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A method for printing on an article having a non-planar surface in an embodiment includes obtaining coordinates or a geometry for a non-planar surface of an article; determining a tangent orientation for a print head in three dimensions; and using the tangent orientation and positioning the print he

A method for printing on an article having a non-planar surface in an embodiment includes obtaining coordinates or a geometry for a non-planar surface of an article; determining a tangent orientation for a print head in three dimensions; and using the tangent orientation and positioning the print head relative to the non-planar surface of the article. Embodiments of apparatus for printing on articles having non-planar surfaces are also disclosed.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A method for printing on an article having a non-planar surface, the method comprising: obtaining coordinates or a geometry for a non-planar surface of an article;determining a tangent orientation for a print head using a sabre angle based upon a specified or desired print density (dpi) and calcu

1. A method for printing on an article having a non-planar surface, the method comprising: obtaining coordinates or a geometry for a non-planar surface of an article;determining a tangent orientation for a print head using a sabre angle based upon a specified or desired print density (dpi) and calculations of a tangent/slope for a range of points on the non-planar surface that are within an intended print region or area;measuring or determining offset distances between successive points along or about the sabre line;using the tangent orientation and positioning the print head relative to the non-planar surface of the article; andprinting on the intended print region or area of said article. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein said article is a plastic container. 3. The method of claim 2, wherein the plastic container is a plastic bottle. 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the positioning of the print head relative to the non-planar surface of said article involves a sabre angle, a process direction angle, and a cross process direction angle. 5. The method of claim 4, wherein the process direction and the cross process direction angles are determined from or using the sabre angle. 6. The method of claim 1, wherein a minimum or specified number of points are selected or picked along or about the sabre line. 7. The method of claim 6, wherein the minimum or specified number of points are used to determine additional tangent points on the surface. 8. The method of claim 6, an iterative process is employed to increase the number of points selected or picked along or about the sabre line to provided improved numerical convergence. 9. The method of claim 1, wherein the range of points on the non-planar surface that are within an intended print region or area are, at least in part, based on a specified or determined print width associated with a printing surface or substrate. 10. The method of claim 1, wherein the geometry of the non-planar surface is identified from or provided by three-dimensional drafting or modeling software. 11. The method of claim 1, wherein the determination of offset distances involves using a least-squares analysis or a line-fitting calculation. 12. The method of claim 1, including assessing a line placement on the non-planar surface with respect to the sabre line; calculating a distance between coordinates; and applying trigonometric functions between distances calculated between coordinates and the offset distances between each coordinate point to provide a print angle for that point. 13. The method of claim 12, including providing print angles for a plurality of points.