Abstract:
A process to apply pressure sensitive adhesive to cut sheet media and eliminate a separate release liner. A Silicone release layer is applied (post fuser) on a top surface of the media and then UV cured. A pressure sensitive adhesive layer is applied next. The cut sheets are then stacked and a compressive force is applied that transfers the pressure sensitive adhesive from one sheet to another and helps hold the stack together.
Abstract:
A process for creating adhesive signage for in-store shelving involves applying a PSA (pressure sensitive adhesive) tape to paper and then printing the signs on the modified substrate. The adhesive strips are 10 mils thick and the paper is 8 mils thick with the tape being positioned on a top portion only of the paper. This creates uneven stack issues in the feeder of the printer that prevents proper feeding of the sheets into the printer. These issues are eliminated by providing taped media imposition that orients the PSA to signage card color bands which are imposed in a mirror image. Mirror imaging of indicia on the card color bands evens out the sheet stack and enhances sheet feeding.
Abstract:
A scissor lift apparatus includes a sliding carriage member and a pivoting linkage added to a conventional scissor lift in order to lower the force required to lift a tray holding heavy media during the initial portion of the lifting action where the scissor lift is fully compressed.
Abstract:
An automated high speed multi-bin card collation and buffering system that takes die cut greeting cards at high speeds and diverts them on a customer by customer basis into multiple bins. A series of diverters are included that actuate between customer jobs to divert and collate the jobs independently into the bins. The jobs are moved from the bins and buffered in a buffering zone for a predetermined period of time before being deposited onto a conveyor for conveying downstream for further processing. The buffering of the jobs allows for small jobs to be offset by larger jobs to increase average processing times for downstream systems, such as, banders to operate efficiently.
Abstract:
A system for collating and stacking long cut retail edge marker strips exiting a roll fed high speed slitter/perforator/cutter apparatus includes a media collation apparatus that facilitates automated collation of the long retail edge marker strips by collecting them off a surface and through the use of a device of graduated stair configuration separately lifting the retail edge markers from the surface for downstream accumulation. Individual bundles of slit retail edge marker strips are moved in a cross-process direction on integrated shelves of the media collection apparatus by a connected pusher. This allows the bundles to be transferred through the cross-process move in separate bundles before being collated at the end of the move when the pusher retracts to drop the bundles onto a receiving platform.
Abstract:
An inkjet printer includes a dryer configured to attenuate the effects of temperature differentials arising in substrates that are caused by holes in a media transport belt and a platen covering a vacuum plenum. The dryer includes a heater, a media transport belt cooler, and a media transport belt. The media transport belt is configured to move substrates past the heater after ink images have been formed on the substrates and the media transport belt cooler is positioned to remove heat energy from the media transport belt after the media transport belt has passed the heater and the substrates have separated from the media transport belt. The substrate cooler is configured to reduce a temperature of the media transport belt to a temperature that attenuates image defects arising from temperature differentials in the media transport belt when the media transport belt is opposite the heater.
Abstract:
A system for collating and stacking long cut retail edge marker strips exiting a roll fed high speed slitter/perforator/cutter apparatus includes a series of angled and stepped baffles configured to receive the cut retail edge marking strips and allow them to fall into and accumulate in bins formed by each angled baffle and then be removed from each bin consecutively by a pusher acting orthogonally to the bins to move and collate the retail edge markers into a final stack collated to meet a specific store planogram requirement.
Abstract:
A system and process for cutting and slitting media into individualized signage members without leaving material cut from said media attached to said media includes pre-die cut openings or cut outs placed in the media based upon adhesive and liner layout of the media and cutter slitter blades used in order to create a consistent break point for slit waste.
Abstract:
A paddle wheel compiler includes a paddle wheel that accepts sheets from the front of the paddle wheel to form a set, unlike a disk stacker which accepts sheets from the top or back of the disk and flips the sheet. The paddle wheel compiler is unique in that it maintains control of all sheets in a set, except for the top sheet during tamping. The top sheet is registered to the set with side tampers, followed by a scuffing action to register the sheet against a registration wall in the process direction.
Abstract:
A variable guide system for shingling in-store adhesive signage cards that works with the offset moment/trajectory resulting from some shingling systems by employing multiple adjustable hold downs guides. Adjustments to the hold downs guides are made on the fly by an operator using easily accessible and controllable thumb screws. The thumb screws facilitate side to side movement and angle adjustment of each guide individually in order to prevent jamming of the cards while being shingled at the guides.