AU2007100230A4

AU2007100230A4 - A printer for printing on a liquid product

Info

Publication number: AU2007100230A4
Application number: AU2007100230A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Nigel Marsden
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2007-03-21
Filing date: 2007-03-21
Publication date: 2007-04-19
Anticipated expiration: 2015-03-21

Description

A PRINTER FOR PRINTING ON A LIQUID PRODUCT S FIELD OF INVENTION The present invention relates to a printing device for printing on a liquid product. The invention has particular but not exclusive application for the printing of a graphic on the froth of a coffee.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION I Coffees ordered from a coffee shop or caf6 are sometimes presented with a 0 design decorated on its surface. The designs are usually drawn free hand. The designs include swirls, lines and hatch designs. Designs drawn on the surface of coffees has become known as latte art. The designs however are not consistently reproducible and the quality of the design depends on the expertise of the person preparing the coffee.

In US 2005/0157148 there is described a method for printing a design on the surface of an iced coffee, coffee drink and ice creams. An industrial process to manufacture a large numbers of iced products is described. The industrial process involves a system using a conveyor belt in an assembly production line of a factory.

A large printer is placed adjacent to the conveyor belt so that printing on the surface of the iced product is part of a continuous process of manufacturing the iced product.

The printer is programmed to print the same graphic onto the surface of a large number of iced products passing along the conveyor belt. However, the printer cannot be used to print different designs on each iced product on the conveyor belt.

The large size of the printer also makes it unsuitable for use in retail outlets where space is limiting.

-2- OBJECT OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a compact printer capable of printing a graphic on the surface of a liquid product that overcomes at least in part I one or more of the above mentioned disadvantages.

I SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION SIn one aspect the present invention broadly resides in a compact printer for S printing on a surface of a liquid product including processor means that enables selection and printing of a graphic, the 0 processor means has memory means and control panel means operatively associated with the memory means, the memory means can store a plurality of graphics and the control panel means enables a person to select and print one or more graphics; printing means for printing the selected one or more graphics on the liquid product, the printing means has a printer head; and locator means for aligning the liquid product relative to the printer head, wherein the one or more graphics are selected for each liquid product on an individual basis and then printed on the surface of the liquid product.

The term, compact printer, throughout the patent specification includes portable printers.

The liquid product is preferably a coffee or a beer. More preferably, the selected graphic is printed onto the froth of a coffee or a beer.

Preferably, the control panel means includes a housing with a control panel operationally connected to a processor. More preferably, the control panel has one -3or more buttons for selecting and printing the one or more graphics. The control panel means preferably includes a screen.

The memory means is preferably a hard drive operatively associated with the I control panel.

Preferably, the processor means includes an input means for providing I additional graphics. The input means may be a USB port, a CD/DVD-ROM drive, or an internet connection for downloading graphics from a website.

The plurality of graphics includes artistic designs, greeting messages for specific occasions such as "Merry Christmas" or "Happy Valentine's Day", 0 advertisements and business names, trade marks or logos.

The printing means preferably includes a carriage for holding the printer head and one or more cartridges of edible ink or liquid chocolate. Preferably, the printer head has one or more ink jets for dispensing the ink from the cartridges.

The printing means more preferably includes a printer head cleaning portion for removing the edible ink from the ink jets.

Preferably, the locator means includes a locator tray having a recessed portion where the liquid product is aligned to position the liquid product relative to the printer head where the compact printer is positioned on a bench top. Where the compact printer is portable, it is preferably positioned on or above the rim of the cup or mug to apply the graphic artwork.

The components of the compact printer are preferably arranged to provide a working interrelationship with each other while occupying minimal space. The compactness of the compact printer enables the compact printer to be used in areas where there is minimal free space. In one preferred embodiment the compact printer can be positioned on a bench top or counter of a coffee shop or caf6. Preferably the compact printer is positioned adjacent a coffee making machine so that the selected graphic is printed on the surface of the coffee at the point of sale.

In one preferred form the compact printer has a sensor means for detecting I the presence and alignment of the liquid product.

In another aspect the invention broadly resides in a method of printing on a I surface of a liquid product with the compact printer as described above including aligning the liquid product on the locator means of the compact printer as described above so that the liquid product is positioned beneath the printer head; selecting one of the plurality of graphics stored on the memory means; and 0 printing the selected graphic on the surface of the liquid product, wherein the one or more graphics are selected for each liquid product on an individual basis and then printed on the surface of the liquid product.

The features of the compact printer as described above also apply with respect to the method of printing on the surface of the liquid product.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In order that the present invention can be more readily understood and put into practical effect, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings wherein: Figure 1 is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the compact printer; Figure 2 is another perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the compact printer with a printer head housing shown in phantom lines; and Figure 3 is a flow diagram of the method of printing a graphic on the surface of a coffee using the preferred embodiment of the compact printer.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The compact printer of the present invention will now be described using the I example of printing on the surface of a coffee.

With reference to Figures 1 and 2, there is shown a compact printer including a processor (not shown) contained within a housing 13, a printing means having a printer head 16 located behind a printer head housing portion 17 and a locator tray 18. The compact printer 10 has a screen 14 on which are displayed different graphics for selection and printing.

0 The locator tray 18 has a recessed portion 20 that is curved and that can be used to help align the coffee cup relative to the printer head housing portion 17. This recessed portion 20 serves as a guide for the user to align the coffee cup so to enable more reproducible printing of a graphic on individual cups of coffee.

A cup of coffee is placed on the locator tray 18 and manually aligned beneath the printer head 16 so that a graphic can be printed on the surface of the coffee. For example the frothy surface of a cappuccino provides a suitable surface on which to print a decorative graphic. The locator tray 18 has holes for draining off any liquid that overflows from the cup.

In the embodiment shown in Figure 1, the control panel includes a screen 14 and buttons 15 that are used to select and print a graphic on the surface of the coffee. One or more graphics are stored in the processor. The selection of a graphic from the processor allows the graphic printed on the surface of the coffee to be tailored on an individual basis. The choice of graphics available from the processor also allows a different graphic to be printed on the surface of each coffee at the point of sale.

Owners of coffee outlets may design a graphic including their logo or trade mark which is printed on the froth of a coffee. Different greeting messages may be printed on the surface of the coffee to suit a festive season such as Christmas or I Valentine's Day.

The processor means of any one of the embodiments of the compact printer I described above can be provided with an input means such as a USB port, a CD/DVD-ROM drive, or an internet connection. The input means allows additional S graphics to be added to the memory means.

It is an option of the compact printer to be provided with a sensor means that 0 allows detecting the presence and alignment of the coffee relative to the printer head. This sensor means has the advantage of enabling more reproducible printing of a graphic on individual cups of coffee.

A method of printing a logo on the surface of a coffee using an embodiment of the compact printer is illustrated in Figure 3. A coffee, such as a cappuccino, is poured into a coffee cup. The cup of coffee 30 is aligned on the locator tray 32 of the compact printer 33 such that the coffee 30 is positioned beneath the printer head 34. In this embodiment of the compact printer the locator tray 32 has a curved recessed portion 35 that can be used as a guide for aligning the cup of coffee relative to the printer head 34.

After aligning the cup of coffee 30 on the locator tray 32 to position the coffee beneath the printer head 34, a graphic stored by the processor is selected by pushing one or more buttons 37 on the control panel 38. The selected graphic can be viewed on the screen 39 before printing to confirm the selection of an appropriate graphic. The selected graphic is then printed on the surface of the coffee by pushing the "PRINT" button 40. The graphic printed on the surface of the coffee, in this case -7the froth of the cappuccino, is checked before serving the coffee to the consumer.

Different graphics can be selected and printed on the surface of individual coffees.

In this way, the graphic printed can be tailored on an individual basis to suit the I purposes of the coffee retailer. The ability to selectively choose the graphic to be printed on the surface of the coffee also enables any one of the graphics stored on I the processor to be printed at the point of sale of the coffee.

In a second preferred embodiment shown in Figure 4, there is a portable compact printer 50 having a graphic user interface 51 on an upper surface of the printer 50. There is also a hand grip portion 52 substantially in the middle of the 0 printer 50 and a printer head portion 53 towards the base of the printer 50. The printer head portion 53 includes a printer head assembly 54 having an ink cartridge mounting operatively associated with a nozzle assembly (not shown). The printer head portion 53 also includes a locator ring 55 which is positioned on or slightly above the rim of a cup or mug for application of the graphic art work. In use, the portable compact printer 50 is placed on the lip of any cup or mug via the locator ring The desired graphic artwork is selected from the user interface 51 and the portable compact printer 50 prints the graphic artwork on the surface of the liquid such as coffee in the cup or mug. Preferably, the portable compact printer has a docking station which will enable the printer to download additional graphic artwork.

The docking station can also be used for printer maintenance purposes such as printer head cleaning.

ADVANTAGES

The advantages of the present invention include the ability to select and print a graphic on the surface of a liquid product on an individual basis. Different graphics can be selected and printed on the surface of individual liquid products. In this way, the graphic printed can be tailored on an individual basis to suit the purposes of either the seller of the liquid product or the consumer. The ability to selectively I choose the graphic to be printed on the surface of the coffee also enables any one of the graphics stored on the processor of the compact printer to be printed at the point I of sale of the liquid product.

The compactness of the compact printer enables the compact printer to be used in areas where there is minimal free space. This means that the compact printer can be used, for example, on a bench top in a retail outlet.

0 Furthermore the standard of the graphics produced on the surface of the liquid product is reproducible and a high quality graphic is no longer dependent on the expertise of the beverage maker.

VARIATIONS

It will of course be realised that while the foregoing has been given by way of illustrative example of this invention, all such and other modifications and variations thereto as would be apparent to persons skilled in the art are deemed to fall within the broad scope and ambit of this invention as is herein set forth.

Throughout the description and claims this specification the word "comprise" and variations of that word such as "comprises" and "comprising", are not intended to exclude other additives, components, integers or steps.

Claims

1. A compact printer for printing on a surface of a liquid product including I processor means that enables selection and printing of a graphic, the processor means has memory means and control panel means operatively I associated with the memory means, the memory means can store a plurality of graphics and the control panel means enables a person to select and print one or S more graphics; printing means for printing the selected one or more graphics on the liquid 0 product, the printing means has a printer head; and locator means for aligning the liquid product relative to the printer head, wherein the one or more graphics are selected for each liquid product on an individual basis and then printed on the surface of the liquid product.

2. A compact printer as claimed in claim 1 wherein the control panel means includes a housing with a control panel operationally connected to a processor, one or more buttons for selecting and printing the one or more graphics and a screen for displaying the graphics.

3. A compact printer as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein the locator means includes a locator tray having a recessed portion where the liquid product is aligned to position the liquid product relative to the printer head.

4. A compact printer as substantially described herein with reference to and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings. 10 A method of printing on a surface of a liquid product with the compact printer as claimed in any one of the above mentioned claims including aligning the liquid product on the locator means of the compact printer as described above so that the liquid product is positioned beneath the printer head; selecting one of the plurality of graphics stored on the memory means; and printing the selected graphic on the surface of the liquid product, wherein the one or more graphics are selected for each liquid product on an individual basis and then printed on the surface of the liquid product.