to operate the fourth actuator to move the at least one printhead toward and away from the object gripped by the holder of the object rotating subsystem.

8. The printing system of claim 7 further comprising:

a sensor configured to generate signals corresponding to a distance between the at least one printhead and the object gripped by the holder of the object rotating subsystem when the object rotating subsystem is positioned opposite the at least one printhead; and

the controller is operatively connected to the sensor, the controller is further configured to operate the fourth actuator to move the at least one printhead toward and away from the object gripped by the holder of the object rotating subsystem with reference to the signals received from the sensor.

9. The printing system of claim 1, the controller being further configured to rotate the holder and the object gripped by the holder to enable the at least one printhead to eject marking material onto at least two portions of the circumference of the object that are separated by a predetermined distance, the two portions and the predetermined distance together being greater than a width of the at least one printhead.

10. The printing system of claim 1, the controller being further configured to rotate the holder and the object gripped by the holder to enable the at least one printhead to eject marking material onto a continuous portion of the circumference of the object that is at least greater in distance than a width of the at least one printhead and up to a distance as long as a complete revolution of the object.

11. An object rotating subsystem configured to hold an object and to move the object past a plurality of printheads to receive marking material ejected from the printheads, the object rotating subsystem comprising:

a first actuator;

a member having a first end and a second end, the first end of the member being at a greater gravitational potential than the second end;

a holder connected to the first actuator, the holder being configured to grip a portion of the object and to move between the first and the second ends of the member;

a second actuator having an output shaft;

an extension rotatably mounted to the output shaft of the second actuator, the extension being configured to support a planar surface of the object at an end of the object opposite the portion of the object gripped by the holder; and

a controller operatively connected to the first actuator and the second actuator, the controller being configured to operate the first actuator to rotate the holder and the object gripped by the holder to enable at least one of the printheads to print a portion of a circumference of the object that is longer than a width of the at least one printhead and to operate the second actuator to extend the output shaft of the second actuator to move the extension into engagement with the planar surface of the end of the object opposite the portion of the object gripped by the holder and to retract the output shaft of the second actuator to support the object and move the object away from the holder after the holder releases the object.

12. The object rotating subsystem of claim 11 wherein the holder is a chuck.

13. The object rotating subsystem of claim 11 wherein the first actuator is a stepper motor.

14. The object rotating subsystem of claim 11 further comprising:

a rotary encoder configured to generate an electrical signal indicative of an angular displacement of an output shaft of the first actuator; and

the controller is further configured to process the electrical signals generated by the rotary encoder to identify a position of a surface of the object.

15. The object rotating subsystem of claim 14 further comprising:

an electrical power source;

an electrical switch operatively connected to the electrical power source and the first actuator; and

the controller is operatively connected to the electrical switch, the controller being further configured to operate the electrical switch to connect the electrical power source to the first actuator selectively.

16. The object rotating subsystem of claim 15 further comprising:

a third actuator operatively connected to the object rotating subsystem; and

the controller is operatively connected to the third actuator connected to the object rotating subsystem, the controller is further configured to operate the third actuator connected to the object rotating subsystem to move the object rotating subsystem in a bidirectional process direction.

17. The object rotating subsystem of claim 16 further comprising:

a fourth actuator operatively connected to the at least one printhead, the fourth actuator being configured to move the at least one printhead toward and away from the object gripped by the holder of the object rotating system; and

the controller is operatively connected to the fourth actuator, the controller is further configured to operate the fourth actuator to move the at least one printhead toward and away from the object gripped by the holder of the object rotating subsystem.

18. The printing system of claim 17 further comprising:

a sensor configured to generate signals corresponding to a distance between the at least one printhead and the object gripped by the holder of the object rotating subsystem when the object rotating subsystem is positioned opposite the at least one printhead; and

the controller is operatively connected to the sensor, the controller is further configured to operate the fourth actuator to move the at least one printhead toward and away from the object gripped by the holder of the object rotating subsystem with reference to the signals received from the sensor.

19. The object rotating subsystem of claim 11, the controller being further configured to rotate the holder and the object gripped by the holder to enable the at least one printhead to eject marking material onto at least two portions of the circumference of the object that are separated by a predetermined distance, the two portions and the predetermined distance together being greater than a width of the at least one printhead.

20. The object rotating subsystem of claim 11, the controller being further configured to rotate the holder and the object gripped by the holder to enable the at least one printhead to eject marking material onto a continuous portion of the circumference of the object that is at least greater in distance than a width of the at least one printhead and up to a distance as long as a complete revolution of the object.