Markem-imaje Corporation

Dover Europe Sarl

Markem Corporation

Other

Frances H Benton

Arjun Venkataramanan

Bernard Bunner

Simon Starkey

Mark Rapposelli

Richard A Gardner

Peter Carey Landers

Paul Bisson

Alan G Gibson

Jose Raul Ramirez

Bernard Marcel Bunner

Systems and methods for industrial printing, e.g., using drop-on-demand (DOD) inkjet print heads, include, in at least one aspect, a printing device including: a print head including a print engine, including multiple nozzles, and circuitry to selectively eject ink through the multiple nozzles to form an image on a moving substrate, and to purge the ink through the multiple nozzles; and a printhead enclosure having an opening in front of the multiple nozzles to allow the selectively ejected ink to pass through the opening when the selectively ejected ink is ejected toward the moving substrate; wherein the printhead enclosure includes a hole placed away from the multiple nozzles; and wherein the printhead enclosure is configured to direct the ink that is purged through the multiple nozzles along an inside surface of the printhead enclosure to the hole through which the ink flows and exits the printhead enclosure.

Purged ink removal from print head

Industrial printing systems, including systems and techniques relating to drop-on-demand (DOD) inkjet printing systems include an apparatus including: a receptacle defining a hold chamber to receive ink, the receptacle including a first portion configured to hold a first quantity of ink, and a second portion that is smaller than the first portion and configured to hold a second quantity of ink, the second portion including a first heat conducting surface, and a second heat conducting surface offset from the first heat conducting surface by a distance determined in accordance with a melting point of the ink, the second heat conducting surface defining a barrier between the first portion and the second portion and including at least one opening configured to allow flow of the ink from the first portion to the second portion; and at least one heating element configured to heat the receptacle.

Systems and techniques for melting hot melt ink in industrial printing systems

Systems and methods for industrial printing, e.g., using drop-on-demand (DOD) inkjet print heads, include, in at least one aspect, a printing device including: a print head configured to selectively eject liquid through nozzles to form an image on a moving substrate; and a printhead enclosure configured to contain a pressurized airspace at least in front of the nozzles; wherein the printhead enclosure includes a slot that aligns with the nozzles to allow the selectively ejected liquid to pass through the slot when the selectively ejected liquid is ejected toward the moving substrate; and wherein the printhead enclosure is configured to contain the pressurized airspace and cause airflow through the slot at a flow rate that prevents dust and debris from entering the slot while the selectively ejected liquid passes through the slot and the airflow without a direction of the selectively ejected liquid being impeded by the airflow.

Systems and techniques to reduce debris buildup around print head nozzles

Methods, systems, and apparatus for thermal transfer printing include a band of material comprising a polyimide film, the band and a thickness of the band are selected based on heat transfer characteristics through the band; a print roller or platen configured and arranged to support a substrate; a printhead configured and arranged to thermally transfer ink from the band of material to the substrate; a combined heating and re-inking system comprising a heated ink roller comprising a textured outer surface, wherein a first portion of the heated ink roller contacts the band to cause ink on the band to re-melt, flow and replace at least some of the portion of the ink transferred to the substrate previously before arriving at the printhead again for a next print, and a second portion of the heated ink roller receives new ink; and a control system that matches the band and substrate speeds.

Apparatus and method for thermal transfer printing

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including medium-encoded computer program products, for thermal transfer printing include, in at least one aspect, a printing apparatus includes: a band capable of holding hot melt ink thereon; rollers configured and arranged to hold and transport the band with respect to a substrate; a printhead configured and arranged to thermally transfer a portion of the ink from the band to the substrate to print on the substrate; and a heating device configured and arranged to heat the band to cause ink on the band to re-melt, flow and replace at least some of the portion of the ink transferred to the substrate previously before arriving at the printhead again for a next print.

A self-closing helmet strap is contemplated to automatically strap a helmet to a user's head. The self-closing strap may be in the form of a curved strap configuration with the straps configured to curve under the user's chin. The self-closing strap may be a spring strap configuration with a strap designed to self-close with the aid of a spring.

Self-closing helmet strap

A printing apparatus including a printhead for transferring ink from a ribbon to a substrate to be printed, a print roller for guiding the substrate to be printed, a peel-off roller for separating the ribbon from the substrate, downstream of the printhead, wherein a peel-off angle is subtended between a portion of ribbon which, when the printing apparatus is in use, extends between the printhead and the peel-off roller and a tangent to the print roller at a contact point on the circumference of the print roller, and a printhead angle is subtended between a part of the printhead which transfers ink from the ribbon to the substrate and a radius of the print roller at the contact point, and wherein the printhead angle is adjustable in accordance with the speed of the ribbon relative to the printing apparatus.

Printing apparatus and method of operation of a printing apparatus

An apparatus for selectively peeling a tag off of a strip of tags has a peel bar having a beak for peeling a tag off of the strip. The peel bar is mounted to be rotatable about a longitudinal axis thereof by movement of the strip. A retaining element selectively engages the peel bar. The retaining element has a first position in which the peel bar is held stationary, and a second position in which the peel bar is free to rotate.

Peel bar for selective label application

Liquid sensing apparatuses and liquid sensing methods are described. In some embodiments, a liquid sensing apparatus includes a magnetic element; a source magnetic field, which produces on the magnetic element a magnetic force with a component that opposes a gravitational force on the magnetic element; and a structure configured to prevent rotation of the magnetic moment of the magnetic element relative to the magnetic field, e.g., so that the magnetic force remains greater than the gravitational force. The apparatus is capable of sensing the level of a liquid using a combination of magnetic force and buoyancy force.

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Keene, NH, United States of America

Frances H Benton