Removable screen printing pallet system for maintaining proper registration in print machines

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12384142-B2
Application number	US-202218088900-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 27, 2022
Priority date	Oct 22, 2013
Publication date	Aug 12, 2025
Grant date	Aug 12, 2025

Abstract

A removable pallet system for maintaining proper registration on a first printing machine and on a second printing machine is provided. The system includes a removable pallet having a planar garment supporting upper surface, an upper assembly for supporting the removable pallet and a lower assembly for connecting the upper assembly, lower assembly and pallet to an arm of the first printing machine or the second printing machine. The system further includes an adjustment mechanism. The adjustment mechanism can include a first X-coordinate adjuster and a first Y-coordinate adjuster for moving the upper assembly relative to the lower assembly.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A removable pallet system for maintaining proper registration on a first printing machine and on a second printing machine comprising:
a removable pallet having a planar garment supporting upper surface defining an X direction and a perpendicular Y direction;
an upper assembly for supporting the removable pallet;
a lower assembly for connecting the upper assembly, lower assembly and pallet to an arm of one of the first printing machine and the second printing machine; and,
an adjustment mechanism including a first X-coordinate adjuster including a first horizontal threaded actuator and a first Y-coordinate adjuster including a second horizontal threaded actuator for moving the upper assembly relative to the lower assembly.

2. The removable pallet system of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of fasteners which can be tightened to fix a position of the upper assembly to the lower assembly.

3. The removable pallet system of claim 2 wherein the lower assembly includes a first rail and a second rail spaced from and parallel to the first rail.

4. The removable pallet system of claim 3 further comprising a plurality of spaced apart beam members fixedly attached to the first rail and the second rail.

5. The removable pallet system of claim 4 wherein the first rail includes a first lower outwardly directed flange and the second rail includes a second lower outwardly directed flange, the first lower outwardly directed flange and the second lower outwardly directed flange for connecting the removable pallet to one of the arm of the first printing machine and the second printing machine.

6. The removable pallet system of claim 5 wherein the first rail includes a first upper inwardly directed flange and the second rail includes a second upper inwardly directed flange, the first upper inwardly directed flange and the second upper inwardly directed flange for supporting the upper assembly on the lower assembly.

7. The removable pallet system of claim 6 wherein the first upper inwardly directed flange and the second upper inwardly directed flange include a plurality of openings where each of the plurality of openings is aligned with a respective one of the plurality of fasteners.

8. The removable pallet system of claim 7 wherein at least one of the plurality of spaced apart beam members includes a first opening aligned with one of the plurality of openings in the first upper inwardly directed flange, and a second opening aligned with one of the plurality of openings in the second upper inwardly directed flange.

9. The removable pallet system of claim 8 wherein the lower assembly includes a first cross member spanning from the first rail to the second rail.

10. The removable pallet system of claim 9 wherein the first X-coordinate adjuster and the first Y-coordinate adjuster are connected to the first cross member.

11. The removable pallet system of claim 1 wherein the removable pallet includes a first notch formed in a first peripheral edge of the removable pallet and a second notch formed in a second peripheral edge of the removable pallet opposite the first peripheral edge.

12. The removable pallet system of claim 11 wherein a first notch of the plurality of notches is formed on a first end of the removable pallet and a second notch of the plurality of notches is formed on the first end of the removable pallet spaced from the first notch.

13. The removable pallet system of claim 12 further comprising a third notch of the plurality of notches formed on a second end of the removable pallet opposing the first end.

14. The removable pallet system of claim 13 wherein the upper assembly includes a registration system for maintaining the removable pallet on the upper assembly in registration.

15. The removable pallet system of claim 14 wherein the registration system includes a plurality of pins, where each pin of the plurality of pins can be received in a corresponding one of the plurality of notches in the removable pallet to register the removable pallet with the upper assembly.

16. The removable pallet system of claim 15 wherein each pin of the plurality of pins includes an adjuster to vary the location of the pin relative to an upper surface of the upper assembly.

17. The removable pallet system of claim 1 wherein the adjustment mechanism includes a second X-coordinate adjuster.

18. A removable pallet system for maintaining proper registration on a first printing machine and on a second printing machine comprising:
a removable pallet having a planar garment supporting upper surface defining an X direction and a perpendicular Y direction;
an upper assembly for supporting the removable pallet;
a lower assembly for connecting the upper assembly, lower assembly and pallet to an arm of one of the first printing machine and the second printing machine, wherein the lower assembly includes a first rail and a second rail spaced from and parallel to the first rail;
an adjustment mechanism for moving the upper assembly relative to the lower assembly;
a plurality of fasteners which can be tightened to fix a position of the upper assembly to the lower assembly; and,
a plurality of spaced apart beam members fixedly attached to the first rail and the second rail wherein the first rail includes a first lower outwardly directed flange and the second rail includes a second lower outwardly directed flange, the first lower outwardly directed flange and the second lower outwardly directed flange for connecting the removable pallet to one of the arm of the first printing machine and the second printing machine and wherein the first rail includes a first upper inwardly directed flange and the second rail includes a second upper inwardly directed flange, the first upper inwardly directed flange and the second upper inwardly directed flange for supporting the upper assembly on the lower assembly and wherein the first upper inwardly directed flange and the second upper inwardly directed flange include a plurality of openings where each of the plurality of openings is aligned with a respective one of the plurality of fasteners and wherein at least one of the plurality of spaced apart beam members includes a first opening aligned with one of the plurality of openings in the first upper inwardly directed flange, and a second opening aligned with one of the plurality of openings in the second upper inwardly directed flange.

Assignees

• M & R Printing Equip Inc

Inventors

• Hoffman Jr Richard C

Classifications

• B41F15/18

  Supports for workpieces · CPC title

• B41F15/26

  for articles with flat surfaces · CPC title

• B41M1/26

  Printing on other surfaces than ordinary paper (B41M1/40 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B41M1/12 Primary

  Stencil printing; Silk-screen printing · CPC title

• B41F15/34 Primary

  Screens, Frames; Holders therefor · CPC title