The present invention relates to a marking machine for marking articles, this machine comprising: a marking head including a support and at least one punch fitted with a flat pattern plate; and a positioning system configured to position the article with respect to the punch. The marking machine is characterized in that the punch has rotational mobility about an axis of rotation that is fixed with respect to the support. The invention also relates to a method of operating such a marking machine.

A vacuum belt conveyor sequentially delivers sheet articles to a digital printer. The sheets are held in position by vacuum on the underside of the sheets through apertures in the belt and covered by the sheets. A plurality of independent plenums on the underside of the belt have chambers respectively communicating with rows of apertures extending along the belt. Vacuum is selectively applied from a manifold only to the plenum chambers that supply apertures that are covered by the sheets so that the ink from the printer will not be directed from its intended position on the sheet by vacuum from adjacent uncovered belt apertures.

A vacuum belt conveyor sequentially delivers sheet articles to a digital printer. The sheets are held in position by vacuum on the underside of the sheets through apertures in the belt and covered by the sheets. A plurality of independent plenums on the underside of the belt have chambers respectively communicating with rows of apertures extending along the belt. Vacuum is selectively applied from a manifold only to the plenum chambers that supply apertures that are covered by the sheets so that the ink from the printer will not be directed from its intended position on the sheet by vacuum from adjacent uncovered belt apertures.

A method of manufacturing a floor board comprises the steps of supplying a panel, printing a curable substance or surface removing substance onto the panel in a predefined pattern for creating an elevation on the panel at the pattern or removing a portion of the surface of the panel at the pattern, respectively, and curing the curable substance or removing any reaction products of the surface removing substance and the panel.

A method of manufacturing a floor board comprises the steps of supplying a panel, printing a curable substance or surface removing substance onto the panel in a predefined pattern for creating an elevation on the panel at the pattern or removing a portion of the surface of the panel at the pattern, respectively, and curing the curable substance or removing any reaction products of the surface removing substance and the panel.

The present invention provides an image engraving apparatus capable of precisely driving a stylus to improve accuracy of image engraving. The image engraving apparatus has a vibration actuator fixed to a floating base and having an output portion configured to output vibration generated by deformation of piezoelectric elements, a stylus supported with a stylus holder to be vibrated and engrave an image on a medium to be engraved, a supporting spring supporting the stylus holder, and a retainer positionally adjustably supported to the floating base to come into contact with the medium.

A base plate for supporting a plurality of interlocking building bricks includes a planar sheet having a top surface and a bottom surface, with a plurality of nodes projecting from the top surface. The plurality of nodes includes a node having a vertical cylindrical wall and a horizontal top wall, the vertical cylindrical wall tapering along its vertical height; the node also having a bevel extending around a circumference of the node at an edge where the vertical cylindrical wall transitions to the horizontal top wall. A method of assembling a composite base plate includes securing two component base plates to one another via a common backing material. A method of printing on a base plate includes applying ultraviolet ink to at least the top surface of the base plate from an ultraviolet light printer, the base plate having a plurality of studs or nodes projecting from the top surface.

A base plate for supporting a plurality of interlocking building bricks includes a planar sheet having a top surface and a bottom surface, with a plurality of nodes projecting from the top surface. The plurality of nodes includes a node having a vertical cylindrical wall and a horizontal top wall, the vertical cylindrical wall tapering along its vertical height; the node also having a bevel extending around a circumference of the node at an edge where the vertical cylindrical wall transitions to the horizontal top wall. A method of assembling a composite base plate includes securing two component base plates to one another via a common backing material. A method of printing on a base plate includes applying ultraviolet ink to at least the top surface of the base plate from an ultraviolet light printer, the base plate having a plurality of studs or nodes projecting from the top surface.

A system for printing PSA on a substrate includes a rigid support structure. The system also includes a plurality of dispensing heads disposed within the rigid support structure and configured to deposit PSA solution on the substrate in response to applied pressure. Each dispensing head of the plurality of dispensing heads includes a support structure and a wicking structure disposed within the support structure and configured to hold the PSA solution, wherein the wicking structure is configured to deposit the PSA solution in a desired shape on the substrate upon contact with the substrate.

A stamp tool holding device capable of holding a stamp tool while keeping a stamp surface of the stamp tool clean, a stamp tool positioning device that easily positions a stamp tool with respect to a transport head, a multi-element transfer device for efficiently transferring a transport object element such as an element using a stamp tool, and a method of manufacturing an element array using the same, wherein the stamp tool holding device has an installation stage on which a stamp tool is detachably installed. The installation stage has an installation surface on which a housing recess for accommodating a stamp layer of the stamp tool is formed, and a suction hole capable of detachably adsorbing a part of the stamp tool located around the stamp layer is formed on the installation surface.