Apparatus and method for printing three dimensional articles

摘要

An apparatus for printing an image onto a curved surface of a three dimensional article. The apparatus principally includes a support fixture, an ink jet print head having a plurality of nozzles, and an articulatable robotic arm. One of the support fixture and the print head are mounted to and carried by the robotic arm. The robotic arm is moveable so as to cause relative movement of the print head along a series of scanning paths that follow the surface contour of the curved surface of the article. A controller is coupled to the robotic arm and is configured to cause articulation of the robotic arm. The controller causes the robotic arm to continuously locate the print head relative to the curved surface and to cause the plurality of nozzles to eject printing medium at predetermined locations along the scanning paths so as to form the image.

主权项

1. An apparatus for printing an image onto a curved surface of a three dimensional article, the apparatus comprising:
a support fixture adapted to support the article; an ink jet print head having a plurality of nozzles coupled to a source of printing medium; an articulatable robotic arm, one of the print head and the support fixture being mounted to and carried by the robotic arm, the robotic arm having more than three degrees of freedom of movement and being moveable so as to cause relative movement of the print head along a series of scanning paths following surface contour of the curved surface of the article; a controller coupled to the robotic arm and being configured to cause articulation of the robotic arm so as to cause relative movement of the print head along the series of scanning paths, the controller causing the robotic arm to continuously locate the print head in a position suitable for printing as the print head is moved along the series of scanning paths, the controller coupled to the print head and further configured to cause the plurality of nozzles to eject printing medium at predetermined pixel locations along the scanning paths so as to form the image on the curved surface of the substrate, wherein the surface is defined by a plurality of pixels; and a sensor configured to sense part features on the curved surface of the part and transmit a feature signal to the controller, wherein the controller is configured to change the position of the plurality of nozzles to the position suitable for printing based at least in part on the feature signal; wherein the controller is configured to receive a start signal at a starting point of travel along the scanning paths and a plurality of distance signals at additional distances along the scanning path and relative to the starting point, the starting point being the location of a predetermined first pixel of the plurality of pixels, wherein the controller is configured to position the plurality of nozzles at the suitable position for printing at each of the plurality of distances along the scanning path; and wherein the controller is configured to selectively control the ejection of printing medium from the plurality of nozzles in response to at each of the plurality of distance signals and to the plurality of nozzles being disposed at the suitable position for printing.