Print registration system for can decorator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11298934-B2
Application number	US-201916670750-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 31, 2019
Priority date	Oct 31, 2018
Publication date	Apr 12, 2022
Grant date	Apr 12, 2022

Abstract

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.

First claim

We claim:

1. A print registration assembly for a can decorator, the print registration assembly comprising:
an axial registration drive adapted for registering a plate cylinder of a plate cylinder shaft in an axial orientation;
an axial registration slider that is adapted for movement by the axial registration drive; the axial registration slider being mechanically coupled to a plate cylinder of the can decorator via an axial sleeve such that movement of the axial registration slider causes axial movement of the axial sleeve which is associated with axial registration of the plate cylinder;
a circumferential registration drive adapted for registering the plate cylinder in a circumferential orientation; and
a circumferential registration slider that is adapted for movement by the circumferential registration drive; the circumferential registration slider being mechanically coupled to the plate cylinder such that movement of the circumferential registration slider causes circumferential movement of the axial sleeve and is associated with circumferential registration of the plate cylinder.

2. The print registration assembly of claim 1 wherein the axial registration drive includes an axial registration linear actuator adapted for translating the axial registration slider and the circumferential registration drive includes a circumferential linear actuator adapted for translating the circumferential slider.

3. The print registration assembly of claim 2 wherein the axial registration linear actuator is a lead screw assembly and the circumferential registration linear actuator is a lead screw assembly.

4. The print registration assembly of claim 3 wherein the axial registration linear actuator and the circumferential registration linear actuator are co-axial.

5. The print registration assembly of claim 4 wherein the axial registration drive includes an axial registration motor adapted for driving the axial registration lead screw and the circumferential registration drive includes a circumferential registration motor adapted for driving the circumferential registration lead screw.

6. The print registration assembly of claim 5 wherein the axial registration lead screw and the circumferential registration lead screw are concentric, and an outer one of the axial registration lead screw and the circumferential registration lead screw is driven by a corresponding one of the axial registration motor and the circumferential registration motor through a transmission.

7. The print registration assembly of claim 6 wherein the transmission includes a registration driving gear mounted on the corresponding one of the axial registration motor and the circumferential motor and a registration driven gear mounted on the outer one of the axial registration lead screw and the circumferential registration lead screw.

8. The print registration assembly of claim 5 further comprising an axial registration position sensor adapted for indicating axial position or axial movement of the plate cylinder shaft and a circumferential registration position sensor adapted for indicating circumferential position or circumferential movement of the plate cylinder.

9. The print registration system of claim 8 wherein the axial registration position sensor is mounted on the axial registration slider and the circumferential position registration sensor is mounted on the circumferential print registration slider.

10. The print registration system of claim 8 further comprising an axial registration motor position sensor on the axial registration motor and a circumferential registration motor position sensor on the circumferential registration motor.

11. The print registration assembly of claim 2 wherein the axial registration slider is mechanically coupled to the plate cylinder such that translation of the axial registration slider is transmitted into axial translation of the plate cylinder shaft, and the circumferential registration slider is mechanically coupled to the plate cylinder shaft such that translation of the circumferential slider is transmitted into circumferential rotation of the plate cylinder shaft.

12. The print registration assembly of claim 11 wherein the circumferential registration slider is mechanically coupled to the print registration cylinder via a circumferential transfer structure that is mechanically coupled to a helical main driven gear that is mounted on the plate cylinder shaft and in mesh communication with a helical main driving gear, wherein translation transmitted to the driven main gear rotates the main driven gear upon contact with the driving main gear.

13. A can decorator color section comprising:
plural plate cylinder shaft assemblies, each one of plate cylinder shaft assemblies including: a plate cylinder shaft; a plate cylinder drive adapted for rotating the plate cylinder shaft; a plate cylinder coupled to the plate cylinder shaft and adapted for receiving ink; and a print registration system as recited in claim 1 ;
a blanket wheel including peripheral printing blankets, the blanket wheel adapted for rotating to engage the printing blankets with each one of the plate cylinders; and
a main drive for rotating the blanket wheel.

14. A method of registering a print image on a can decorator color section, comprising the steps of:
a. translating an axial registration slider;
b. transmitting the translating of the axial registration slider to translation of an axial sleeve that causes movement of a print cylinder of the can decorator in an axial direction;
c. translating a circumferential registration slider;
d. converting the translating of the circumferential registration slider to rotation of the axial sleeve and of the print cylinder in a circumferential orientation; and
e. repeating steps (a) through (d) until desired registration of the print image on a can is achieved.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising the step of receiving a desired magnitude of axial translation of the print cylinder before the translating step (a) and receiving a desired magnitude of circumferential adjustment of the plate cylinder before the translating step (c), wherein the translating step (a) is performed to achieve the desired magnitude of the axial translation of the plate cylinder and the translating step (c) is performed to achieve the desired magnitude of circumferential adjustment of the plate cylinder.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein the translating step (a) includes engaging an axial registration drive that is mechanically coupled to the axial registration slider and the translating step (c) includes engaging a circumferential registration drive that is mechanically coupled to the circumferential registration slider.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the converting step (d) includes transferring translation to a helical driven gear that is mounted to a print cylinder shaft such that the helical driven gear rotates upon engagement with a helical driving gear in response to the translation of the helical driven gear.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the translating steps (a) includes actuating an axial registration actuator portion of the axial registration drive that is concentric with a circumferential registration actuator portion of the circumferential registration drive, and the translating step (c) includes actuating the circumferential registration actuator portion of the circumferential registration drive.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the axial registration actuator portion of the axial registration drive is a lead scr

Assignees

• Crown Packaging Technology Inc

Inventors

• Egerton Daniel
• Coates Michael Jonathan
• Blake Daren
• Halstead Michael
• Bailey Damien

Classifications

• B41F13/14

  with means for displacing the cylinders · CPC title

• B41F17/002

  Supports of workpieces in machines for printing on hollow articles · CPC title

• B41F13/008

  Mechanical features of drives, e.g. gears, clutches · CPC title

• B41P2213/202

  Helical gears · CPC title

• B41P2213/90

  Register control · CPC title