IP Library Granted Patent US 11,660,878
Granted Patent B2
US 11,660,878 · App. 17/295,040 · Granted May 30, 2023

Print system

Inventors: Shinichi Ojima (Tokyo, JP); Kazunori Ikeda (Tokyo, JP)
Assignee: ALTEMIRA Co., Ltd.
B41J3/40733B41F17/18B41J3/4073B41J2203/01B65G2201/0252
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,660,878
App. No.
17/295,040
Granted
May 30, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

Provided is a print system including: a moving body supporting a can body and moving; an annular moving route that is an annular-shaped moving route, along which the moving body moves, including at least one of a linear moving route extending from an upper side toward a lower side and is formed linearly, and a linear moving route extending from the lower side toward the upper side and is formed linearly; and an image forming unit performing image formation onto the can body supported by the moving body.

Claims (36)

1. A print system comprising:

a moving body supporting a can body and moving;

an annular moving route that is an annular-shaped moving route, along which the moving body moves, including:

a horizontal moving route, being a moving route extending along a horizontal direction;

a first linear moving route, being connected to the horizontal moving route, extending from an upper side toward a lower side and being formed linearly, through which the moving body moves from the upper side toward the lower side; and

a second linear moving route, being connected to the horizontal moving route, extending from the lower side toward the upper side and being formed linearly, through which the moving body moves from the lower side toward the upper side;

an image forming unit, being disposed above the horizontal moving route and performing image formation onto the can body supported by the moving body;

a first inspection device, being disposed on a lateral side of the second linear moving route, and performing inspection of the can body supported by the moving body before an image is formed by the image forming unit; and

a second inspection device, being disposed on a lateral side of the first linear moving route, and performing inspection of the can body supported by the moving body after the image is formed by the image forming unit.

2. The print system according to claim 1 , wherein the first linear moving route and the second linear moving route are disposed along a vertical direction.

3. The print system according to claim 1 , wherein the image formation onto the can body supported by the moving body is performed by the image forming unit when the moving body is positioned on the horizontal moving route.

4. The print system according to claim 1 , wherein the horizontal moving route extends along the horizontal direction and is formed linearly.

5. The print system according to claim 1 , wherein the horizontal moving route includes a plurality of horizontal moving routes, the routes being provided to be displaced from one another in an up-and-down direction.

6. The print system according to claim 5 , wherein

an upper moving route and a lower moving route are provided as the plurality of horizontal moving routes displaced from one another in the up-and-down direction, and

the upper moving route and the lower moving route are disposed in parallel with each other.

7. The print system according to claim 6 , wherein, when the upper moving route and the lower moving route are projected downward in the vertical direction, the upper moving route and the lower moving route overlap each other.

8. The print system according to claim 5 , wherein

an upper moving route and a lower moving route are provided as the plurality of horizontal moving routes displaced from one another in the vertical direction, and

a processing unit performing processing on the can body supported by the moving body is provided on each of both lateral sides of the upper moving route and the lower moving route.

9. The print system according to claim 1 , wherein

the first linear moving route and the second linear moving route are disposed in parallel with each other.

10. The print system according to claim 1 , wherein the annular moving route is disposed on a plane extending along a vertical direction.

11. The print system according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a paint application unit applying paint on an outer surface of the can body after the image formation onto the outer surface of the can body is performed by the image forming unit;

wherein the second inspection device performing inspection of the image formed on the outer surface by the image forming unit before the paint is applied by the paint application unit.

12. The print system according to claim 11 , further comprising:

a discharge unit discharging the can body, a result of an inspection of which performed by the second inspection unit satisfying a predetermined condition, from the print system, wherein

the discharge unit is disposed on an upstream side of the paint application unit in a moving direction of the can body.

13. The print system according to claim 1 , wherein

the annular moving route is provided with a connecting route having a curvature and being projected outward from the annular moving route to connect an upper end of the second linear moving route and the horizontal moving route,

wherein the print system further comprises a discharge unit discharging the can body, a result of an inspection of which performed by the first inspection device not satisfying a predetermined condition, from the print system;

the discharge unit is provided on a lateral side of the connecting route having the curvature.

14. The print system according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a lower moving route, being disposed below the horizontal moving route, and

wherein the lower moving route extends along the horizontal direction and is directed from the first linear moving route to the second linear moving route along which the moving body passes.

Assignments (4)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Aug 16, 2022
From: SHOWA ALUMINUM CAN CORPORATION
To: ALTEMIRA CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 060813/0426 →
MERGER Recorded Apr 26, 2022
From: SHOWA ALUMINUM CAN GLOBAL CORPORATION
To: SHOWA ALUMINUM CAN CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 059738/0383 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Feb 24, 2022
From: SHOWA ALUMINUM CAN CORPORATION
To: SHOWA ALUMINUM CAN GLOBAL CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 059672/0416 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 19, 2021
From: OJIMA, SHINICHI; IKEDA, KAZUNORI
To: SHOWA ALUMINUM CAN CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 056281/0662 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP JP2018-236684 · Dec 18, 2018 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20210323317A1 · Oct 21, 2021