Preco Industries, Inc.

Hongli Du

Charles C Raney

John T Pierson, Jr

James T Gramling

Ralph Gifford

Web processing method and apparatus () is provided for high speed, extremely accurate die cutting or lamination operations. Processing station () includes a vacuum hold down plate () which receives and holds an image bearing incremental segment of the web. In feed and out feed tension on the web is released while a segment of the web is held by the hold down plate. The hold down plate with a segment of the web thereon is selectively shifted about X, Y, and &#x3b8; axes as required to bring the image on the web segment into alignment with a web processing component at the processing station.

Method for simultaneous x, y and &#x3b8; registration of segment of continuous web with a processing station

Web processing apparatus () is provided for high speed, extremely accurate die cutting or lamination operations. Processing station () includes a Vacuum hold down plate () which receives and holds an image bearing incremental segment of the web. In feed and out feed tension on the web is released while a segment of the web is held by the hold down plate. The hold down plate with a segment of the web thereon is selectively shifted about X, Y and &#x3b8; axis as required to bring the image on the web segment into alignment with a web processing component at the processing station.

Web or sheet-fed apparatus having high-speed mechanism for simultaneous X,Y and theta registration

High speed, extremely accurate web or sheet-fed segment die cutting or lamination apparatus ( ) has a processing station ( ), which receives a sheet or web segment, and is provided with a vacuum hold-down plate ( ) for holding initially fed segments ( ). The plate is shiftable as necessary along orthogonal X-Y axes in the plane of the segment ( ), and/or is rotatable about a &thgr; axis transverse to the segment plane. Plate movement is effected by a series of aligned, translatable eccentric drive units ( ). Segments ( ) carry positioning fiducials ( ) that are compared with fixed reference indicia ( ) in the station ( ). The comparison data is used by a controller ( ) to generate the plate movement information used in simultaneous operation of the associated plate drive units ( ).

Web or sheet-fed apparatus having high-speed mechanism for simultaneous X, Y and &thgr; registration and method

A die cutting press ( ) having a base platen ( ), a bolster ( ) shiftably and rotatably mounted on the base platen, and a die unit ( ) mounted on the bolster for movement therewith is provided for precision cutting of individual part-defining areas ( ) from longitudinal and laterally-arranged rows of part areas of a relatively thin substrate ( ) that is susceptible to deformation and warpage during its manufacture and wherein registration indicia ( ) is provided in association with each of the part-defining areas. Improved die registration apparatus includes a delivery unit ( ) for successively shifting the substrate in order to bring a cross-row ( ) of individual part areas into general alignment with the die unit, an indexing device ( ) operable to successively shift a cutting die ( ) of the die unit laterally ofthe substrate and relative to the bolster into general alignment with successive ones of said part areas, and cutting die registration mechanism connected to the bolster operable to sense and respond to the registration indicium associated with each respective part area to rotate and shift the bolster laterally different distances and angles depending upon distance of the part to be cut from the pivot axis of the bolster.

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Olathe, KS, United States of America

Hongli Du