The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jul. 10, 2001
Filed:
Sep. 09, 1999
Gary W. McCoy, Butler, PA (US);
John M. Zwigart, New Brighton, PA (US);
Carl J. Strutz, Mars, PA (US);
Mark R. Tweedy, Valencia, PA (US);
Carl Strutz & Co., Inc., Mars, PA (US);
Abstract
Workpiece rotators are constructed for decoration registration control in spaced apart decoration stations for bottles rotatably supported by carriers of an endless chain conveyor. A screen drive at each decorating station linearly reciprocates a decorating screen to decorate the bottle. A squeegee is positioned to maintain line contact between the decorating screen and a bottle for applying decoration during each screening cycle. The workpiece rotator is coupled by a drive controller to the screen drive to rotate a bottle synchronously with linear travel of the decorating screen. The drive controller uncouples the workpiece rotator from the screen drive at times other than the application of decoration to a bottle. In one embodiment electronic gearing is formed by a servo motor controlled by a scale moved by a screen drive along a detector head which provides an electrical signal used in a control system to maintain proper position of the servo motor during decoration, to re-home the rotator after decoration and to establish a predetermined power start-up position for the rotator. The vertical position of the rotator is adjusted for coaxial alignment between the rotational axes of the rotator and the workpiece. The drive for the rotator may include a one-way clutch or an electric clutch and brake driven by a pinion controlled by a rack in response to reciprocation of the screen drive.