Patents by Inventor Phillip Lakin
Phillip Lakin has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
-
Patent number: 9975366Abstract: Systems and apparatus relating to motor control (e.g., for thermal transfer printing) include, according to at least one implementation, a motor control system including: a position controller to receive a demanded position (PD) input for controlling a motor; a torque controller coupled with the position controller, the torque controller to receive a torque bias (TB) input for controlling the motor; and a feedback circuit coupled with the torque controller and the position controller; wherein the feedback circuit is configured and arranged to combine an output from the position controller, the output being generated based on the demanded position (PD) input, with the torque bias (TB) input to generate a torque demand (TD) input to the torque controller.Type: GrantFiled: May 13, 2016Date of Patent: May 22, 2018Assignee: Markem-Imaje Industries LimitedInventors: Simon Starkey, Phillip Lakin, Paul Christopher Roberts, Jonathan Michael Gloag
-
Publication number: 20160257152Abstract: Systems and apparatus relating to motor control (e.g., for thermal transfer printing) include, according to at least one implementation, a motor control system including: a position controller to receive a demanded position (PD) input for controlling a motor; a torque controller coupled with the position controller, the torque controller to receive a torque bias (TB) input for controlling the motor; and a feedback circuit coupled with the torque controller and the position controller; wherein the feedback circuit is configured and arranged to combine an output from the position controller, the output being generated based on the demanded position (PD) input, with the torque bias (TB) input to generate a torque demand (TD) input to the torque controller.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 13, 2016Publication date: September 8, 2016Inventors: Simon Starkey, Phillip Lakin, Paul Christopher Roberts, Jonathan Michael Gloag
-
Patent number: 9340052Abstract: A motor control system includes a motor having an associated rotary position encoder, and a controller for controlling the operation of the motor, wherein the motor is switchable between a position control mode and a torque control mode.Type: GrantFiled: September 20, 2011Date of Patent: May 17, 2016Assignee: Markem-Imaje Industries LimitedInventors: Simon Starkey, Phillip Lakin, Paul Christopher Roberts, Jonathan Michael Gloag
-
Patent number: 9272531Abstract: A method of controlling tension in a tape, wherein the tape is transferable between a first spool and a second spool by a tape drive, the tape drive having a motor control system which includes two DC motors and a controller for controlling the operation of the motors, the tape drive also having two spool supports, each of which is suitable for supporting a spool of tape, and each of which is driven by a respective one of the motors, the method including only one tension setting step during a printing operation.Type: GrantFiled: February 12, 2014Date of Patent: March 1, 2016Assignee: Dover Europe SarlInventors: Phillip Lakin, Simon Starkey, Paul Christopher Roberts, Jonathan Michael Gloag
-
Patent number: 9238375Abstract: A method of operating a tape drive which includes a pair of tape spool supports, upon one of which a supply spool is mountable and upon a second one of which a take up spool is mountable, each tape spool support being driveable by a respective motor to transfer tape between the spools, the tape drive further including a controller to control each of the motors, wherein the method includes reducing tension in tape extending between the two spools during a period when the tape is substantially stationary.Type: GrantFiled: February 12, 2014Date of Patent: January 19, 2016Assignee: Dover Europe SàrlInventors: Phillip Lakin, Simon Starkey
-
Patent number: 9145000Abstract: A printing apparatus including a tape drive for transferring a tape carrying a marking medium, and a printhead which is operable to transfer marking medium from such a tape to print an image, the tape drive including a pair of tape spool supports, upon one of which a supply spool is mountable and upon a second one of which a take up spool is mountable, each tape spool support being drivable by a respective motor, the tape drive further including a controller to control each of the motors, wherein the tape drive is operable to position a tape adjacent the printhead such that a spacing between adjacent portions of tape from which ink is removed in successive printing operations is less than 0.5 mm.Type: GrantFiled: February 13, 2014Date of Patent: September 29, 2015Assignee: Dover Europe SàrlInventors: Phillip Lakin, Simon Starkey, Paul Christopher Roberts, Jonathan Michael Gloag
-
Patent number: 9144999Abstract: A method of detecting a reduction in tension in a tape, wherein the tape is transferable between a first spool (15) and a second spool (17) by a tape drive (11), the tape drive (11) having a motor control system (25) which includes two DC motors (16, 18) and a controller (24) for controlling the operation of the motors (16, 18), the tape drive (11) also having two spool supports (12, 14), each of which is suitable for supporting a spool (15, 17) of tape, and each of which is driven by a respective one of the motors (16, 18), the method including storing a value relating to the current required to be supplied to each motor (16, 18) to maintain tension in the tape, and comparing a value relating to the current being supplied to each of the motors (16, 18) during tape transfer with the respective stored values.Type: GrantFiled: November 8, 2013Date of Patent: September 29, 2015Assignee: Dover Europe SàrlInventor: Phillip Lakin
-
Publication number: 20140225970Abstract: A method of controlling tension in a tape, wherein the tape is transferable between a first spool and a second spool by a tape drive, the tape drive having a motor control system which includes two DC motors and a controller for controlling the operation of the motors, the tape drive also having two spool supports, each of which is suitable for supporting a spool of tape, and each of which is driven by a respective one of the motors, the method including only one tension setting step during a printing operation.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 12, 2014Publication date: August 14, 2014Inventors: Phillip Lakin, Simon Starkey, Paul Christopher Roberts, Jonathan Michael Gloag
-
Publication number: 20140225969Abstract: A method of operating a tape drive which includes a pair of tape spool supports, upon one of which a supply spool is mountable and upon a second one of which a take up spool is mountable, each tape spool support being driveable by a respective motor to transfer tape between the spools, the tape drive further including a controller to control each of the motors, wherein the method includes reducing tension in tape extending between the two spools during a period when the tape is substantially stationary.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 12, 2014Publication date: August 14, 2014Inventors: Phillip Lakin, Simon Starkey
-
Publication number: 20140225971Abstract: A printing apparatus including a tape drive for transferring a tape carrying a marking medium, and a printhead which is operable to transfer marking medium from such a tape to print an image, the tape drive including a pair of tape spool supports, upon one of which a supply spool is mountable and upon a second one of which a take up spool is mountable, each tape spool support being drivable by a respective motor, the tape drive further including a controller to control each of the motors, wherein the tape drive is operable to position a tape adjacent the printhead such that a spacing between adjacent portions of tape from which ink is removed in successive printing operations is less than 0.5 mm.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 13, 2014Publication date: August 14, 2014Inventors: Phillip Lakin, Simon Starkey, Paul Christopher Roberts, Jonathan Michael Gloag
-
Patent number: 8801306Abstract: Systems and techniques relating to printing include an apparatus including a base mounting a storage spool to store printing ribbon including a web carrying marking medium, the base mounting a ribbon take-up spool. A ribbon path from the storage to the take-up spool runs through a printing station where there is a print head, and printing is effected at the printing station when relatively moving the head and the substrate with the ribbon interposed between. The apparatus includes a movable ribbon guide member, a ribbon guide member drive device to move the ribbon guide member, and a controller which, during or in between at least some printing operations, controls drive of at least the take-up spool to advance ribbon through the printing station. The controller controls the ribbon guide member in response to an input signal representative of ribbon tension along the ribbon path to adjust the ribbon tension.Type: GrantFiled: March 15, 2011Date of Patent: August 12, 2014Assignee: Markem-Imaje Industries LimitedInventors: Phillip Lakin, Stephen Carter
-
Publication number: 20140132698Abstract: A method of detecting a reduction in tension in a tape, wherein the tape is transferable between a first spool (15) and a second spool (17) by a tape drive (11), the tape drive (11) having a motor control system (25) which includes two DC motors (16, 18) and a controller (24) for controlling the operation of the motors (16, 18), the tape drive (11) also having two spool supports (12, 14), each of which is suitable for supporting a spool (15, 17) of tape, and each of which is driven by a respective one of the motors (16, 18), the method including storing a value relating to the current required to be supplied to each motor (16, 18) to maintain tension in the tape, and comparing a value relating to the current being supplied to each of the motors (16, 18) during tape transfer with the respective stored values.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 8, 2013Publication date: May 15, 2014Applicant: Markem-Imaje LimitedInventor: Phillip Lakin
-
Patent number: 8665301Abstract: A method of operation of the tape drive, including obtaining the circumferences a supply spool, and a take-up spool, each spool being mounted upon a respective rotatable spool support which is mounted in a housing, the method including rotating the take-up spool support and the supply spool support simultaneously, so as to feed tape from the supply spool into a tape path extending between the spools, and to wind tape on to the take-up spool from the tape path, determining a length of tape fed into the tape path during a measurement period using a sensor assembly, monitoring the angle through which each of the spool supports has rotated during the measurement period, regulating the length of the tape in the tape path, such that the length of the tape in the tape path at the start of the measurement period and the length of the tape in the tape path at the end of the measurement period are substantially the same, and using knowledge of the length of tape fed into the tape path during the measurement period andType: GrantFiled: July 21, 2011Date of Patent: March 4, 2014Assignee: Markem-Imaje LimitedInventors: Simon Starkey, Phillip Lakin
-
Publication number: 20130113870Abstract: A tape drive (10) and a method of operation of the tape drive (10), including obtaining the circumferences of a pair of spools of tape (30, 32), the pair of spools (30, 32) including a supply spool (30) upon which tape is initially wound, and a take-up spool (32) for receiving tape unwound from the supply spool (30), each spool (30, 32) being mounted upon a respective rotatable spool support (12, 14) which is mounted in a housing (11), such that tape extends along a tape path between the spools (30, 32), there being provided a sensor assembly (16), the method including rotating the take-up spool support (14)and the supply spool support (12) simultaneously, so as to feed tape from the supply spool (30) into the tape path, and to wind tape on to the take-up spool (32) from the tape path, determining a length of tape fed into the tape path by the supply spool (30) during a measurement period using the sensor assembly (16), monitoring the angle through which each of the spool supports (12, 14) has rotated duringType: ApplicationFiled: July 21, 2011Publication date: May 9, 2013Applicant: MARKEM-INAJE LIMITEDInventors: Simon Starkey, Phillip Lakin
-
Publication number: 20130039685Abstract: A motor control system includes a motor having an associated rotary position encoder, and a controller for controlling the operation of the motor, wherein the motor is switchable between a position control mode and a torque control mode.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 20, 2011Publication date: February 14, 2013Applicant: MARKEM-IMAJE LIMITEDInventors: Simon Starkey, Phillip Lakin, Paul Christopher Roberts, Jonathan Michael Gloag
-
Publication number: 20110229239Abstract: Systems and techniques relating to printing include an apparatus including a base mounting a storage spool to store printing ribbon including a web carrying marking medium, the base mounting a ribbon take-up spool. A ribbon path from the storage to the take-up spool runs through a printing station where there is a print head, and printing is effected at the printing station when relatively moving the head and the substrate with the ribbon interposed between. The apparatus includes a movable ribbon guide member, a ribbon guide member drive device to move the ribbon guide member, and a controller which, during or in between at least some printing operations, controls drive of at least the take-up spool to advance ribbon through the printing station. The controller controls the ribbon guide member in response to an input signal representative of ribbon tension along the ribbon path to adjust the ribbon tension.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 15, 2011Publication date: September 22, 2011Applicant: MARKEM-IMAJE CORPORATIONInventors: Phillip Lakin, Stephen Carter