Printing – Special article machines – Rotating object
Reexamination Certificate
1998-12-30
2001-03-20
Hilten, John S. (Department: 2854)
Printing
Special article machines
Rotating object
C101S035000, C101S093110, C101S093170, C347S037000, C347S038000, C347S233000, C400S118200
Reexamination Certificate
active
06202550
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention generally relates to printer apparatus and methods and more particularly relates to a printer and method for printing indicia on a disk, such that printing speed is increased and printing costs are reduced.
Compact disks are generally of two types. One types of compact disk is commonly referred to as a recordable compact disk, which is insertable into a compact disk recorder. A user then records digital data onto the compact disk by means of an input device, such as a computer connected to the recorder. The recordation is typically performed using laser light impulses that “burn” the digital data into the recordable disk in binary code. This digital data may then be optically read by a suitable compact disk player. Thus, the recordable compact disk allows the user to write data onto the disk. Another type of compact disk is commonly referred to as a read-only memory compact disk, which has the digital data already “burned” into the disk when received by the user. In this case, the user may only read the digital data by means of the compact disk player and may not write data onto the disk. Recordable and read-only memory compact disks are becoming more prevalent due to their lower cost, compact size and easier data retrieval compared, for example, to magnetic data storage.
In any case, it is important to label the compact disk for the purpose of identifying the data content of the disk. Such identification facilitates archiving of a plurality of disks having different data content and also facilitates distribution of large data files. This labeling may be obtained in several ways. For example, read-only memory compact disks are typically labeled using a silk-screen printing process because read-only memory compact disks are usually mass produced and silk-screen printing is particularly suitable for mass produced articles. Printing on recordable compact disks, on the other hand, is typically produced by manually writing identification information on a label and attaching the label to the disk or by using a felt-tip stylus to write directly on the surface of the disk itself. However, with respect to the silk-screen process, rapid change-over to print different label information on different compact disks is not readily possible thereby resulting in an inflexible manufacturing process. Of course, manually writing identification information on the disk is time-consuming and thereby costly.
A method of printing label information on a disk is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,317,337 titled “Printing Method For Disc-Shaped Information Carriers” issued May 31, 1994 in the name of Helmut Ewaldt. This patent discloses a data-processing system including a printer head movable radially over an annular area of a disc-shaped information carrier to print in the annular area The printer head prints a radial line label information starting at an inner edge of the annular area up to an outer edge of the area. After the line is printed, the disc-shaped information carrier is rotated through a given angle whereupon another radial line of label information is printed. This process is continued until the information carrier has made one full revolution and the entire annular area has been printed. Printing is controlled by a printing program in a data-processing system, which also supplies the label information. However, the Ewaldt device is relatively slow in printing because the Ewaldt device uses but a single printer head. Moreover, if an individual printing element in the printer head malfunctions, the entire printer head must be replaced if quality printing is to be maintained. Replacement of the entire printer head increases printing costs.
Therefore, there remains a need to provide a printer and method for printing indicia on a disk, such that printing speed is increased and printing costs are reduced.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide a printer and method for printing indicia on a disk, such that printing speed is increased and printing costs are reduced.
With the above object in view, the present invention resides in a printer for printing indicia on a disk, comprising a plurality of print heads arranged in a spoke-like configuration about a center axis defined between said print heads, said print heads capable of being disposed in printing relation to the disk.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, a printer comprises a plurality of elongate print heads arranged orthogonally with respect to each other about a center axis defined between the print heads. Each print head is capable of printing indicia on a disk having an annular printing area The disk may be a recordable compact disk or a read-only memory compact disk, if desired. The print heads may be coupled to a rotatable hub centered at the center axis, such that the print heads extend radially outwardly from the hub. A motor is coupled to the hub for rotating the hub, so that the print heads rotate in unison about the center axis as the hub rotates. A controller coupled to the motor and print heads synchronously control operation of the motor and print heads. In this configuration of the invention, the print heads rotate while the disk is stationary.
According to another embodiment of the present invention, the motor is coupled to the disk for rotating the disk. In this latter embodiment of the invention, the disk rotates while the hub and print heads remain stationary.
According to still another embodiment of the present invention, the print heads may instead be radially movable with respect to the disk while the disk rotates.
According to yet another embodiment of the present invention, each of the print heads may comprise a plurality of adjacent replaceable print head segments.
According to a further embodiment of the present invention, the printer includes an elongate print head having a predetermined length substantially equal to the diameter of the disk for printing the indicia in a printing area on the disk. A guide is coupled to the print head for translating the print head over the printing area. In this embodiment of the invention, the print head translates while the disk is stationary. A motor is coupled to the guide for moving the guide, so that the print head translates while the guide moves. This print head may include the previously mentioned plurality of adjacent print head segments.
According to still another embodiment of the present invention, a printer comprises a solitary print head extending from a center axis defined by the disk. The print head is capable of printing indicia on a disk having an annular printing area.
It should be noted that with respect to each of the embodiments mentioned hereinabove, the print heads may be ink jet print heads, laser print heads or other type of suitable print heads.
A feature of the present invention is the provision of a plurality of print heads arranged in a spoke-like configuration for printing the indicia on the disk.
Another feature of the present invention is the provision of a plurality of print heads arranged in a spoke-like configuration for printing the indicia on the disk, wherein each of the print heads comprises a plurality of adjacent print head segments.
An advantage of the present invention is that use thereof increases printing speed when printing indicia on an individual disk.
Another advantage of the present invention is that printing costs are reduced.
Still another advantage of the present invention is that use thereof allows for a flexible manufacturing process.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon a reading of the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the drawings wherein there are shown and described illustrative embodiments of the invention.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3786517 (1974-01-01), Krause
patent: 4066268 (1978-01-01), Borchard et al.
patent: 4731621 (1988-03-01), Hayamizu et al.
patent: 4998238 (1991-03-01), Mizunoe et al.
patent: 5317337 (1994
Amell Alfred J.
Anagnostopoulos Constantine N.
Lee Yung-Rai
Colilla Daniel J.
Eastman Kodak Company
Hilten John S.
Stevens Walter S.
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