Title of Invention

SCREEN PRINTER PRINT ARM

Abstract A print arm for a screen printing machine of the type having radial print arms and radial pallet arms that rotate relative to the print arms the print arms incorporating a detachable print carriage drive assembly from which the print carriage is suspended the print carriage drive assembly incorporation an electrically driven belt to reciprocate the print carriage and the belt path is horizontal. In one embodiment a print assembly plate is provided as the base for the print carriage support assembly so that all the components are mounted to the plate and the plate can be easily attachable to the print arm. In a second embodiment a channel member is used in conjunction with three mounting plates instead of the one assembly plate.
Full Text F ield of the invention
1 his invention relates to improvements in the print arm and of carousel screen
[ rinting machines
iackground to the invention
:;arousel Screen printing machines are used for screen printing of garments and
jtilise a plurality of fixed print heads beneath which are positioned a plurality of
garment support pallets which are moveable from one print head to the next. Each
print head has a carriage mounted for reciprocal movement to move the flood bar
and squeegee bars over the screen.
The flood bar and squeegee blades forming the print head in screen printing
machines are mounted on a moving carriage with the flood bar down in the flood
stroke and the squeegee down in the print stroke. The carriage is supported at
both ends in a print frame and moves back and forth along the print frame.
USA patent 5189950 discloses a centrally mounted print arm supporting a central
portion of the carriage for reciprocal movemient along the print arm. The carriage is
pneumatically driven along the arm. An alternative to pneumatic drives is electric
motor driven drive belts. USA patent 5592877 discloses an electric drive with a
the drive belt moving in a vertical plane. To tension the belt an additional
adjustable pulley is usually provided.
As the design of the rotary screen printing machines evolve ease of operation and
reduction of fabrication costs are of increasing importance. Another desirable
attribute is the ease with which screens and print carriage assemblies can be
ser\/iced and replaced.
It is an object of this invention to provide a print arm that addresses these needs.
Brief description of the invention
To this end the present invention provides a print arm for a screen printing
machine of the type having radial print arms and radial pallet arms that rotate
relative to the print arms the print arms incorporating a detachable print carriage
drive assembly from which the print carriage is suspended the print carriage drive

a isembly incorporation an electrically driven belt to reciprocate the print carriage
w herein the belt path is horizontal.
E / having a horizontal belt path the drive pulley can be mounted vertically above
0 below the electric drive shaft and gear box so that the gear box is contained
V ithin the print carriage frame. In a preferred form of the invention, a print
a isembly plate is provided as the base for the print carriage support assembly so
tt at all the components are mounted to the plate and the plate can be easily
a :tachable to the print arm.
Ii 1 another aspect the invention provides a print drive assembly for a carousel
s :reen printing machine including
a) an upper horizontal assembly plate
b) vertically dependent end plates attached to the assembly plate
c) an electric drive dependent from the assembly plate
d) a drive belt driven by said electric drive and mounted for movement
in a plane parallel to the assembly plate.
' his assembly plate enables the print drive module with the electric motor to be
: asily removed from the print arm and replaced if necessary to make maintenance
: impler. A print carriage is mounted on the drive belt for reciprocal movement
t etween said end plates. The drive belt is preferably not an endless belt as is
( onventional but is joined at the free ends by an adjustable clamp located on the
I nnt carriage so that the belt can be tensioned without the need for a tensioning
I ulley.
II a further aspect the invention provides a print drive assembly for a carousel
; creen printing machine including
a) a longitudinal support frame member
b) mounting plates attached to the support frame at each end of the
support frame
c) an electric drive dependent fronn one of said mounting plates
d) a drive belt driven by said electric drive and mounted for horizontal
movement around said support frame member.
"his provides a less expensive and lighter weight alternative to the assembly plate
;mbodiment without compromising strength or rigidity.
because the print drive assembly can easily be attached or detached from the
irint arm, micro registration can be achieved by eccentric spigots attached to the
)rint arm acting on slots in the assembly plate.
n both the embodiments described the print assembly can be easily dismounted
rom the print arm of the screen printing machine and replaced so that service or
naintenance on print arms can be carried out off the screen printing machine and
ioes not interfere with production time.
Detailed description of the invention
^referred embodiments of the invention will be described with reference to the
:irawings in which:
-igure 1 is a schematic side view of a carousel screen printing machine print and
wallet arm arrangement in accordance with one preferred embodiment of this
nvention;
=igure 2 is a plan view of a print arm according to a preferred embodiment of the
nvention;
Figure 3 is a side section view along the line B-B of figure 2;
Figure 4 is a an exploded view of the print carriage drive assembly for the print
arm of figure 2;
Figure 5 is an exploded view of the print carriage support shown in figure 4;
Figure 6 is a sectional perspective view of a micro registration device for the print
arm of figure 2;
Figure 7 is an exploded view of a second embodiment of this invention;
Figure 8 is a view of the assembled print arm of figure 7.
The screen printing machine has a base 11 a central stator 12 with fixed radial
print arms 14 and rotatable pallet arms 16 carrying pallets 17. The print head 19
carries the squeegee and flood bars and in this invention is suspended beneath
the print drive assembly 20. A control panel 15 is mounted at the outer end of each
print arm. The print arms also carry the screen frame attachments 24. The limit
stops for the print carriage are adjusted by moving the stop levers 26 along the trip
bar 43 associated with which is a limit switch 42 at the control panel end, that
reverses the electric motor and thus reverse the belt 33 to enable the print head
19 to reciprocate between the ends of the printable area of the screen (not
shown).

\ preferred print drive assembly 20 in accordance with this invention is illustrated
n figures 2-5. The drive assembly is attached to the print arm 14 by two
attachment bolts 22 which are secured to the print head mount plate 31. The
nount plate 31 supports the front print head plate 40 and rear print head plate 41.
The front plate 40 and rear plate 41 are also spaced by the rigid bar 44 which
provides rigidity to the print head drive assembly. The screen frame attachments
24 are mounted directly onto the front and rear plates 40 and 41. The electhc
motor 28 and gear box 37 are mounted onto the base plate 31 behind the rear
plate 41. The shaft 38 of the gear box 37 carries the drive pulley 35 for the drive
belt 33. The idler pulley 36 is mounted in front of the front plate 40 and behind the
control panel 15.
Attached to the belt 33 is the print carriage 50 from which the print head 19 is
suspended. The carriage 50 reciprocates with the belt 33 along the guide rail 46.
The carriage 50 consists of belt clamp plates 54 which attach the ends of the belt
33 to the drive plate 55. The belt tensioner brackets 56 are able to be adjusted by
the nut and bolt 57-58. The bolts 59 are able to move in one or more slots in the
drive plate 55 to allow the clamp plates 54 and the attached belt 33 to be
tightened. This tensioning arrangement is simpler than the usual tensioner pulley
arrangements. The drive plate 55 is secured to the print head mounting plate 51
which also carries the trip block 52 which activates the limit switch 42 by hitting the
stops 26 and pushing the trip bar 43 to move a cam and actuate the switch 42 into
one of two positions to reverse the electric motor. Attached to the trip block 52 is
the linear slide 53 which slides along the guide rail 46.
The belt 33 is mounted horizontally and this simplifies the construction of the print
drive assembly 20 because the gear box 37 can be mounted in line with the belt
rather than externally as is the case with vertically arranged belts. This
arrangement allows the print drive assembly with the electric drive components to
be easily demounted from the print arm 14 for servicing. In prior art arrangements
the drive assembly could not be separated from the print arm.
The micro registration is achieved using the micro registration adjustment levers
21 which extend into slots 39 in the support plate 31. As shown in figure 6 the
micro registration levers 21 compnse a shaft 61 with an eccentric spigot 63 that
extends into the slots 39. The shafts 61 are fitted into two press fitted spigotted
I; ushes 62 mounted in the print arm 14. By adjusting the micro registration levers
r le position of plate 31 and thus the position of the print assembly 20 can be
i djusted.
11 the alternative embodiment of this invention the single mounting plate is
r jplaced with three mounting plates and a mounting channel to which the guide
r ail is also mounted. Items that are the same as the figure 4 embodiment have the
: ame reference numerals. The mounting channel 70 extends between the drive
f ulley 35 and the idler pulley 36. The idler pulley is mounted on rhe support plate
f 1 which is also attached to the channel 70. the drive pulley is mounted on the
(rive shaft 38 of the gear box 37, which extends through the gearbox mounting
[ late 80, which is also attached to the channel 70. Attached to the top of the
( hannel 70 are the three mounting plates 72, 73 and 74, The front plate 72 has the
i :iler pulley 36 attached to it. The mid miounting plate 73 is adapted to carry the
I licro registration levers 21. The rear mounting plate 74 is attached to the gear
I late 80 by the spacers 77 and carries the bearing 79 for the drive pulley 35. The
: creen support arm 24 is attached to the rear plate 74 by the spacer 78. When the
¦ rm is assembled a face plate 83 is attached to the front and rear plates 40 and
¦ -las shown in figure 8.
"rom the above it can be seen that this invention provides a unique print arm
onfiguration that provides flexibility and ease in changing machine configurations,
"hose skilled in the art will appreciate that the teachings of this invention may be
Ttplemented in other embodiments without departing from the core concepts of
ne invention.

WE CLAIM :
1. A print arm for a screen printing machine of the type having radial print arms
and radial pallet arms that rotate relative to the print arms the pnnt arms
incorporating a detachable print carriage drive assembly from which the
print carriage is suspended the print carriage drive assembly incorporation
an electrically driven belt to reciprocate the print carriage wherein the belt
path is horizontal.
2. A print arm in which a print drive assembly plate is provided as the base for
the print carriage support assembly so that all the components of the print
carriage are mounted to the plate and the plate is attachable to the print
arm.
3. A print drive assembly for a carousel screen printing machine including
a) an upper horizontal assembly plate
b) vertically dependent end plates attached to the assembly plate
c) an electric drive dependent from the assembly plate
d) a drive belt driven by said electric drive and mounted for movement
in a plane parallel to the assembly plate.
4. A print drive assembly as claimed in claim 3 in which a print carriage is
mounted on the drive belt for reciprocal movement between said end
plates.
5. A print arm as claimed in claim 3 in which micro registration levers attached
to the print arm, are provided having eccentric spigots acting on slots in the
assembly plate.
6. A print drive assembly for a carousel screen printing machine including
a) a longitudinal support frame member
b) mounting plates attached to the support frame member at each end
of the member
c) an electric drive dependent from one of said mounting plates
d) a drive belt driven by said electric drive and mounted for horizontal
movement around said support frame member.
7. A print drive assembly as claimed in claim 6 in which a print carriage is
mounted on the drive belt for reciprocal movement between the ends of
said support frame member.

8. A print arm as claimed in claim 6 in which micro registration levers attached
to the print arm, are provided having eccentric spigots acting on slots in the
mounting plate.
9. A print arm as claimed in claim 6 in which the support frame member is
formed from a channel section.


A print arm for a screen printing machine of the type having radial print arms and
radial pallet arms that rotate relative to the print arms the print arms incorporating
a detachable print carriage drive assembly from which the print carriage is
suspended the print carriage drive assembly incorporation an electrically driven
belt to reciprocate the print carriage and the belt path is horizontal. In one
embodiment a print assembly plate is provided as the base for the print carriage
support assembly so that all the components are mounted to the plate and the
plate can be easily attachable to the print arm. In a second embodiment a channel
member is used in conjunction with three mounting plates instead of the one
assembly plate.

Documents:

00194-kol-2005-abstract.pdf

00194-kol-2005-assignment.pdf

00194-kol-2005-claims.pdf

00194-kol-2005-correspondence-1.1.pdf

00194-kol-2005-correspondence-1.2.pdf

00194-kol-2005-correspondence.pdf

00194-kol-2005-description(complete).pdf

00194-kol-2005-drawings.pdf

00194-kol-2005-form-1.pdf

00194-kol-2005-form-18.pdf

00194-kol-2005-form-2.pdf

00194-kol-2005-form-3-1.1.pdf

00194-kol-2005-form-3.pdf

00194-kol-2005-form-5.pdf

00194-kol-2005-g.p.a.pdf

00194-kol-2005-priority document.pdf

194-KOL-2005-ABSTRACT 1.1.pdf

194-kol-2005-abstract.pdf

194-kol-2005-assignment.pdf

194-KOL-2005-CANCELLED PAGES.pdf

194-KOL-2005-CLAIMS 1.1.pdf

194-kol-2005-claims.pdf

194-KOL-2005-CORRESPONDENCE 1.3.pdf

194-kol-2005-correspondence.pdf

194-KOL-2005-DESCRIPTION (COMPLETE) 1.1.pdf

194-kol-2005-description (complete).pdf

194-KOL-2005-DRAWINGS 1.1.pdf

194-kol-2005-drawings.pdf

194-KOL-2005-FORM 1.1.1.pdf

194-kol-2005-form 1.pdf

194-kol-2005-form 18.pdf

194-KOL-2005-FORM 2.1.1.pdf

194-kol-2005-form 2.pdf

194-KOL-2005-FORM 3.1.1.pdf

194-kol-2005-form 3.pdf

194-KOL-2005-FORM 5.1.1.pdf

194-kol-2005-form 5.pdf

194-kol-2005-gpa.pdf

194-KOL-2005-OTHERS.pdf

194-KOL-2005-PETITION UNDER RULE 137.pdf

194-KOL-2005-REPLY TO EXAMINATION REPORT 1.1.pdf

194-kol-2005-reply to examination report.pdf

194-kol-2005-specification.pdf


Patent Number 242107
Indian Patent Application Number 194/KOL/2005
PG Journal Number 34/2010
Publication Date 20-Aug-2010
Grant Date 11-Aug-2010
Date of Filing 21-Mar-2005
Name of Patentee REEFDALE PTY LTD
Applicant Address 143 WOODLANDS DRIVE BRAESIDE VICTORIA
Inventors:
# Inventor's Name Inventor's Address
1 OTTO EPPINGER 143 WOODLANDS DRIVE BRAESIDE VICTORIA 3195
PCT International Classification Number B41F 15/00
PCT International Application Number N/A
PCT International Filing date
PCT Conventions:
# PCT Application Number Date of Convention Priority Country
1 2004902538 2004-05-14 Australia