Patents Examined by Leo T. Hinze
-
Patent number: 11298934Abstract: A print registration system for a beverage can decorator includes an axial registration system and a circumferential registration system. Each registration system is independent and includes a slider that is translated by a motorized lead screw. Axial movement of the axial registration slider is transmitted to axial adjustment of the plate cylinder by a mechanical connection between the axial registration slider and the plate cylinder shaft. Translation of the circumferential registration slider is transmitted to a helical gear mounted to the plate cylinder shaft such that the plate cylinder shaft is rotated by the movement of the circumferential registration slider upon engagement of the helical driven gear with a stationary drive gear.Type: GrantFiled: October 31, 2019Date of Patent: April 12, 2022Assignee: Crown Packaging Technology, Inc.Inventors: Daniel Egerton, Michael Jonathan Coates, Daren Blake, Michael Halstead, Damien Bailey
-
Patent number: 11292244Abstract: A ductor roller for printing machines has a shaft provided with an air supply pipe, plural individual ductor rollers, and plural electromagnetic valves, both connected to the shaft. The individual ductor rollers advance pneumatically by the electromagnetic valves. The individual ductor rollers have housings that are associated with the shaft and configured to move forward and backward; roller members configured to contact with the ink fountain roller and an ink distribution roller; and bearings connecting the roller members to the housings. The electromagnetic valves are placed in the housings. Protection members for the electromagnetic valves are oil-resistant, have circularly cylindrical or arc-like covers, and are associated with the shaft. They cover the side ends of the housings and are placed in the clearance between the individual ductor rollers.Type: GrantFiled: November 19, 2018Date of Patent: April 5, 2022Assignee: I. MER CO., LTD.Inventors: Masayuki Izume, Yoshimi Aoyama
-
Patent number: 11292243Abstract: An ink fountain of an ink fountain device is provided with a fixed frame; a plate slidable on the upper surface of the plate; and an advancement and retraction mechanism advancing and retracting the plate with respect to the frame. The advancement and retraction mechanism comprises: a motor; a cam fixed to the output shaft of the motor which is integrally rotatable by rotation of the output shaft and has a cam surface shifted from an exact circle; and a rod in contact with the cam surface and advancing and retracting by the cam. The plate advances and retracts with respect to the frame by the advancement and retraction of the rod.Type: GrantFiled: December 7, 2018Date of Patent: April 5, 2022Assignee: I. MER CO., LTD.Inventor: Masayuki Izume
-
Patent number: 11247451Abstract: In order to reduce variations in pressing force of a printing nip to make the printing pressure uniform, an apparatus that performs printing on a substrate using a roll-to-roll method according to an aspect of the present application includes: an ink supply member that supplies a printing ink; a blanket cylinder (30) that transfers part of the ink, which has been supplied from the ink supply member and applied on a surface of the blanket cylinder, onto the substrate; a roller mold (40) that removes part of the ink applied on the surface of the blanket cylinder (30); a base (46) on which the blanket cylinder (30) is fixed; a slider (44) that supports the roller mold (40) and moves on the base (46); a moving resistance reduction device (80) that reduces a moving resistance of the slider (44) relative to the base (46); and a roller mold nip device (42) that applies, to the roller mold (40), a nip pressure against the blanket cylinder (30).Type: GrantFiled: October 18, 2017Date of Patent: February 15, 2022Assignee: ASAHI KASEI KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Shinya Matsubara, Taishi Hitomi, Masayuki Abe
-
Patent number: 11241876Abstract: A method for controlling a drive of a machine having at least one first roll element, which rolls with a surface on a counter surface at least in subintervals of a revolution cycle with the action of a contact force under elastic deformation, that includes a speed correction method, which automatically compensates for deformation-related deviations of the peripheral velocity of the first roll element by way of an adaptation of the setpoint value for the velocity of the first roll element, and a retrospective method, which automatically compensates for deviations of the speed consistency of the first roll element within a revolution cycle by applying a correction signal determined from the curve of a control variable, in particular an actual velocity or actual position of the first roll element, in a preceding revolution cycle or in multiple preceding revolution cycles, are applied in combination.Type: GrantFiled: August 23, 2016Date of Patent: February 8, 2022Assignee: B&R INDUSTRIAL AUTOMATION GMBHInventors: Joachim Weissbacher, Robert Kickinger, Albert Tresens
-
Patent number: 11235567Abstract: An ink fountain device having a base; a plate; an advancing and retracting mechanism for advancing and retracting the plate along an advancing and retracting direction; and a thin sheet arranged on the base which has plural holes accommodating balls and is thinner in thickness than a diameter of the balls. The plate is arranged over the thin sheet and supported by the balls.Type: GrantFiled: December 19, 2018Date of Patent: February 1, 2022Assignee: I.MER CO., LTD.Inventor: Masayuki Izume
-
Patent number: 11230093Abstract: A device and a method is disclosed to maintain plate and anilox mandrel position stability in print decks of a flexographic printing press. In one aspect, the mandrel bearings associated with at least one of the plate roll and the anilox roll are preloaded for the purpose of eliminating backlash and increasing the positional stiffness of the bearings, and thus the mandrel. In another aspect, the roll drive motor control system is enabled to provide a torque additive command the torque profile to maintain rotational consistency and otherwise overcome torque transients experienced by the motor during print bounce. Accordingly, the problem commonly referred to as print bounce and or print banding is alleviated.Type: GrantFiled: April 11, 2019Date of Patent: January 25, 2022Assignee: PAPER CONVERTING MACHINE COMPANYInventors: Dale E. Zeman, Jordan W. Koplien, James J. Kaye, Randall L. Heyrman
-
Patent number: 11230127Abstract: The invention relates to a method of aligning magnetic flakes, which includes: coating a substrate with a carrier having the flakes dispersed therein, moving the substrate in a magnetic field so as to align the flakes along force lines of the magnetic field in the absence of an effect from a solidifying means, and at least partially solidifying the carrier using a solidifying means while further moving the substrate in the magnetic field so as to secure the magnetic flakes in the carrier while the magnetic field maintains alignment of the magnetic flakes. An apparatus is provided, which has a belt for moving a substrate along a magnet assembly for aligning magnetic flakes. The apparatus also includes a solidifying means, such as a UV- or e-beam source, and a cover above a portion of the magnet assembly for protecting the flakes from the effect of the solidifying means.Type: GrantFiled: August 27, 2018Date of Patent: January 25, 2022Assignee: VIAVI Solutions Inc.Inventors: Vladimir P. Raksha, Paul G. Coombs, Charles T. Markantes
-
Patent number: 11186079Abstract: A roller for a printing unit of a printing press, has a roller outer body, which is mounted on a roller inner body, so as to be movable axially in a reciprocating manner. For the axial movement of the roller outer body, in at least a first direction, a pneumatic drive is provided. The pneumatic drive has at least one first chamber, which is mounted in the interior of the roller in the manner of a cylinder/piston system between one or more structural elements, that are fixed to the roller outer body, and one or more structural elements that are fixed to the roller inner body. The chamber can be pressurized with compressed air. The parts of the structural elements adjoining the chamber, and that are movable axially relative to one another, form a non-contact seal between themselves on their mutually facing sides.Type: GrantFiled: May 22, 2018Date of Patent: November 30, 2021Assignee: KOENIG & BAUER AGInventors: Christian Arnold, Bernd Masuch, Wolfgang Reder, Helmut Schmidt
-
Patent number: 11142963Abstract: System and methods for optimizing coiled tubing string configurations for drilling a wellbore are provided. A length of a rotatable segment of a coiled tubing string having rotatable and non-rotatable segments is estimated based on the physical properties of the rotatable segment. A friction factor for the rotatable segment is calculated based on the estimated length. An effective axial force for one or more points of interest along the non-rotatable and rotatable string segments is calculated, based in part on the friction factor. Upon determining that the effective axial force for at least one point of interest exceeds a predetermined maximum force threshold, an effective distributive friction factor is estimated for at least a portion of the non-rotatable segment of the string. The rotatable and non-rotatable string segments are redefined for one or more sections of the wellbore along a planned trajectory, based on the effective distributive friction factor.Type: GrantFiled: December 16, 2015Date of Patent: October 12, 2021Assignee: LANDMARK GRAPHICS CORPORATIONInventors: Oluwafemi I. Oyedokun, Robello Samuel, Gareth M. Braund
-
Patent number: 11135833Abstract: The invention relates to a method for verifying a printing plate, specifically a gravure cylinder, for errors in an engraving of the printing plate, comprising the following steps: Generating at least two proofs using a printing plate to be verified, capturing at least one digital image each of the at least two proofs with an image-capturing unit, comparing each of the digital images of the at least two proofs with the engraving template of the printing plate, wherein the comparison comprises the following steps: Detecting deviations between each of the images and the engraving template, and verifying that the detected deviations occur in identical fashion on the digital images of all of the at least two proofs, wherein a pseudo error is indicated if the comparison does not show identical deviations between the digital images of the at least two proofs, and wherein identical deviations indicate an engraving defect in the printing plate.Type: GrantFiled: January 17, 2018Date of Patent: October 5, 2021Inventor: Daniel Schmidt
-
Patent number: 11123977Abstract: According to some examples a substance displacement apparatus may comprise a gas ejection aperture and a deflector arm. The gas ejection aperture may be to direct gas towards a roller having a surface on which a substance is disposed. The deflector arm may be moveable between a first position in which gas is directed away from a target area on the surface of the roller, and a second position in which gas is directed towards the target area on the surface of the roller, thereby to displace at least some of the substance from the surface of the roller within the target area. A method and a print apparatus are also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: January 8, 2018Date of Patent: September 21, 2021Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.Inventors: Gil Fisher, Alex Feygelman, Mordechai Arenson
-
Patent number: 11110701Abstract: A main body of doctor blade chambers including a first portion configured to hold a first doctor blade, a second portion configured to hold a second doctor blade, a third portion connecting the first portion and the second portion, a cavity intended to receive ink and defined at least by the first portion, the second portion and the third portion, characterized in that the main body is a single closed hollow profile extending along a longitudinal main axis X-X, the main body being made of pultruded composite material.Type: GrantFiled: July 6, 2018Date of Patent: September 7, 2021Assignees: BOBST LYON, EPSILON COMPOSITEInventors: René Bazin, Philippe Fleury, Julien Mattrand, Steve Peter Daniel Willems
-
Patent number: 11092573Abstract: An inspection apparatus detects one or more characteristics of a material sample and includes a transmitter to transmit an initial signal to the material sample, and a receiver to receive a detected signal from the material sample associated with the initial signal. The detected signal has at least a first harmonic signal component and a second harmonic signal component. Data processing circuitry determines a resonant frequency of the first harmonic signal component and an amplitude of the first harmonic signal component at the resonant frequency, and filters the detected signal using a first filter signal having a frequency corresponding to the first harmonic signal component and a second filter signal having a frequency corresponding to the second harmonic signal component. A frequency analysis is performed in the frequency domain on the filtered first and second signals to determine corresponding first and second amplitudes. The first and second amplitudes may be compensated for nonlinearity.Type: GrantFiled: June 15, 2018Date of Patent: August 17, 2021Assignee: Luna Innovations IncorporatedInventors: Matthew Ryan Webster, Kevin Farinholt, Gheorghe Bunget
-
Patent number: 11079291Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods for determining a torque on a target using an inductive torque sensor are described. The inductive torque sensor may include an excitation coil, two rotors, and two or more receive coils. Each of the receive coils and the rotors may be inductively coupled. The two or more receive coils may be configured to generate a received voltage which can be approximated by a sine waveform function based on the angular changes of the coils on each rotor, the distance of the receive coils from the rotors and the distance between the receive coils. An integrated circuit may be configured to determine the torque generated on the target based on calculated differences between the angular rotation of the first rotor versus the second rotor over a given period.Type: GrantFiled: April 10, 2018Date of Patent: August 3, 2021Assignee: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLCInventor: Jacques Jean Bertin
-
Patent number: 11072165Abstract: An inking system for use in transferring ink to a gravure printing surface in a gravure printing system includes a gravure cylinder r having a printing zone located between first and second recessed bearing contact zones. A radius of the recessed bearing contact zones is less than a radius of the printing zone by at least 0.100 inches. An ink tray includes a floor and first and second end walls. Bearings are mounted outside of the end walls which engage with the first and second bearing contact zones, respectively, thereby positioning the ink tray assembly in a specified position relative to the gravure cylinder. Upper edges of the end walls extend into the recessed bearing contact zones.Type: GrantFiled: December 13, 2018Date of Patent: July 27, 2021Assignee: EASTMAN KODAK COMPANYInventors: Gary A. Smith, Michael G. Shaughnessy, Timothy John Young, Carolyn Rae Ellinger
-
Patent number: 11072164Abstract: Devices are provided for aligning magnetic or magnetizable particles, which particles are contained in a coating that is applied on one side of a substrate, which substrate is in the form of a web or sheet. The device has a magnet cylinder, which is arranged in a transport path of the substrate to be conveyed and, in a region of the outer circumference of the magnet cylinder, the device has a plurality of devices for effecting a magnetic field, or magnet devices for short. Some or all of the magnet devices comprise a magnet which is rotatable by an associated motor. The magnet cylinder is rotatably arranged in frame walls of a frame. At least one transducer for contactless transfer of electrical energy or control signals from the outside is provided in or on the rotating magnet cylinder, which comprises a first transducer part fixed to the frame and a second transducer part fixed to the cylinder during operation.Type: GrantFiled: May 17, 2019Date of Patent: July 27, 2021Assignee: KOENIG & BAUER AGInventors: Andreas Jantsch, Edwin Kreps, Michael Scheller
-
Patent number: 11067479Abstract: There is described a shaft shear event detection method. The method comprises storing in memory a shaft oscillation signature determined as a function of known characteristics of the shaft and associated with a shaft shear event; monitoring a rotational speed of the shaft; detecting from the rotational speed an oscillation wave superimposed on the rotational speed by detecting a first period below a lower threshold and a second period above an upper threshold, and detecting a rate of occurrence of the first period and the second period, the oscillation wave having a wave modulation frequency corresponding to the rate of occurrence and a wave modulation amplitude; comparing the oscillation signature to the oscillation wave; and detecting the shaft shear event when the oscillation wave corresponds to the oscillation signature.Type: GrantFiled: January 25, 2019Date of Patent: July 20, 2021Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.Inventors: Jeffrey Bernard Heyerman, Antwan Shenouda, Michael Krynski, Poi Loon Tang
-
Patent number: 11067515Abstract: An apparatus for inspecting a wafer process chamber is disclosed. In one example, the apparatus includes: a sensor, a processor, and a lifetime predictor. The sensor captures information about at least one hardware part of the wafer process chamber. The processor processes the information to determine a hardware condition of the at least one hardware part. The lifetime predictor predicts an expected lifetime left for the at least one hardware part based on the hardware condition.Type: GrantFiled: February 23, 2018Date of Patent: July 20, 2021Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.Inventors: Stanley Shin, Kai-Hsiang Chang, Sheng Cho Lin, Keith Kuang-Kuo Koai
-
Patent number: 11059284Abstract: A substantially tubular interchangeable sleeve is adapted for applying a printing or coating liquid to a substrate material or offset roller. The sleeve has a multi-layer construction primarily consisting of a first outer layer of a dimensionally stable substantially fluid-impregnable solid material, such as aluminum or steel, around the exterior surface of which is affixed or applied a print or coating liquid receiving plate or layer. The sleeve further comprises one or more further interior layers of relatively less dimensionally stable, compressible, usually fibrous materials disposed inwardly of the interior surface of the first layer which, under air pressure, can be compressed so as to enlarge the inner dimensions of the sleeve so that it can be slid over a suitable bridge mandrel. The sleeve further comprises at least one end ring of a dimensionally stable substantially fluid-impregnable solid material.Type: GrantFiled: November 17, 2016Date of Patent: July 13, 2021Assignee: Sandon Global Engraving Technology LimitedInventor: Nigel Hedges