SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ROTATING A THREE-DIMENSIONAL (3D) OBJECT DURING PRINTING OF THE OBJECT
First Claim
Patent Images
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.
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Accused Products
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.
0 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A printing system comprising:
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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. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11)
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- 2. (canceled)
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12. 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:
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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. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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- 13. (canceled)
Specification