US 12,168,342 B2
Printing plate pressure adjustment system and can decorator employing same
Bryon Lee Kajfosz, Littleton, CO (US); David Matthew Sebesta, Larkspur, CO (US); and Karl Scott Fleischer, Denver, CO (US)
Assigned to Stolle Machinery Company, LLC, Centennial, CO (US)
Filed by Stolle Machinery Company, LLC, Centennial, CO (US)
Filed on May 11, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/196,051.
Application 18/196,051 is a continuation of application No. 17/357,603, filed on Jun. 24, 2021, granted, now 11,685,149.
Prior Publication US 2023/0278326 A1, Sep. 7, 2023
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. B41F 17/22 (2006.01); B41F 3/80 (2006.01); B41F 13/28 (2006.01); B41F 17/14 (2006.01)
CPC B41F 3/80 (2013.01) [B41F 17/14 (2013.01)] 16 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A printing plate pressure adjustment system for a can decorator including a printing plate cylinder assembly having a printing plate cylinder, a printing plate cylinder drive shaft, and a blanket wheel, said system comprising:
an actuator;
a control system structured to control operation of the actuator to adjust a pressure between the printing plate cylinder assembly and the blanket wheel;
an eccentric bushing disposed around the printing plate cylinder drive shaft, wherein rotation of the eccentric bushing causes the printing plate cylinder to move toward or away from the blanket wheel; and
a drive mechanism coupled between the actuator and the eccentric bushing, the drive mechanism including an elongated member coupled to the eccentric bushing, wherein operation of the actuator causes the elongated member to move to rotate the eccentric bushing,
wherein the control system is structured to adjust the pressure between the printing plate cylinder and the blanket wheel to a desired pressure,
wherein the control system is structured to control the actuator such that the printing plate cylinder moves away from the blanket wheel in a large step greater than 0.001 inch and to subsequently control the actuator such that the printing plate cylinder moves toward the blanket wheel in fine incremental steps of less than 0.001 inch until the desired pressure between the printing plate cylinder assembly and the blanket wheel is reached.