Patents Examined by Kimberly Asher
  • Patent number: 6070529
    Abstract: A printing press includes a plate cylinder defining a nip with an impression cylinder. A drive shaft is drivingly connected to the impression cylinder to rotate the impression cylinder. A first gear is mounted on the drive shaft and is drivingly connected to the drive shaft. A differential mechanism is driven by the first gear. A second gear is mounted on the drive shaft for rotation relative to the drive shaft. The second gear is rotatably driven by the differential. A third gear in mesh with the second gear drivingly connects with the plate cylinder to rotate the plate cylinder. A correction drive motor, when energized, varies the speed at which the differential drives the second gear. The correction drive motor thus varies the speed of rotation of the plate cylinder relative to the impression cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2000
    Assignee: Stevens International, Inc.
    Inventor: John Jarrett Miller
  • Patent number: 6070528
    Abstract: Starting from a blank gravure form, a filling step and a subsequent imaging step are carried out to produce a printing form. In the filling step, depressions are evenly filled with a UV printing ink by an application device, and the UV printing ink is then solidified by a UV drier. In the imaging step, solidified UV printing ink is removed from the depressions in accordance with the image by thermal ablation. The gravure form screened in accordance with the image is then inked with UV printing ink by an inking system. For reuse, the gravure form undergoes an erasure step that uses UV printing ink.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2000
    Assignee: Man Roland Druckmaschinen AG
    Inventors: Hans Fleischmann, Godber Petersen, Rainer Stamme
  • Patent number: 6065402
    Abstract: An inking device in a printing machine with an ink body filled with printing ink and with a blade. The blade can also be a chamber blade, for example. For temperature moderation, an insulation plate or a heat dissipation plate, by which the temperature of the blade can be adjusted, is arranged on the blade. The heat created by friction between the upper edge of the blade and the surface of the cup roller does not penetrate into the ink duct due to the insulation plate and the heat dissipation plate, so that heating of the printing ink is avoided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2000
    Assignee: MAN Roland Druckmaschinen AG
    Inventors: Bernhard Feller, Wolfram Fischer, Xaver Bachmeir
  • Patent number: 6065400
    Abstract: The printer has at least two printing stations which cause images to be printed on a substrate. The printer is capable of registration adjustment. First and second patterns of spaced registration marks are printed onto the substrate by operation of the printing stations. The second pattern partially overlaps the first pattern to form a composite pattern of registration marks. The composite pattern is illuminated and the reflectivity thereof is examined at wavelengths complementary to the colors of the first and second patterns to obtain a reflectivity signature for the composite pattern. The reflectivity signature of the composite pattern (120) is compared with a predetermined signature to determine an adjustment factor for the printer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2000
    Assignee: Xeikon N.V.
    Inventor: Erik Gabriel Geradus Van Weverberg
  • Patent number: 6062139
    Abstract: A device for adjusting an ink supply gap is employed in an ink fountain apparatus in which the bottom portion of the ink fountain apparatus forms a space for storing ink in cooperation with a peripheral surface of an ink fountain roller while a forward edge of the bottom portion faces the peripheral surface of the ink fountain roller in order to form a gap serving as an ink supply port. The device for adjusting an ink supply gap includes a plurality of blade segments and a plurality of ultrasonic linear motors corresponding to the blade segments. The blade segments are disposed on a base in a row extending in the axial direction of the ink fountain roller and are adapted to individually advance toward or retract from the ink fountain roller so as to adjust the opening of the ink supply port. The ultrasonic linear motors are adapted to individually advance or retract the corresponding blade segments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2000
    Assignee: Tokyo Kikai Seisakusho, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuko Tomita, Shinsuke Taira
  • Patent number: 6053107
    Abstract: A preprinted web having a plurality of first repeating images is reprinted with a plurality of second repeating images which are in register with the first images. A register mark is printed on the web for each of the first images. When the web is reprinted, the positions of the register marks are sensed and compared with the positions of the second images, and the unwind tension of the web is adjusted to maintain the relative positions substantially constant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2000
    Assignee: Paper Converting Machine Co.
    Inventors: James E. Hertel, Roman J. Mudry, David C. O'Donnell
  • Patent number: 6053103
    Abstract: For changing demands in terms of the support of printed sheets as they are deflected in a sheet-fed printing press, the sheet-fed printing press is equipped with a retrofittable sheet guide drum. The drum includes segments on its face end and which in a first setup state has skeleton-shaped sheet supports separably connected to the segments and in a second setup state has a flexible drum jacket separably connected to the segments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2000
    Assignee: Heidelberger Druckmaschinen Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Ralf Wadlinger
  • Patent number: 6050182
    Abstract: A balloon printing apparatus for printing an image on the outer surface of a number of inflatable elastic balloons of the type defining a main body and a neck opening allowing access into the main body. The apparatus comprises: a conveyor device movable in a closed path in an intermittent manner; a plurality of nozzles spacedly carried by the conveyor device, insertable into a balloon neck opening and for inflating a balloon; as many balloon supporting frames as air nozzles, carried by the conveyor device, each nozzle adjacent to a corresponding frame, each frame sized to partly surround and support the main body of an inflated balloon installed on the adjacent nozzle with a portion of the inflated balloon protruding from the frame. The body remains in a stable position relative to the conveyor device while the inflated balloon is transported by the nozzle and frame through the closed path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2000
    Inventors: Germain Arsenault, Andre Prevost
  • Patent number: 6050187
    Abstract: The wiping cylinder drive has a drive shaft (4) which is independent of the wiping cylinder shaft (2) and which, at its end facing away from the wiping cylinder, is connected to the drive member (15) with the aid of a claw coupling (10). Inserted between the adjacent claws of the constantly engaged claw coupling (10) is a gearwheel (20) which is made of elastically deformable material and the teeth (21) of which are in each case inserted positively between the flanks of adjacent claws of the two coupling parts and, in the case of sudden changes in the load torque of the wiping cylinder, function as damping elements. The drive member (15) has a gearwheel (17) which is constantly in engagement kinematically with the gear leading to the main motor of the printing machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2000
    Assignee: De La Rue Giori S.A.
    Inventors: Hermann Josef Kuhn, Johannes Schaede
  • Patent number: 6047640
    Abstract: An ink squeezing device for an anilox roll comprises a doctor blade adapted to contact the roll at an angle against the direction of rotation of the roll, and a bank member supporting the doctor blade along the anilox roll. An ink fountain is formed by the doctor blade, the anilox roll, the bank member and a pair of dam members. The ink squeezing device is coupled to a pressure cylinder device for pressing the doctor blade against the anilox roll. The cylinder device presses the doctor blade against the anilox roll during printing and during cleaning of the anilox roll. The doctor blade also serves the function of scraping off a cleaning liquid from anilox roll during cleaning of the roll.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2000
    Assignee: Umetani Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Ichiro Murakawa
  • Patent number: 6041708
    Abstract: To improve the control of the inking process in an offset printing machine, color measuring fields provided on printed sheets are evaluated not as heretofore densitometrically but colorimetrically by means of spectral measurements. Spectral reflections are used to match colors, or color coordinates are calculated from them and compared with corresponding set reflections or set color coordinates. The color deviations obtained in this manner are used to control the inking process. For the stabilization of printing runs the spectral reflections are converted into filter color densities and the inking process is controlled on the basis of these color densities in a conventional manner. The control of the inking process using color deviations and control using color density may be superposed upon each other.The process makes it possible to adapt color impressions in delicate locations of importance for the image in the print to the corresponding locations of the proof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 1994
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2000
    Assignees: Heidelberger Druckmaschinen Atkiengesellschaft, Gretag Atkiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Helmut Kipphan, Gerhard Loffler, Guido Keller, Hans Ott
  • Patent number: 6041707
    Abstract: A web-fed rotary printing machine having a plurality of directly adjacent printing units. Each of the printing units has only one side wall, in which the printing group cylinders are float mounted. The printing units are arranged in-line with no working space between them.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2000
    Assignee: MAN Roland Druckmaschinen AG
    Inventors: Godber Petersen, Hans Fleischmann, Rainer Stamme, Josef Schneider
  • Patent number: 6038976
    Abstract: A suction-air control device for controlling suction air applied to suction openings of a printing-press cylinder, having controllable valves by which the suction openings are connectable to a suction-air source, and a first pneumatic control device for timed or cyclically feeding the suction air, includes a second pneumatic control device for controlling the suction air in a manner dependent upon the format of the printing substrate, the valves being pneumatically controllable and being disposed on the cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2000
    Assignee: Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG
    Inventors: Karl-Heinz Helmstadter, Raimund Schroder
  • Patent number: 6029573
    Abstract: The disclosed multifunctional inking station comprises a plate cylinder (2), a textured cylinder (3) and means for supplying a determined quantity of ink to the textured cylinder (3). The means for supplying a determined quantity of ink to the textured cylinder (3) comprises at least two chambered doctor blade units (4,5), placed facing one another on either side of the textured cylinder (3). The textured cylinder (3) in use is always the same whatever kind of printing work to be performed may be. Use of one or the other of said chambered doctor blade units (4,5) can be selected in accordance with the kind of printing work to be performed without having to replace the textured cylinder (3).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 29, 2000
    Assignee: Bobst, S.A.
    Inventor: Bernard Capdeboscq
  • Patent number: 6026747
    Abstract: Multiple winding mechanisms are disposed within a single cylinder, such as the plate cylinder of a printing press, and are actuable so as to pay out material across different cylinder segments. For example, the winding mechanisms may be differentially geared to cylinder rotation, such that rotation of the cylinder in a first direction advances material from a first winding mechanism across a first circumferential portion of the cylinder to a second winding mechanism; while rotation of the cylinder in the opposite direction advances material from the second winding mechanism across a second circumferential portion of the cylinder (which may, for example, be diametrically opposed to the first cylinder portion) to the first winding mechanism. Alternatively, material advancement may be achieved by means of a dedicated motor rather than mechanical coupling to cylinder rotation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2000
    Assignee: Presstek, Inc.
    Inventors: Lawrence J. Carme, Richard A. Williams, Douglas D. Fuller
  • Patent number: 5119805
    Abstract: The apparatus has a thigh retaining component (1) and a leg retaining component (2) tied together by an articulation apparatus (3).The external articulation is formed of two legs (18 and 21-23-24) articulated as a knee brace to block forward extension.The external articulation has an upper articulated leg (25), set as a knee brace, with the upper part of a cross piece (27) whose lower portion is articulated at the end of a rod (31) whose other end is articulated to the lower leg (37).The leg (21-23-24) and the rod (31) are, preferably adjustable in length and their ends can turn slightly with respect to one another.The brace of the invention can be advantageously used in almost all cases of knee instability while allowing it good freedom of motion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 1991
    Date of Patent: June 9, 1992
    Inventor: Alain J. Cadoret
  • Patent number: 5119807
    Abstract: A pressurized ventilation system to supplement patient respiration which enables introduction and atomization of prescribed liquids and removal of condensation while maintaining pressurization and functions of the ventilation system and minimizing hazards due to contamination. An atomizer outlet is positioned to enable entrainment of atomized particles of the prescribed liquid into the breathable gas flowing to the patient. A novel arrangement of a valve and conduit provides for contamination-free attachment of a syringe or unit dose vial for the introduction of the prescribed liquid. An enclosure means for trapping condensate and control means for safe removal of condensate from the system are provided. The ventilation system, with the improved arrangement, provides novel functions and can be operated and maintained more conveniently and expeditiously than prior art ventilator system while reducing the risk of infection for both the patient and the attendant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 1989
    Date of Patent: June 9, 1992
    Assignee: Josephine A. Roberts
    Inventors: Josephine A. Roberts, Jephthae W. Burwell
  • Patent number: 5063926
    Abstract: A respirator cartridge having body, cover and filter media elements, and including a sealant dispersion member in one of the body or cover elements. The dispersion member directs the sealant material to the peripheral edge of the filter media without wetting the filtering surface of the media. An improved method for rotational molding filter media in/or for a filter assembly is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 1990
    Date of Patent: November 12, 1991
    Assignee: Donaldson Company, Inc.
    Inventors: R. David Forsgren, Henry J. Drasner, III, Roy E. Fielder
  • Patent number: 4898167
    Abstract: The system includes a remote variable volume bellows that is pumped by the rescuers weight, a suction collection option, an oxygen enrichment venturi valve, and a face mask AIDS Protector Valve that is opened and closed by the rescuer's hand. The system, in its normal configuration, allows for a rescuer to pump ventilation air through an air delivery tube into a valve and through the valve into the face mask and lungs of a victim. The pump is a variable volume spring loaded bellows that works for either an infant, child or adult. It can utilize a venturi tube oxygen connector that insures that maximum supplemental oxygen is fed into the air delivery tube. It also has a pressure relief valve to insure that excess pressure is not placed on the victims lungs. When ventilating, an air delivery tube connects to a valve which is opened or closed by the rescuer placing a hand over the exhaust port. This valve can be used by itself, but it has optional inserts for improved performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 1988
    Date of Patent: February 6, 1990
    Assignee: Pakam Data Systems Inc.
    Inventors: Richard S. Pierce, Willem J. Van Leeuwen
  • Patent number: 4833988
    Abstract: An inking device for a printing apparatus, comprising a form roller disposed in the printing apparatus main unit parallel to a printing shaft and rotatably contacting with the outer peripheral surface of a printing member mounted on the printing shaft, and an ink feed unit detachably mounted on the printing apparatus main unit and having a distributor roller rotatably contacting the outer peripheral surface of the form roller to supply the form roller with ink when the ink feed unit is mounted on the printing apparatus main unit, which can always provide an adequate nip pressure irrespective of movement of the printing shaft or mounting/removal of the ink feed unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 1988
    Date of Patent: May 30, 1989
    Assignee: Komori Printing Machinery Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Sugiyama, Tatsuo Komori, Hiroshi Takamatsu