Printing pads and print pad machines

Abstract

A printing pad machine that can print a 360 degree image on a cylindrical object. That objective is achieved by modifying a conventional printing pad machine having a support member—interconnected to an overhead gantry—and an adjustable and moveable actuator system and power source.

Claims

1. A printing pad machine having an elongated frame and support assembly comprising: an engraved print plate having an engraved image thereon and the engraved image is capable of containing and receiving a transferrable ink; a print fixture plate for supporting a printable product, and having (i) a proximal plate end and (ii) a distal plate end; a single angled print pad connected to a base, the single angled print pad has: a contact wall having a first height, a lower wall having a second height that is less than the first height, an angled surface interconnecting the contact wall's distal end and the lower wall's distal end, and a base wall (a) interconnecting the contact wall's proximal end and the lower wall's proximal end and (b) connectable to the base; an overhead gantry having a slideably moving support housing capable of moving (i) back and forth between the engraved print plate and the print fixture plate in a first plane, (ii) up and down between the first plane and the engraved print plate when positioned over the engraved print plate, and (iii) up and down between the first plane and the print fixture plate when positioned over the print fixture plate; a flexion and extension hinge interconnects (a) the base to a slideably moving support housing and (b) the slideably moving support housing to the overhead gantry; an adjustable and moveable actuator system and power source that (A) moves the support housing back and forth in the first plane to position the single angled print pad over the engraved print plate, (B) confirms the base is at least essentially parallel with the engraved print plate or alters the flexion and extension hinge so the base is at least essentially parallel with the engraved print plate; (C) moves the single angled print pad downward toward the engraved print plate so (i) the contact wall's distal end contacts the engraved print plate prior to the lower wall's distal end and (ii) the angled surface picks up the transferrable ink, (D) moves the single angled print pad upward toward the first plane; (E) moves the single angled print pad, in the first plane, toward the print fixture plate, (F) moves the single angled print pad downward toward the printable product, (G) alters, between the time frame that the single angled print pad (i) does not contact the engraved print plate during step (D) and (ii) contacts the printable product during step (F), the single angled print pad's configuration through the flexion and extension hinge so the angled surface is at least essentially parallel to the print fixture plate; (H) moves, depending on the location of the printable product in relation to the single angled print pad, the single angled print pad forward or backward to apply the transferrable ink of an image to the printable product.

2. The printing pad machine of claim 1, further comprising step (I): move the single angled print pad to the first plane.

3. The printing pad machine of claim 2, further comprising step (J): repeat steps A-I.

4. The printing pad machine of claim 1, wherein the printable product is a tubular or cylindrical object.

5. The printing pad machine of claim 4, wherein the tubular or cylindrical object has a curvilinear surface having an outer diameter greater than 2 mm.

6. The printing pad machine of claim 4, wherein the print fixture plate has ball bearings or rollers that permit the tubular or cylindrical object to rotate during step (H).

7. The printing pad machine of claim 4, wherein the print fixture plate has multiple sets of ball bearings or rollers that permit a corresponding set of tubular or cylindrical objects to rotate during step (H).

8. The printing pad machine of claim 4, wherein the image transferred to the tubular or cylindrical object is a 360-degree image on the curvilinear surface.

9. The printing pad machine of claim 4, wherein a groove is positioned at or near the print fixture plate's proximal plate end.

10. The printing pad machine of claim 9, wherein the print fixture has a plurality of interspaced ribs extending from the groove toward the distal plate end.

11. The printing pad machine of claim 1, wherein the single angled print pad has at least two additional angled sides interconnected to the base wall and the angled surface.

12. The printing pad machine of claim 1, wherein the single angled print pad has ridges on the angled surface.

13. The printing pad machine of claim 1, wherein the adjustable and moveable actuator system and power source is controlled through a microprocessor wherein the parameters for the slideably moving support housing's movements and the flexion and extension hinge's movements are inputted into the microprocessor.

14. The printing pad machine of claim 1, wherein the adjustable and moveable actuator system and power source is selected from the group consisting of a pneumatic actuator system, a hydraulic actuator system, and an electromechanical actuator system, and combinations thereof.

15. The printing pad machine of claim 1, wherein the print fixture plate has a plurality of interspaced ribs extending from at or near the proximal plate end toward the distal plate end.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1A illustrates a prior art printing pad having a high angle of attack.

(2) FIG. 1B illustrates a prior art printing pad having flat-surfaced or low-profile which has known problems with picking up ink and applying ink to surfaces.

(3) FIG. 2 is a prior art perspective view of a print pad machine constructed according to the principles of the present invention.

(4) FIG. 3 is a prior art side elevational view of the print pad machine shown in FIG. 2, with its ink cup ink supply mechanism shown slideably disposed over the image bearing print plate for deposition of a quantity of ink within the etched image thereon, with the tandem movable print pad awaiting further motion of the support housing to enable the next step in the operational sequence.

(5) FIG. 4 is a prior art side elevational view similar to that shown in FIG. 3 showing the ink cup ink supply mechanism slideably disposed over the rear portion of the image bearing print plate and its correspondingly moved print pad shown supported above the ink laden etched image of the print plate.

(6) FIG. 5 is a prior art side elevational view similar to that shown in FIG. 4, now showing the print pad displaced vertically from the support housing there above, to enable the print pad to pick up its quota of ink from the etched inkwell image.

(7) FIG. 6 is a prior art side elevational view similar to that shown in FIG. 5, now showing the ink image laden print pad displaced vertically towards the support housing there above, awaiting its next transition in the operational sequence.

(8) FIG. 7 is a prior art side elevational view similar to that shown in FIG. 3, now showing the ink-image-laden print pad disposed vertically above the to be printed item supported on the print fixture at the 1.sup.st end of the print pad machine.

(9) FIG. 8 is a prior art side elevational view similar to that shown in FIG. 7, now showing the ink image laden print pad displaced downwardly from the support housing and against a printable item supported on the print fixture.

(10) FIG. 9 is a prior art side elevational view similar to that shown in FIG. 7, now representing an ink image free print pad displaced upwardly towards its support housing after having applied multiple layers onto the now printed item supported on the print fixture at the 1.sup.st end of the print pad machine.

(11) FIGS. 10A, 10B and 10C are schematic representations of the sequence of operation involved between the print pad, the ink-laden etched image on the print plate and ultimately the printable item supported on the print fixture ending as a multilayered image shown on and absorbed into the printable item.

(12) FIG. 11A illustrates a prior art single angled print pad; FIG. 11B illustrates FIG. 11A taken from the view defined by line 909-909; and FIG. 11C illustrates FIG. 11A taken from the view defined by line 911-911.

(13) FIGS. 12A and 12B, wherein FIG. 12A illustrates a single angled print pad positioned over a cliché; and FIG. 12B illustrates a single angled print pad positioned on the cliché that transfers the image in the cliché to toe single angled print pad.

(14) FIGS. 13A and 13B, wherein FIG. 13A illustrates a single angled print pad initial contact with a curvilinear surface of a tubular product; and FIG. 13B illustrates a single angled print pad in the middle of the process of transferring an image on the curvilinear surface of a tubular product so the image can be 360 degrees on the curvilinear surface of a tubular product.

(15) FIG. 14 illustrates the position of a single angled print pad interconnected to a flexion-extension hinge when picking ink from a cliché.

(16) FIG. 15 illustrates the position of a single angled print pad interconnected to a flexion-extension hinge when applying ink to a product.

(17) FIG. 16 illustrates an alternative position of a single angled print pad interconnected to a flexion-extension hinge when applying ink to a product.

(18) FIG. 17 illustrates another alternative position of a single angled print pad interconnected to a flexion-extension hinge when applying ink to a product that is position in one location.

(19) FIG. 18 illustrates a single angled print pad with ribs on a base.

(20) FIG. 19 illustrates an alternative embodiment of the single angled print pad with a triangular angled surface.

(21) FIG. 20 illustrates an alternative embodiment of the single angled print pad with a circular angled surface.

(22) FIG. 21A illustrates a print fixture plate having interspaced ribs and groove.

(23) FIG. 21B illustrates a top view of FIG. 21A.

(24) FIG. 21C illustrates cross-sectional view of FIG. 21B taken along the lines 21-21.

(25) FIG. 21D illustrates an alternative embodiment of FIG. 21B without a groove.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Single Angled Print Pad

(26) The present invention uses that single angled print pad 200—which can be made of silicon or any other effective material that permits the transfer of ink from (a) a cliché to the print pad; and (b) the print pad to a product—
to be capable of applying a 360 degree, clean image onto a curvilinear surface of a tubular or cylindrical product—like a catheter—wherein the tubular or cylindrical product can have an outer diameter greater than 2 mm. The method of using the single angled print pad 200 differs from the prior art method of using the single angled print pad 200. With the present invention, the ink is transferred from the cliché 26 (a.k.a., printing plates that can be made of metal like steel, or plastic) onto the angled surface 240 and optionally the initial pick up/ink deposition point 132 (which should be at or near the lower distal end 226 as identified, for example, at FIG. 13B or not be at the lower distal end 226 as identified, for example, at FIG. 12B), and NOT onto the contact wall 202. The angled surface 240 must also have a length (L) equal to or greater than the circumference of the curvilinear surface of the tubular product in order to print the 360 degree, clean image on to the curvilinear surface of the tubular product.

(27) The method of using the angled print pad 200 to apply the 360 degree, clean image on to the curvilinear surface of the tubular product with a conventional print pad machine 10; entails three steps:

(28) First—Ink is transferred from a cliché 26 onto the angled surface 240. That transfer of ink from the cliché 26 to the single angled print pad 200 is accomplished by positioning the initial pick up/ink deposition point 132 at or near one end of the cliché and the angled surface 240 covering the remainder of the cliché 26 as shown in FIG. 12A. The conventional print pad machine 10 pushes the single angled print pad 200 downward in a conventional method to transfer a clean, bubble-free image onto the single angled print pad 200 as shown in FIG. 12B. Once the ink image is transferred to the single angled print pad 200; the conventional print pad machine 10 lifts the single angled print pad 200 from the cliché 26 toward a first plane 500—that permits the print pad 200 to move back and forth between locations positioned over the engraved print plate 14 and the print fixture plate 16 through the overhead gantry 20 and the support housing 22 as clearly illustrated at FIG. 6.

(29) Second—The inked single angled print pad 200 is then moved—in the illustrated embodiment, horizontally—by the print pad machine 10 through the overhead gantry 20 and the support housing 22, toward the curvilinear surface of the tubular product 250 positioned on the print fixture plate 16, similar to the process illustrated at FIGS. 6 and 7.

(30) Third—The inked single angled print pad 200 is then moved vertically toward the curvilinear surface of the tubular product 250, similar to the process illustrated at FIGS. 7 and 8. In this step, however, the initial pick up/ink deposition point 132 (at, near or toward the lower distal end 226) is positioned on the curvilinear surface of the tubular product's 250 apex 253 or off-apex point 254. The off-apex point 254 is when the angled surface 240 is positioned above the apex 253 as illustrated at FIG. 13A.

(31) The print fixture plate 16 has a length that permits the tubular product 250 to be printed thereon. Preferably, the print fixture plate's length is greater than the tubular product's length so that a portion of the tubular product's length is capable of contacting the print fixture plate 16 when the tubular product 250 is being printed thereon.

(32) To assist in that printing endeavor, the print fixture plate 16 has a groove 713 that extends along the entire or a part of (must still contain the tubular product) the print fixture's length. The groove 713 is capable of positioning and at least partially receiving a tubular product 250. Preferably, the tubular product 250 that fits within the groove 713 has a diameter ranging from 2 mm to inch. Now the groove 713 is designed to place the tubular product 250 in the proper and appropriate position when the inked single angled print pad 200 initiates the printing process on the tubular product 250.

(33) The print fixture plate 16 has a width 719 wherein the distance between the groove 713 (positioned near the plate's proximal end 720) and the plate's distal printing end 722 is greater than the tubular product's circumference distance of the tubular product's outer diameter to ensure the printing on the tubular product is uniform and efficient. In addition, positioned adjacent to the plate's proximal end 720 is a pad cavity 724.

(34) The groove 713 has a depth that permits (i) the tubular product's 250 apex 253 or off-apex point 254 to be contacted by the inked single angled print pad's 200 lower distal end 226 and (ii) the angled surface's contact distal end 222 (a) not contact the print fixture plate 16 and (b) preferably, be positioned in the pad cavity 724. The pad cavity 724 can be, depending on the design of the print pad machine 10, positioned over the image-displaying print plate 14 that holds the cliché 26.

(35) When the tubular product 250 is positioned in the groove 713 and preferably having one end contact an align wall 739 to ensure the tubular product 250 is properly positioned in the groove 713, the tubular product is in its initial position 263 for the printing process.

(36) The print pad machine 10 then drives, as illustrated at FIG. 13B, the inked single angled print pad 200 (a) upward away the print fixture 16 and simultaneously (b) horizontally toward the plate's distal printing end 722. That way, the inked single angled print pad 200, in particular the angled surface 240, maintains contact with the tubular product 250 as the tubular product 250 (also identified as 250A when ink 721 is applied to the tubular product) rotates (arrow represented by number 256) (i) out of the groove and (ii) along the print fixture plate 16 toward the plate's distal printing end 722. As the tubular product 250 rotates toward the plate's distal printing end 722, and possibly beyond, a point 262 on the print fixture 16 that would be positioned below the angled surface's contact distal end 222 as the pad 200 moves horizontally toward the plate's distal printing end 722.

(37) To decrease the chance that the ink 721 will be smudged and/or smeared during the process that ink is being applied to the tubular product 250, the print fixture plate 16 can have a plurality of interspaced friction material ribs 733 as shown at FIGS. 21A, 21B, 21C and 21D. The ribs 733 extend (a), as illustrated in the grooved embodiment of FIGS. 21A, 21B and 21C, from the distal end of the groove 713 toward the plate's distal printing end 722; and (b), as shown in the non-grooved embodiment of FIG. 21D from or near the plate's proximal printing end 720 toward the plates distal printing end 722. The area between each interspaced ribs 733 is a printing recess cavity 735. Each rib 733 is positioned so each rib 733 contacts an area of the tubular product 250 that does or should not have ink applied thereon. Likewise each printing recess cavity 735 is designed to be positioned below an area of the tubular product that does or is expected to have ink applied thereon to decrease the chance that the ink will be smudged and/or smeared. The ribbed print fixture plate version 16 (FIG. 21D and also FIG. 21C) and the ribbed-groove print fixture plate 16 version (FIGS. 21A, 21B, and 21C) can be utilized in all embodiments of the present invention to decrease ink smudging or smearing.

(38) The rotation 256 and the movement from point 263 toward (and possibly beyond) point 262 on the print fixture 16 permits the transfer of ink from the inked single angled print pad 200 to the curvilinear surface of the tubular product 250 having an outer diameter less than, equal to, and greater than 2 mm. Those movements also permit the print pad machine 10 to have the capability to apply a 360 degree image on the curvilinear surface of the tubular product 250, and preferably a clean, 360 degree image on the curvilinear surface of the tubular product 250. The 360 degree image can be, for example, a line to act as an indicia for the amount of fluid in a catheter.

Printing Pad Machine

(39) The printing pad machine 10 can be altered to have a flexion-extension hinge 260—for example and not limited to a hinge joint or a ball & socket joint—positioned between the base 201 and the printed pad machine's 10 support housing 22 or (b) the slideably moving support housing 22 to the overhead gantry 20 (not shown but operates in the same function, way and means as when the hinge is directly connected to the base 201 but alters the position of the slideably moving support housing 22); and in particular directly attached to the base 201 to ensure the proper position of the single angled print pad 200.

(40) As identified above, the printed pad machine 10 controls the support housing 22 horizontal (back and forth) and vertical (up and down) movements. With the same, modified or similar but different electrical components, the printed pad machine 10 controls the flexion movements and extension movements of the flexion-extension hinge 260.

(41) As noted above, the print pad 200 maintains a high angle of attack when the print pad 200 is going to pick up ink in the cliché 26 to diminish the transfer of smudged or defective image transfer from the cliché 26 to the angled surface 240 as illustrated in FIGS. 12A and 12B. That means, the base 201 should be, and preferably is, parallel or essentially parallel with the image-displaying print plate 14 that holds the cliché 26 as illustrated at FIG. 14.

(42) After the ink is successfully transferred from the cliché 26 to the angled surface 240 and the angled surface 240 does not and will not contact the image-displaying print plate 14 and prior to the print pad 200 contacting the curvilinear surface of the tubular product 250; the printed pad machine 10 alters the flexion-extension hinge 260 configuration so the angled surface 240 is parallel or essentially parallel with the print fixture 16 as illustrated at FIG. 15.

(43) Once the angled surface 240 contacts the curvilinear surface of the tubular product 250, the printed pad machine 10 has the support housing 22 move forward (as identified by arrow 270) which in turn moves the angled surface 240 forward. When the angled surface 240 moves forward when contacting the curvilinear surface of the tubular product 250, the curvilinear surface of the tubular product 250 is able to rotate, as illustrated in FIG. 15, clock-wise 256 from at or near the angled surface's contact distal end 222 toward (and possibly beyond) the angled surface's lower distal end 226.

(44) Alternatively, the curvilinear surface of the tubular product 250 could be positioned near the angled surface's lower distal end 226. When that occurs, the printed pad machine 10 has the support housing 22 move backward (as identified by arrow 271) which in turn moves the angled surface 240 backward. When the angled surface 240 moves backward when contacting the curvilinear surface of the tubular product 250, the curvilinear surface of the tubular product 250 is able to rotate, as illustrated in FIG. 16, counter clock-wise 257 from at or near the angled surface's lower distal end 226 toward (and possibly beyond) the angled surface's contact distal end 222.

(45) These mechanical designs of moving forward and/or backward when transferring ink from the angled surface 240 to the tubular product 250 provides greater latitude in printing images on the curvilinear surface of the tubular product 250.

(46) As shown in FIG. 17, the curvilinear surface of the tubular product 250 can be positioned in place with ball-bearings and/or rollers 280 as the angled surface 240 moves forward or backward as described in relation to, respectively FIGS. 15 and 16, so the curvilinear surface of the tubular product 250 can then, respectively, rotate clock-wise or counter clockwise in place.

(47) Each of the ink applying horizontal movements described and illustrated in relation to FIGS. 15, 16, 17 permits the print pad machine 10 to have the capability to apply a 360 degree image on the curvilinear surface of the tubular product 250, and preferably a clean—decreased chance of blemishes—, 360 degree image on the curvilinear surface of the tubular product 250. The 360 degree image can be, for example, a line to act as an indicia for the amount of fluid in a catheter. These ink applying horizontal movements in relation to the ink applying vertical movement illustrated in (a) the prior art FIGS. 2 to 10C and (b) FIGS. 13A and 13B for using a single angled print pad 200; diminish the wear and tear for any printing pad, in particular a single angled print pad 200. The diminished wear and tear is accomplished by reducing the force applied to the print pad when applying the ink to the curvilinear surface of the tubular product 250.

(48) In the embodiment illustrated at FIG. 17, there can be multiple tubular products 250 wherein each tubular product 250 is positioned in place with ball-bearings and/or rollers 280 on the print fixture 16. Thereby, multiple tubular products 250 can be inked at the same time.

Variations

(49) The single angled print pad 200 can also have ridges or ribs 400 on the angled surface 240 as illustrated at FIG. 18. The ridges 400 could be the only surface on the angled surface 240 that applies ink to a product as described above.

(50) The single angled print pad 200, as described above, has four sides with the base surface 210 and the angled surface 240. Those four sides, as taken from a top view, have a perimeter that illustrates a quadrilateral configuration. Obviously, the quadrilateral configuration can be any of the special quadrilateral configurations—for example and not limited to a square, a rectangle, a rhombus, a parallelogram, a trapezoid (also referred to as a trapezium), and a kite. Whatever the perimeter shape of the sides, the single angled print pad 200 must have an angled surface 240 and accomplish the objective of applying ink to a product as described above.

(51) Obviously, the single angled print pad 200 can have additional sides. That means the perimeter shape of the sides, as taken from a top view, can be a pentagon, hexagon, heptagon, octagon, nonagon, decagon and so on. Also the single angled print pad 200 can have less sides so it can be shaped like a triangle (see, FIG. 19) or a circle (see, FIG. 20). Again, whatever the perimeter shape of the sides, the single angled print pad 200 must have an angled surface 240 and accomplish the objective of applying ink to a product as described above.

(52) The pneumatic system disclosed in the prior art—gantry 20 supports the pneumatically empowered longitudinal sliding of the support housing 22—can be replaced by any device that can adjust the hinge 260 and move the support housing 22 or move and adjust the support housing that is interconnected to the gantry 20 through the hinge 260. Examples of adjustable and moveable actuator system and power sources include and are not limited to the previously disclosed pneumatic actuator system, a manually driven by hand (not a preferred method), a hydraulic actuator system, an electromechanical actuator system, and combinations thereof. A version of the electromechanical actuator system is an electronic cylinder system having (a) at least one linear motor based on a tubular design, using high-flux annular magnets on an actuator rod, surrounded by a series of specialized windings on a long stator coil, or (b) a linear motor design having a fixed stator contain permanent magnets and the moving element contains the coil windings. The pneumatic actuator system, the hydraulic actuator system and the electromechanical actuator system can each be controlled through the microprocessor having an input station that permits a third party to enter parameters and instructions that control the adjustable and moveable actuator system and power source.

(53) The prior art's ink supply cup 24 is a source to hold ink; and that cup can be replaced by an open ink well system. The open ink well system is older technology than the ink supply cup system, but it is effective.

(54) Although the preferred embodiment has been described in detail, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions, and alterations can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.