US3735697A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Apparatus for printing on both sides of the lids of egg cartons
Assignee: Mobil Oil AS
•
Filing: 1970-12-03
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Granted: 1973-05-29
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Expires: 1990-12-03
Abstract
Abstract A rotary cylinder, for example having an offset blanket attached is arranged for engagement with a surface panel raised above a border rim to be printed; a segmental cylindrical element having cylindrical surface portions and, for example, an offset blanket attached to the surface portion is located for engagement with the surface of the obverse side of the panel to be printed. The leading and trailing faces of the segments extend from the obverse surface in a general transverse direction with respect to the center of the cylindrical element, at angles with the faces (with respect to a tangent at the point of junction of the faces and the cylindrical surface) which are so selected that the segmental element may enter into the hollow or cavity formed by the obverse surface and the rim. Ink transfer means, such as ink trains, printing cylinders, and the like are located to be engaged by the segmental cylindrical surfaces. Both the cylindrical element as well as the segmental cylindrical surfaces are driven in synchronism, preferably at a slightly faster speed than the supply and removal speed of the objects to be printed so that any possible drag on the objects by the supply, and removal apparatus, during printing, is avoided.
Inventors
- 👤 A Provan
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 16:19
CPC Classifications
B; B41; B41F; B41F17/00; B41F17/24; B41F17/26
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 6
Claim 1
Independent Claim
335 words
Apparatus to print on both sides of the lids of egg cartons comprising a table structure having a supply and a removal surface (62); a first printing station comprising an offset printing cylinder (20) having a printing blanket (25), a plurality of assemblies of ink trains (40) and offset printing cylinders and plates (30), each adapted to print with a selected color, in ink transfer engagement with said printing blanket; a second printing station, comprising a segmental cylindrical element (120) having a hub portion (124) and a pair of segmental cylindrical surface portions (121, 121'') with leading (122) and trailing (123) faces joining said cylindrical and said hub portions and forming an angle in the order of 90* or less with the tangent of the segmental cylindrical surface at the junction of said surface to provide clearance and permit entry of said segmental cylindrical surface portions into the hollow of the lid of the egg carton, and printing blanket strips (125, 125'') covering the cylindrical segmental surface portions (121, 121'') of said element (120), and at least one assembly of an ink train (140) and an offset printing cylinder plate (130) located in ink transfer engagement with the printing blanket (125, 125'') on the segmental cylindrical surface; said first and second printing stations being located with the axes of the printing cylinder and the segmental cylindrical element in alignment transverse to said table; the offset assemblies of ink trains and offset printing cylinder plates being similar; continuously movable conveyor means engaging open egg cartons with the lid convex surface (SX) facing a first direction and the concave surface (SV) facing the opposite direction lengthwise of said surfaces to feed said cartons to said printing stations and away from said printing stations; and drive means in continuous, synchronous driving engagement with said carton conveyor means and said printing stations and driving the cylindrical printing surfaces of the printing stations at a slightly different surface speed from the continuous, linear transport speed of said carton conveyor means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
335 words
Apparatus to print on both sides of the lids of egg cartons comprising a table structure having a supply and a removal surface (62); a first printing station comprising an offset printing cylinder (20) having a printing blanket (25), a plurality of assemblies of ink trains (40) and offset printing cylinders and plates (30), each adapted to print with a selected color, in ink transfer engagement with said printing blanket; a second printing station, comprising a segmental cylindrical element (120) having a hub portion (124) and a pair of segmental cylindrical surface portions (121, 121'') with leading (122) and trailing (123) faces joining said cylindrical and said hub portions and forming an angle in the order of 90* or less with the tangent of the segmental cylindrical surface at the junction of said surface to provide clearance and permit entry of said segmental cylindrical surface portions into the hollow of the lid of the egg carton, and printing blanket strips (125, 125'') covering the cylindrical segmental surface portions (121, 121'') of said element (120), and at least one assembly of an ink train (140) and an offset printing cylinder plate (130) located in ink transfer engagement with the printing blanket (125, 125'') on the segmental cylindrical surface; said first and second printing stations being located with the axes of the printing cylinder and the segmental cylindrical element in alignment transverse to said table; the offset assemblies of ink trains and offset printing cylinder plates being similar; continuously movable conveyor means engaging open egg cartons with the lid convex surface (SX) facing a first direction and the concave surface (SV) facing the opposite direction lengthwise of said surfaces to feed said cartons to said printing stations and away from said printing stations; and drive means in continuous, synchronous driving engagement with said carton conveyor means and said printing stations and driving the cylindrical printing surfaces of the printing stations at a slightly different surface speed from the continuous, linear transport speed of said carton conveyor means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
13 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said egg cartons are of expanded polystyrene.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
30 words
Combination according to claim 2 wherein the surface clearance between the printing cylinder and the cylindriCal elements is about 50% of the nominal thickness of the polystyrene egg carton material.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
93 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said carton engaging conveyor means comprises continuously moving pusher elements (60, 61) engaging and delivering said cartons to said printing cylinder (20) and the segmental cylindrical element (120), and removing said articles from said cylinder and segmental element after printing; said pusher elements being driven in synchronism with said drive means and at a linear speed slightly slower than the circumferential linear speed of said printing blanket (25) and said printing blanket strips (125, 125'') to prevent engagement of said cartons by said pusher elements during printing.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
45 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 in which the egg cartons are of compressible material having thicknesses substantially varying from nominal value, and wherein the surface clearance between the printing cylinder and cylindrical elements is about 50% of the nominal thickness of the egg carton material.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-05-28 | 1976-11-27 | 1977-05-29 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-05-28 | 1980-11-27 | 1981-05-29 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-05-28 | 1984-11-27 | 1985-05-29 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |