Preco Industries, Inc.

John T Pierson, Jr

Charles C Raney

Hongli Du

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 screen printing and curing apparatus has a shiftable printing head that carries a plurality of screen printing units that are each adapted to print an inked image of a color or texture different than the images printed by the other printing units. After the printing head has been lowered toward a web and each printing unit produces an inked image on respective, successively oriented defined areas of the web, the printing head is raised and a curing device such as an ultraviolet lamp is moved across all of the inked images on the web. Once each image has cured, the web advances one step to bring each of the defined areas of the web into registration with the next adjacent, downstream printing unit and the cycle is then repeated to build up a multicolor or multi-textured composite image. The speed of the curing device moving across the web may be varied in order to accommodate variations in the type, color or quantity of the ink or characteristics of the printing unit, screen or web. The parameters controlling movement of the curing device over the web can be readily reprogrammed, thereby offering flexibility of operation to the user and eliminating the need for separate curing devices or driers disposed downstream of separate printing units.

Growing community of inventors

Shawnee Mission, KS, United States of America

John T Pierson, Jr