Computer controlled multi-tasking ink jet printing system

Claim 2

A computer controlled ink jet printing system for printing messages on objects such as cartons or the like as they move along conveyor lines past printing stations, there being a plurality of print stations, said print stations being spaced one from the other, and one or more conveyor lines, said system comprising a plurality of print heads, at least one per print station, each print head having ink control means for discharging ink onto the objects as they move therepast in accordance with a programmed message, at least one print head control, each such print head control having means to control print heads of a plurality of stations, each print head control having means for controlling each print head it controls independently of others it controls, whereby said print head control controls the messages, including the parameters of product delay, dot size, and character width, printed by one print head at one station independently of the messages, including said parameters, printed by another print head at another station, and a main controller linked to said print head control, said main controller further comprising a programmable microprocessor, means for selecting messages for printing by each print head, and means for communicating said selected messages to said print head control, whereby said print head control independently controls print heads at each of a plurality of print stations to print onto the objects the messages selected at the main controller.

Claim 3

The system of claim 1 wherein said print head control further comprises a microprocessor programmed by said main controller to control said print heads to print the messages selected at the main controller, said print head control having means to independently control said print heads once programmed by the main controller.

Claim 4

The system of claim 2 wherein each print station is characterized as having a sensing means for sensing the presence of an object to be printed, said print head control having means for inputting a plurality of said sensing means and for controlling the printing of programmed messages at a particular station only upon the sensor means at that station sensing object presence.

Claim 5

The system of claim 3 wherein some of said stations are at different conveyor lines, and speed sensing means at each line for sensing the linear speed of the line, said print head control having means for inputting a plurality of said speed sensing means and for controlling each print head at a station in response to the speed sensing means only at that station.

Claim 6

The system of claim 2 wherein said main controller has means to program a selected printing direction, forward or reverse, for each print head.

Claim 7

The system of claim 2 wherein said main controller has means to program a selected printing orientation, upright or inverted, for each print head.

Claim 8

The system of claim 1 wherein said main controller has display means for displaying the messages selected for printing by each print head.

Claim 9

The system of claim 7 wherein said main controller has means for editing the selected messages.

Claim 10

The system of claim 1 wherein said main controller has memory means for storing preselected messages, and means for addressing said storage means for printing selected memory messages.

Claim 11

The system of claim 1 further comprising means for counting said objects printed at each station, said main controller having means for displaying said counts.

Claim 12

The system of claim 1 wherein said main controller has keys for entering messages, a first display line for displaying said keyed-in messages for monitoring, and a second display line for displaying messages for editing and printing by the print heads.

Claim 13

The system of claim 11 wherein said main controller further includes a third display line for displaying error information.

Claim 14

A computer controlled ink jet printing system for printing messages on objects such as cartons or the like as they move along conveyor lines past printing stations, there being a plurality of print stations and one or more conveyor lines, said system comprising a plurality of print heads, at least one per print station, having ink control means for discharging ink onto the objects as they move therepast in accordance with a programmed message, a plurality of print head controls, each such control having means to control print heads of a plurality of stations, each print head control having means for controlling each print head it controls independently of others it controls, whereby said print head control controls the messages, including the parameters of product delay, dot size, and character width, printed by one print head at one station independently of the messages, including said parameters, printed by another print head at another station, and a main controller linked to each of the plurality of print head controls, said main controller further comprising a programmable microprocessor, means for selecting messages for printing by each print head, and means for communicating said selected messages to the print head controls, whereby each of the plurality of print head controls independently controls print heads at each of a plurality of print stations to print the messages selected at the main controller.

Claim 15

A computer controlled ink jet printing system for printing messages on objects such as cartons or the like as they move along conveyor lines past printing stations, there being a plurality of print stations and one or more conveyor lines, said system comprising a plurality of print heads, at least one per print station, having ink control means for discharging ink onto the objects as they move therepast in accordance with a programmed message, a plurality of print head controls, each such control having means to control print heads of a plurality of stations, each print head control having means for controlling each print head it controls independently of others it controls, whereby said print head control controls the messages, including the parameters of product delay, dot size, and character width, printed by one print head at one station independently of the messages, including said parameters, printed by another print head at another station, and a main controller linked to each of the plurality of print head controls, said main controller further comprising a programmable microprocessor, means for selecting messages for printing by each print head, and means for communicating said selected messages to the print head controls, whereby each of the plurality of print head controls independently controls print heads at each of a plurality of print stations to print the messages selected at the main controller.

Claim 16

The system of claim 13 wherein the data from the main controller representing the messages to be printed by each print head is communicated to all print head controls, each such control having decoding means to select the data representing the messages to be printed by the print heads it controls.

Claim 17

The system of claim 14 wherein each of the plurality of print head controls further comprises a microprocessor programmed by said main controller, each said print head control controlling the print heads associated therewith independently of the main controller once programmed by the main controller.

Claim 18

The system of claim 15 wherein each print station is characterized as having a sensing means for sensing the presence of an object to be printed, said print head control having means for inputting a plurality of said sensing means and for controlling the printing of programmed messages at a particular station only upon the sensor means at that station sensing object presence.

Claim 19

The system of claim 16 wherein some of said stations are at different conveyor lines, and speed sensing means at each line for sensing the linear speed of the line, said print head controls having means for inputting a plurality of said speed sensing means and for controlling each print head at a station in response to the speed sensing means only at that station.

Claim 20

The system of claim 15 wherein said main controller has means to program a selected printing direction, forward or reverse, for each print head.

Claim 21

The system of claim 18 wherein said main controller has means to program a selected printing orientation, upright or inverted, for each print head.

Claim 22

The system of claim 15 wherein said main controller has display means for displaying the messages selected for printing by each print head.

Claim 23

The system of claim 20 wherein said main controller has means for editing the selected messages.

Claim 24

The system of claim 15 wherein said main controller has memory means for storing preselected messages, and means for addressing said storage means for printing selected store messages.

Claim 25

The system of claim 22 wherein said main controller has keys for selecting messages, a first display line for displaying keyed-in messages, and a second display line for displaying messages for editing and printing by the print heads.

Claim 26

The system of claim 23 wherein said main controller has a third diaplay line for displaying error information.

Claim 27

A computer controlled ink jet printing system for printing messages on objects such as cartons or the like as they move along conveyor lines past printing stations, there being a plurality of print stations and one or more conveyor lines, each character of each message being printed in a dot matrix format, said system comprising a plurality of print heads, at least one per print station, each print head having nozzles through which ink is discharged onto the object to be printed, the ink discharged from each nozzle forming a dot on the object, and each print head having control means for controlling the delivery of ink to each nozzle in accordance with electrical signals received by said control means, at least one print head control having means to generate said electrical signals for controlling the print heads of a plurality of stations, each print head control having means for controlling each print head it controls independently of others it controls, whereby said print head control controls the messages, including the parameters of product delay, dot size, and character width, printed by one print head at one station independently of the messages, including said parameters, printed by another print head at another station, and a main controller linked to said print head control, said main controller further comprising a programmable microprocessor, means for selecting messages for printing by each print head, and means for communicating said selected messages to said print head control, whereby said print head control independently controls print heads at each of a plurality of print stations to print in dot matrix format onto the objects the messages selected at the main controller.

Claim 28

A computer controlled ink jet printing system for printing messages on objects such as cartons or the like as they move along conveyor lines past printing stations, there being a plurality of print stations and one or more conveyor lines, each character of each message being printed in a dot matrix format, said system comprising a plurality of print heads, at least one per print station, each print head having nozzles through which ink is discharged onto the object to be printed, the ink discharged from each nozzle forming a dot on the object, and each print head having control means for controlling the delivery of ink to each nozzle in accordance with electrical signals received by said control means, at least one print head control having means to generate said electrical signals for controlling the print heads of a plurality of stations, each print head control having means for controlling each print head it controls independently of others it controls, whereby said print head control controls the messages, including the parameters of product delay, dot size, and character width, printed by one print head at one station independently of the messages, including said parameters, printed by another print head at another station, and a main controller linked to said print head control, said main controller further comprising a programmable microprocessor, means for selecting messages for printing by each print head, and means for communicating said selected messages to said print head control, whereby said print head control independently controls print heads at each of a plurality of print stations to print in dot matrix format onto the objects the messages selected at the main controller.

Claim 29

The system of claim 25 further comprising a plurality of said print head controls, said main controller linked to each print head control and having means for selecting the messages for printing by each print head.

Claim 30

The system of claim 26 wherein each print head control further comprises a microprocessor programmed by said main controller to control the print heads associated therewith to print the messages selected at said main controller, said print head control having means to control said print heads independently of the main controller once programmed by the main controller.

Claim 31

The system of claim 27 wherein the data from the main controller representing the messages to be printed by each print head is communicated to all print head controls, each such control having decoding means to select the data representing the messages to be printed by the print heads it controls.

Claim 32

The system of claim 27 wherein each print station is characterized as having a sensing means for sensing the presence of an object to be printed, said print head control having means for inputting a plurality of said sensing means and for controlling the printing of programmed messages at a particular station only upon the sensor means at that station sensing object presence.

Claim 33

The system of claim 29 wherein some of said stations are at different conveyor lines, and speed sensing means at each line for sensing the linear speed of the line, said print head control having means for inputting a plurality of said speed sensing means and for controlling each print head at a station in response to the speed sensing means only at that station.

Claim 34

A computer controlled ink jet printing system for printing messages on objects such as cartons or the like as they move along one or more conveyors, said system comprising a plurality of print heads, each having ink control means for discharging ink onto the objects as they move therepast in accordance with a programmed message, a print head control controlling a plurality of print heads, said print head control having means for controlling each print head it controls independently of others it controls whereby the print head control controls the messages, including the parameters of product delay, dot size, and character width, printed by one print head independently of the messages, including said parameters, printed by another print head.

Claim 35

A computer controlled ink jet printing system for printing messages on objects such as cartons or the like as they move along one or more conveyors, said system comprising a plurality of print heads, each having ink control means for discharging ink onto the objects as they move therepast in accordance with a programmed message, a print head control controlling a plurality of print heads, said print head control having means for controlling each print head it controls independently of others it controls whereby the print head control controls the messages, including the parameters of product delay, dot size, and character width, printed by one print head independently of the messages, including said parameters, printed by another print head.

Claim 36

The system of claim 31 further comprising a main controller linked to said print head control, said main controller further comprising a programmable microprocessor, means for selecting messages for printing by each print head, and means for communicating said selected messages to said print head control.

Claim 37

The system of claim 32 wherein said print head control further comprises a microprocessor programmed by said main controller to control said print heads to print the messages selected at the main controller, said print head control having means to independently control said print heads once programmed by the main controller.

Claim 38

The system of claim 31 further comprising multiple sensing means for sensing the presence of objects to be printed, said print head control having means for inputting a plurality of said sensing means and for controlling the printing of messages by at least one print head upon a select one of said sensing means sensing object presence, and for controlling the printing of messages by at least another print head upon a second one of said sensing means sensing object presence.

Claim 39

The system of claim 34 wherein some of said print heads are at different conveyor lines, and speed sensing means at each line for sensing the linear speed of the line, said print head control having means for inputting a plurality of said speed sensing means and for controlling each print head at a station in response to the speed sensing means only at that station.

Claim 40

The system of claim 31 wherein said print head control further comprises timing means for each print head it controls, said parameters for the messages printed by a print head being determined in response to said timing means for said print head.