Patents Examined by Kimberly L. Asher
  • Patent number: 6412412
    Abstract: An ink key control system comprises a data processor, a local area network connected to the data processor, and a plurality of ink keys connected directly to the local area network. Each of the plurality of ink keys includes a protocol controller for receiving an input from the local area network and a setpoint controller for receiving an input from the protocol controller. Also provided is a method for setting ink keys in a printing press comprising the steps of determining a desired setpoint for an ink key, transmitting the desired setpoint over a LAN to the ink key, receiving the desired setpoint at the key, and setting the key as a function of the desired setpoint.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2002
    Assignee: Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG
    Inventors: Dennis Normand Michaud, Michael Raymond Rancourt
  • Patent number: 6352341
    Abstract: An ink jet printing process for improving the wet abrasion resistance of an ink jet image comprising: providing an ink jet recording element comprising a support having thereon an image-recording layer comprising a cross-linkable polymer of gelatin or acetoacetylated poly(vinyl alcohol) and a mordant; applying liquid ink droplets of a cationic, water-soluble dye on the image-recording layer in an image-wise manner; and applying an aqueous solution of an organic hardener or a sulfate of a trivalent metal to the image to cross-link the polymer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2002
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Csaba A. Kovacs, Teh-Ming Kung, Charles E. Romano, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6349643
    Abstract: Method of influencing ink-trapping behavior of ink-conducting components of a printing unit in a rotary printing press includes disconnecting at a clutch location an inking-unit drive coming from printing-unit cylinders, directly imaging a printing form on a printing-form cylinder within the rotary printing press, and reestablishing the drive connection between the inking unit and the printing-unit cylinders at the clutch location after completing the direct imaging of the printing form; and device for performing the method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2002
    Assignee: Heidelberger Druckmaschinen
    Inventors: Geoffrey Loftus, Gotthard Schmid, Klaus Sauer
  • Patent number: 6349645
    Abstract: An ink fountain in a printing machine with an ink fountain foil lying on a base of the ink fountain includes an ink metering device having a plurality of metering elements covered by the ink fountain foil, and a device for firmly holding directly on the base of the ink fountain, an underside of the ink fountain foil lying on the base of the ink fountain, and a method for securely fixing the ink fountain foil in the ink fountain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2002
    Assignee: Heidelberger Druckmaschinen
    Inventor: Bernhard Roskosch
  • Patent number: 6347585
    Abstract: A gap adjusting device for a rotary press comprises a frame and a fountain roller and a metering roller which are both rotatably mounted relative to the frame. A gap is defined between the metering roller and the fountain roller, and an adjustment member is provided which has an actuator for alternatively moving the rollers toward and away from each other, thereby decreasing or increasing, respectively, the size of the gap. Additionally, the gap adjusting device includes a stabilizing member for stabilizing the metering roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2002
    Assignee: Goss Graphic Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert C. Kiamco, Lawrence J. Bain, John M. Lee, Mark Milazzo
  • Patent number: 6343547
    Abstract: A counterpoise device having a first actuating device, a first counterpoise arm connected to the first actuating device for interacting with a cantilevered cylinder, a second actuating device, and a second counterpoise arm connected to the second actuating device for interacting with an other cantilevered cylinder. The first and the second counterpoise arms have a common pivot axis. A vertical web press with a counterpoise device is also disclosed. Moreover, a method for removing gapless print sleeves includes rotating a first counterpoise arm about an axis so as to counterpoise a first end of a first cylinder, sliding a first print sleeve off of the first cylinder, rotating a second counterpoise arm about the axis so as to counterpoise a second end of a second cylinder, and sliding a second print sleeve off the second cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2002
    Assignee: Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG
    Inventors: Martin John Callahan, John Thomas Lorrey
  • Patent number: 6339989
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an ink supplying apparatus equipped with an ink tray capable of improving the productivity based upon the labor-saving of an cleaning operation and the shortening of a preparatory time at ink replacement or the like in a printing press, with the ink tray being desirably attachable/detachable to enhance the operational efficiency. In front of an ink fountain, there is provided a fixing device which, for fixing an ink tray in the interior of the ink fountain, presses a bracket of the ink tray against a stopping section situated in the ink fountain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2002
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinichi Fujimoto, Teruaki Kihara
  • Patent number: 6336404
    Abstract: A processing device in a printing apparatus includes a developer feed roller partly immersed in a developer stored in a developer tank, a fixer feed roller partly immersed in a fixer stored in a fixer tank, and a drive mechanism for rotating the developer feed roller and fixer feed roller. Each of the developer feed roller and fixer feed roller has positioning members mounted on opposite end portions thereof to position the surface of the roller at a slight distance from an image area of a printing plate. Thus, the developer feed roller feeds the developer to the image area without contacting the image area, while the fixer feed roller feeds the fixer to the image area without contacting the image area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2002
    Assignee: Dainippon Screen Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tatsuya Sakamoto
  • Patent number: 6318256
    Abstract: A printing apparatus includes a first plate cylinder and a second plate cylinder. Each plate cylinder supports a plate mounted peripherally thereof having two image areas. Four ink feeders contact and feed inks to the image areas on the plate when mounted on the first and second plate cylinders. A first blanket cylinder has a diameter equal to a diameter of the first plate cylinder and is contactable therewith. A second blanket cylinder has a diameter equal to a diameter of the second plate cylinder and is contactable therewith. An impression cylinder having a diameter half the diameter of either the first and second plate cylinders as well as the first and second blanket cylinders, is contactable with the first and second blanket cylinders. A pair of grippers that each hold an end of the printing paper maintain two sheets of printing paper peripherally of the impression cylinder. A paper feed cylinder feeds the printing paper to the impression cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2001
    Assignee: Dainippon Screen Mfg Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Keisuke Hirai
  • Patent number: 6315404
    Abstract: Predetermined geometric constructs reduce heat loss in a vacuum platen and assist in the reduction of paper cockle in ink-jet printing. A vacuum platen for supporting media during printing is provided with a plurality of heating elements and surfaces interspersed with vacuum ports. The heater elements are laid into surface channels of the platen such that an insulative gap separates the heaters from the main platen support structure. In an alternative embodiment, an insulative gasket is provided for the gap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2001
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Company
    Inventors: Geoff Wotton, Steve O. Rasmussen
  • Patent number: 6314879
    Abstract: A flexographic printing apparatus for printing a moving web is provided with a rotatable ink roller, a roller support that rotatably supports the ink roller, an ink source associated with the ink roller which provides ink for the ink roller, a rotatable printing roller associated with the ink roller, and a printing plate disposed on the printing roller that makes physical contact with the ink roller so that ink is transferred from the ink roller to the printing plate as the ink roller and the printing roller rotate. The printing apparatus also has a rotatable backing roller disposed adjacent the printing roller so that the moving web on which ink is to be applied passes between the backing roller and the printing plate as the backing roller and the printing roller rotate so that a printed image is applied to the web. The apparatus also has a charge applicator that causes an electric charge to be applied to the semi-conductive printing plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2001
    Assignee: Hurletron Incorporated
    Inventors: Steven J. Siler, David M. Klein
  • Patent number: 6308622
    Abstract: A device for use in a rotary printing machine having at least one printing mechanism including a plate cylinder which can be releasably mounted on a shaft carrying the plate cylinder. The plate cylinder and the shaft can be oriented both axially and also in the peripheral direction relative to the shaft and thus relative to the article to be printed. When the plate cylinder and the shaft are oriented as desired, the plate cylinder is capable of being fixedly attached to the shaft. The plate cylinder can be fixed in the peripheral direction and in the axial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2001
    Assignee: Werner Kammann Maschinenfabrik GmbH
    Inventors: Volker Steffen, Michael Voigt
  • Patent number: 6308620
    Abstract: A sheet-fed rotary printing press having at least one unit including an impression cylinder and an additional cylinder assigned to the impression cylinder, the impression cylinder and the additional cylinder being relatively adjustable a spaced distance from one another, includes a sheet guiding device disposed on the additional cylinder for keeping sheets of printing material, which have been transported by the impression cylinder past the additional cylinder, away from the additional cylinder, once the spaced distance between the impression cylinder and the additional cylinder has been set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2001
    Assignee: Heidelberger Druckmaschinen
    Inventors: Ralf Wadlinger, Rudolf Leib, Günter Stephan
  • Patent number: 6305282
    Abstract: A doctor blade for wiping excess printing ink off the surface of a printing form (10) has a front section in the form of a leaf (3) which interacts with the surface of the printing form (10). In order to avoid wear or damage to the printing form surface as a result of the contact pressure exerted by the leaf (3) on the printing form surface, the leaf (3) is provided with a coating (5) over the entire doctor blade length. The coating (5) consists of lubricant or contains lubricant particles (8). As a result of the significant reduction in friction between the leaf (3) and the printing form surface, not only is the wear on the printing form surface reduced, but the wear on the doctor blade is also reduced, and its service life is extended.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2001
    Assignee: MDC Max Datwyler Bleienbach AG
    Inventor: Max Dätwyler
  • Patent number: 6298778
    Abstract: A sheet feeding device for a printer, e.g., a stencil printer including an ink drum with a master wrapped therearound and a press drum one of which is pressed against the other during printing is disclosed. The sheet feeding device is capable of feeding a sheet at a preselected speed without regard to a print speed varying every moment due to various factors particular to an ink drum driveline, i.e., whether a set print speed is higher than a standard print speed or lower than the same. This successfully obviates the short loop of a sheet which would result in a skew or a feed failure. In addition, the device reduces noise at print speeds lower than the standard print speed and used more often than the other print speeds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2001
    Assignee: Tohoku Ricoh Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takayuki Onodera, Hideki Asai
  • Patent number: 6296405
    Abstract: A printer for printing on both sides of a document includes first printing document guides, through which a document is driven for printing on a first side of the document, second printing document guides, through which the document is driven for printing on a second side of the document, and transfer document guides, into which the document is driven between motions within the first and second printing document guides, with a deflector determining the printing document guide into which a document is driven from the transfer document guides. A print head is pivotally mounted between the printing document guides, being pivoted between a position adjacent the first printing document guides and a position adjacent the second printing document guides.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2001
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: James Gabriel Brewington, Stacy Leigh Bongrazio, Richard Hunter Harris, Jeff David Thomas
  • Patent number: 6293195
    Abstract: A flexographic printer ink unit has an elongated body with an elongated ink chamber recessed into one side of the body. The chamber is defined in part by a pair of elongated walls. An elongated blade, doctor or containment, is positioned on each of the opposite elongated walls. An elongated clamping bar is coupled with a separate one of the wall to rotate about a pivot axis defined by a set of T bars mounted along each wall. One longitudinal edge of each clamping bar holds the blade against a proximal edge of the proximal elongated wall to form an edge of the ink chamber. One or more plungers are movably coupled with the ink unit body and pressed against the clamping bar on a side of the bar pivot axis opposite the one longitudinal edge of the bar so as to pivot the one longitudinal edge of the bar against the proximal edge of the wall to secure the blade there between. The plunger is carried in a conventional toggle clamp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2001
    Assignee: Alhsontech Sales Incorporated
    Inventor: Thomas K. Allison, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6293199
    Abstract: A printing press liquid circulation system including a cooling pan having a dedicated power return drain having a power drain orifice and optional cooling capacity located on and as part of the pan. The system induces or suctions flow of liquid from the pan, having a pan supply orifice, to a reservoir through a return conduit by connecting the return conduit to a power return drain. Proper design of the power drain orifice and the pan supply orifice allows for a matched pan supply and return system for an open hydraulic circuit, free of foam and flooding with no adjustments required.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2001
    Assignee: Baldwin GraphicsSystems, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles R. Gasparrini, Christopher Hickey
  • Patent number: 6293194
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus for adjusting the circumferential register in a web-fed rotary printing press having a plate cylinder with a sleeve-shaped printing plate. Exemplary embodiments include a variable speed drive box which is controlled by a central control unit in dependence on a measured difference between the speed of a plate sleeve and the press speed. The drive box produces a slight overspeed of a plate cylinder body used to support the sleeve-shaped printing plate, such that a difference between the speed of the plate sleeve and the speed of the printing press is reduced to zero.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2001
    Assignees: Heidelberg Harris Inc., Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG
    Inventor: James Brian Vrotacoe
  • Patent number: 6289806
    Abstract: A process for producing a self-inking stamp capable of stamping repeatedly by filling ink in a stamp material having a continuous porous structure, wherein the stamp material having a continuous porous structure is provided with an occlusion body having a continuous porous structure and being impregnated with two or more kinds of ink having different functions so as to infiltrate two or more kinds of ink into the stamp material. In the process, there is used an occlusion body having a physical barrier and/or an isolation part which suppresses or inhibits mingling of two or more kinds of ink having different functions, and a self-inking stamp produced by the process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2001
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Pencil Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Koichi Hirano