EP1742802A1 - Compact disc printing device - Google Patents

Compact disc printing device

Info

Publication number
EP1742802A1
EP1742802A1 EP05769929A EP05769929A EP1742802A1 EP 1742802 A1 EP1742802 A1 EP 1742802A1 EP 05769929 A EP05769929 A EP 05769929A EP 05769929 A EP05769929 A EP 05769929A EP 1742802 A1 EP1742802 A1 EP 1742802A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
carriage
motor
printing
compact disc
additional
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
EP05769929A
Other languages
German (de)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP1742802B1 (en
Inventor
Alain Rousseau
Florent Boivin
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Imedia Technologies IMT
Original Assignee
Imedia Technologies IMT
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Imedia Technologies IMT filed Critical Imedia Technologies IMT
Publication of EP1742802A1 publication Critical patent/EP1742802A1/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP1742802B1 publication Critical patent/EP1742802B1/en
Not-in-force legal-status Critical Current
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical

Links

Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J3/00—Typewriters or selective printing or marking mechanisms characterised by the purpose for which they are constructed
    • B41J3/407—Typewriters or selective printing or marking mechanisms characterised by the purpose for which they are constructed for marking on special material
    • B41J3/4071—Printing on disk-shaped media, e.g. CDs

Definitions

  • the present invention relates generally to apparatus for printing on objects such as various magnetic or digital recording media, and more particularly an apparatus for printing text and / or images on one side of a compact disc such as a CD-ROM or versatile digital disc.
  • a compact disc such as a CD-ROM or versatile digital disc.
  • CD-ROMs CD-ROMs
  • CD-R readable
  • CD-RW recordable
  • DVD versatile digital discs
  • This data varies from disc to disc, and it is often necessary to be able to identify the disc based on the information recorded on it.
  • the discs generally bear a label on the central part of at least one of the two faces, on which it is possible to write manually or mechanically to identify it.
  • the process of printing by screen printing is often carried out using suitable industrial machines.
  • such techniques are not suitable for printing in limited series and, a fortiori, for occasional printing, especially when the user wants to print personalized and differentiated information on each disc.
  • Various systems are known for printing information on the surface of compact discs.
  • patent FR 2,844,744 describes a system intended to ensure both the sorting and the engraving of a series of discs as well as the printing of information on one of their faces by ensuring the transport of each disc between the various locations of blanks of discs, printing and recording of information on the disc, the passage from one station to the other being ensured by a carriage for transporting the disc.
  • Systems of this type are relatively complex and are intended for processing relatively large numbers of discs.
  • a device for recording data on a compact disc and printing information on the surface of the disc is described in application WO 03.102944.
  • This device comprises a unit for recording or copying the disc and a printing unit on one side of the disc, these two units being mounted on the same axis perpendicular to a disc carriage combined with an arm used for handling the disk.
  • Patent EP 1,057,651 describes a simple and economical printer comprising an object holder adaptable to several forms of objects.
  • US Patent 6,302,601 relates to a printer of the thermal transfer type suitable for printing on compact discs comprising a removable support.
  • Other devices intended for occasional use have been proposed from printers, for example inkjet type printers, relatively simple and inexpensive, modified and adapted to receive discs in place of sheets of paper.
  • the compact disc printing apparatus belongs to this category, and then makes it possible to have a printer capable of printing various information in a punctual and personalized manner on the surface of a compact disc, thanks to an inexpensive additional device adapting the operation of the standard type printer so as to be able to print on one side of a support such as a compact disc.
  • the printing apparatus of the present invention comprises a standard standard printer base, for example of the inkjet type, intended for printing on sheets of paper, comprising at least one motor for driving the head printing and support of the object to be printed, and supplemented by an additional motor and a mechanical device for tilting the drive of the support by one or the other motor.
  • conventional printers have two separate motors for moving the print head and for advancing the paper receiving the print.
  • the apparatus for printing information on the surface of an object such as a compact disc is of the type comprising at least one movable print head and an object carriage and at least a main drive motor, and it is distinguished in that it comprises an additional motor driving the carriage for part of its movement, and a mechanical switch making it possible to switch alternately the carriage drive by the main motor and by the additional engine.
  • the invention also relates to a method for printing information on the surface of an object such as a compact disc, by means of an apparatus of the type comprising at least one movable print head and an object carriage and at least a main drive motor, according to which method the object to be printed is placed on the carriage, the carriage is advanced by means of an additional motor to a position for starting printing, the carriage is advanced by the main motor during printing, and the carriage is returned to its initial position by the additional motor, after removing the printed disc.
  • the control of the additional motor is preferably programmed to extend the movement of the carriage to a position allowing the removal of the printed disc.
  • the carriage is held in its end-of-travel position corresponding to the removal of the printed disc until a new print order is given, causing the carriage to return to the starting position.
  • the printed disc can be removed after returning the carriage to the starting position.
  • the recording medium printing apparatus of the present invention is designed so as to use a standard printer base by supplementing it with an appropriate device and taking care to modify as little as possible its original operating mode.
  • the program and the electronic components which control the movements of the print head and of the support of the object to be printed, in general a sheet of paper are not modified either in their design or in their operating mode, and that the additional device inserted in the device does not interfere with their operation, so that printing on the surface of the recording medium, such as a compact disc, is done exactly like printing on a sheet of paper in the same unmodified printer.
  • the recording medium on one side of which texts or graphics are to be printed consists of a carriage capable of moving in both directions on an axis substantially perpendicular to the 'axis of movement of the print head, unlike the printing medium of a conventional printer which moves between two positions, always in the same direction.
  • this support generally consists of rollers and slides which guide the movement of the sheet of paper from a loading tray to a receiving tray after printing.
  • the movement of the compact disc carriage must be able to be controlled alternately by the control of the printer and by controlling the additional device, and the carriage is then driven either by the printer motor or by that of the additional device, depending on the position of the mechanical switch.
  • the movement of the carriage is controlled so that it returns to its starting position after each printing of a compact disc so as to be ready for printing of the next compact disc.
  • the movement of the carriage is only linked to the printing cycle during part of its own cycle.
  • the printer printhead moves substantially perpendicular to the axis of movement of the carriage, under the control of the electronics and printer control software, in order to print the desired information on the surface of the compact disc, as in the case of conventional printing on a sheet of paper.
  • the motor of the additional device thanks to the mechanical switch, again drives the movement of the carriage.
  • This end of the printing cycle can advantageously be detected by a sensor, for example a photoelectric cell, locating the corresponding position of the carriage.
  • the mechanical switch is preferably constituted by a gear system capable of pivoting between two positions to be driven alternately by the pinions of one or the other of the two motors.
  • the mechanical switch comprises a gear with a straight mount comprising a toothed wheel on the drive axis of the compact disc carriage, cooperating with an intermediate pinion mounted on an arm pivoting along the axis of the wheel toothed.
  • the pivoting of the arm around its axis brings the pinion intermediate in contact with alternately one and the other of the two driving pinions.
  • the movement of the mechanical switch is controlled by an actuator, and a spring is placed between one actuator and the switch, so as to compensate for the angular variation thus created.
  • the intermediate pinion is put in place and the two pinions mesh normally.
  • the connection between the actuator and the switch is fixed, but the axis of the intermediate pinion is slidably mounted in a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the pivoting arm, against the action of '' a spring which pushes it against the motor pinion.
  • the device according to the present invention also has the advantage of not disturbing the cleaning mode of the printheads, necessary for maintaining the quality of the printing on compact discs, or on paper if necessary.
  • the cleaning of the printheads can be done by means of a pump, which can be actuated by the same motor as that which drives the paper or the compact disc carriage.
  • the device according to the invention makes it possible not to disturb the cleaning process of the print heads by the pump actuated by the printer motor outside the printing cycle, thanks to the mechanical switch which makes it possible to isolate the motor. of the printer after printing, and to drive the compact disc trolley by means of the additional motor.
  • the apparatus of the invention comprises a movement sensor of the main motor, connected to a control circuit allowing the rotation of the additional motor when the sensor has detected that the main motor is stopped.
  • the printer of the invention has the advantage of being able to be used in manual mode or integrated in a robotic device. In the case of manual operation, the user loads each disc directly and resumes it after printing. In a robotic mode, the printer is integrated into a system comprising, in known manner, devices making it possible to load and remove the disks automatically.
  • FIG. 1 schematically shows the operation of a device according to the invention, combined with a system for feeding paper and controlling the print head of a conventional inkjet printer.
  • the motor (MI) is the printer motor which drives the carriage (C).
  • the operation of the motor (MI) is controlled by the Control circuit I.
  • a mechanical switch (A) is placed between the motor (MI) and the compact disc carriage (C) so that the movement of the carriage (C) is driven by the motor (MI) when the switch (A) is flipped to the corresponding gear position.
  • the additional motor (M II) can also drive the carriage (C) via the mechanical switch ( J A) when the latter is in the appropriate position.
  • the operation of the additional motor (M II) is controlled by the Control circuit (II).
  • the switching of the mechanical switch (A) is controlled by the Control circuit (II) according to the parameters coming from the motion sensor (B), according to simple logic.
  • the motion sensor (B) is of the usual type, which detects whether the motor (MI) is rotating or whether it is stopped.
  • the printer motor (MI) can also operate the pump (P) used to clean the printer's printheads.
  • Figure 2 shows the relative positions of the two motors (MI) and (M II) and the mechanical switch (A).
  • the motor (I) of the printer drives the axis (1) via the belt (2) and the wheel (3).
  • the axis (1) carries the pinion (4) whose rotation drives the intermediate pinion (5) mounted on the pivoting arm (6) of the mechanical switch (A).
  • the angular rotational movement of the switch (C) is controlled by an actuator (7) by a mechanism shown in more detail in Figure 3.
  • FIG. 3 shows the mechanical switch (A) in the tilted position towards the additional motor (M II), the intermediate pinion (5) meshing with the motor pinion (8).
  • the actuator (7) acts on the head of the axle (9) carrying the intermediate pinion (5) by means of a spring (10) with a flexible double leaf on either side of the axle (9) .

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for printing information on a compact disc surface comprising at least one movable print-head, a holding carriage (C), at least one main drive motor (M I), one additional motor (M II) for driving carriage (C) along one part of the displacement thereof, a mechanical switch (A) for alternately switching the carriage drive by the main motor (M I) and by the additional motor (M II). Said invention can be used for simple compact disc ink-jet printers.

Description

APPAREIL D'IMPRESSION SUR DISQUE COMPACT COMPACT DISC PRINTING APPARATUS
La présente invention concerne d'une manière générale les appareils d'impression sur des objets tels que divers supports d'enregistrement magnétique ou numérique, et plus particulièrement un appareil permettant d'imprimer un texte et/ou des images sur une face d'un disque compact tel qu'un cédérom ou un disque numérique polyvalent. On utilise aujourd'hui divers types de disques compacts tels que cédéroms (CD),, y compris les disques lisibles (CD-R) ou enregistrables (CD-RW) , ou disques numériques polyvalents (DVD, DVD-R, DVD-RW) pour l'enregistrement de données ou d'informations sous format numérique, par exemple des textes, des images, des données audio-visuelles, etc. Ces données varient d'un disque à l'autre, et il est souvent nécessaire de pouvoir identifier le disque en fonction des informations qui y sont enregistrées. A cet effet, les disques portent généralement une étiquette sur la partie centrale d'au moins une des deux faces, sur laquelle il est possible d'écrire manuellement ou mécaniquement pour l'identifier. Selon le type de support, il est aussi possible d'apposer des informations sous forme de textes ou de graphiques directement sur l'une ou l'autre des faces du disque. Pour la fabrication de séries importantes de disques identiques, portant tous les mêmes informations, et recevant donc la même étiquette, ou les mêmes informations d'identi- fication, on procède souvent par technique d'impression par sérigraphie au moyen de machines industrielles adaptées. Par contre de telles techniques ne sont pas adaptées à des impressions en séries limitées et, a fortiori, à des impressions ponctuelles, notamment lorsque l'utilisateur veut imprimer des informations personnalisées et différenciées sur chaque disque. On connaît divers systèmes permettant d'imprimer des informations sur la surface de disques compacts. Par exemple le brevet FR 2.844.744 décrit un système destiné à assurer à la fois le tri et la gravure d'une série de disques ainsi que l'impression d'informations sur une de leurs faces en assurant le transport de chaque disque entre les divers emplacements d'ébauches de disques, d'impression et d'enregistrement d'informations sur le disque, le passage d'un poste à l'autre étant assuré par un chariot de transport du disque. Les systèmes de ce type sont relativement complexes et sont destinés au traitement de nombres relativement importants de disques. Un dispositif d'enregistrement de données sur un disque compact et d'impression d'informations sur la surface du disque est décrit dans la demande WO 03.102944. Ce dispositif comporte une unité d'enregistrement ou de copie du disque et une unité d'impression sur une face du disque, ces deux unités étant montées sur un même axe perpendiculaire à un chariot porte-disque combiné à un bras servant à la manipulation du disque. Le brevet EP 1.057.651 décrit une imprimante simple et économique comprenant un support porte-objet adaptable à plusieurs formes d'objets. Le brevet US 6.302.601 concerne une imprimante du type à transfert thermique adaptée à l'impression sur des disques compacts comprenant un support amovible. D'autres dispositifs destinés à des utilisations occasionnelles ont été proposés à partir d'imprimantes, par exemple des imprimantes du- type à jet d'encre, relativement simples et peu coûteuses, modifiées et adaptées pour recevoir des disques à la place de feuilles de papier. L'appareil d'impression sur disques compacts suivant la présente invention appartient à cette catégorie, et permet alors de disposer d'une imprimante capable d'imprimer des informations diverses de manière ponctuelle et personnalisée sur la surface d'un disque compact, grâce à un dispositif additionnel peu onéreux adaptant le fonctionnement de l'imprimante de type standard de manière à pouvoir imprimer sur une face d'un support tel qu'un disque compact. L'appareil d'impression de la présente invention comporte une base d'imprimante standard classique, par exemple du type à jet d'encre, prévue pour imprimer sur des feuilles de papier, comportant au moins un moteur d'entraînement de la tête d'impression et du support de l'objet à imprimer, et complétée par un moteur additionnel et un dispositif mécanique de basculement de l'entraînement du support par l'un ou l'autre moteur. D'une manière générale, les imprimantes usuelles comportent deux moteurs séparés pour déplacer la tête d'impression et pour faire avancer le papier recevant l'impression. Ainsi, l'appareil d'impression d'informations sur la surface d'un objet tel qu'un disque compact, suivant la présente invention, est du type comportant au moins une tête d'impression mobile et un chariot porte objet et au moins un moteur principal d'entraînement, et il se distingue en ce qu'il comporte un moteur additionnel entraînant le chariot sur une partie de son déplacement, et un commutateur mécanique permettant de basculer alternativement l'entraînement du chariot par le moteur principal et par le moteur additionnel. L'invention concerne aussi un procédé pour imprimer des informations sur la surface d'un objet tel qu'un disque compact, au moyen d'un appareil du type comportant au moins une tête d'impression mobile et un chariot porte objet et au moins un moteur principal d'entraînement, suivant lequel procédé on place l'objet à imprimer sur le chariot, on fait avancer le chariot au moyen d'un moteur additionnel jusqu'à une position de début d'impression, on fait avancer le chariot par le moteur principal pendant l'impression, et on fait revenir le chariot à sa position initiale par le moteur additionnel, après avoir enlevé le disque imprimé. La commande du moteur additionnel est de préférence programmée pour prolonger le mouvement du chariot jusqu'à une position permettant l'enlèvement du disque imprimé. Suivant une variante, le chariot est maintenu dans sa position de fin de course correspondant à l'enlèvement du disque imprimé jusqu'à ce qu'un nouvel ordre d'impression soit donné, provoquant alors le retour du chariot en position de départ. Suivant une autre variante, l'enlèvement du disque imprimé peut se faire après retour du chariot en position de départ. L'appareil d'impression sur support d'enregistrement de la présente invention est conçu de manière à utiliser une base d'imprimante standard en la complétant par un dispositif approprié et en veillant à modifier le moins possible son mode de fonctionnement d'origine. Ainsi, il est souhaitable que le programme et les composants électroniques qui commandent les mouvements de la tête d'impression et du support de l'objet à imprimer, en général une feuille de papier, ne soient pas modifiés ni dans leur conception ni dans leur mode de fonctionnement, et que le dispositif additionnel inséré dans l'appareil ne perturbe pas leur fonctionnement, afin que l'impression sur la surface du support d'enregistrement, tel qu'un disque compact, se fasse exactement comme l'impression sur une feuille de papier dans la même imprimante non modifiée. Suivant une caractéristique de l'invention, le support d'enregistrement sur une face duquel doit se faire l'impression de textes ou de- graphiques, est constitué par un chariot susceptible de se déplacer dans les deux sens sur un axe sensiblement perpendiculaire à l'axe de déplacement de la tête d'impression, contrairement au support d'impression d'une imprimante usuelle qui se déplace entre deux positions, toujours dans le même sens. Dans une imprimante usuelle, ce support est généralement constitué par des rouleaux et des glissières qui guident le déplacement de la feuille de papier depuis un bac de chargement jusqu'à un bac de réception après impression. Plus particulièrement, suivant la présente invention, le mouvement du chariot porte disque compact doit pouvoir être contrôlé alternativement par la commande de l'imprimante et par la commande du dispositif additionnel, et l'entraînement du chariot se fait alors soit par le moteur de l'imprimante, soit par celui du dispositif additionnel, selon la position du commutateur mécanique. De plus, le mouvement du chariot est contrôlé de telle sorte que ce dernier se retrouve dans sa position de départ après chaque impression d'un disque compact de manière à être prêt pour l'impression du disque compact suivant. Ainsi, le mouvement du chariot n'est lié au cycle d'impression que pendant une partie de son propre cycle. Lorsque le chariot est entraîné par le moteur de l'imprimante, le commutateur mécanique étant alors dans la position appropriée, la tête d'impression de l'imprimante se déplace sensiblement perpendiculairement à l'axe de déplacement du chariot, sous le contrôle de l'électronique et du logiciel de pilotage de l'imprimante, afin d'imprimer les informations voulues sur la surface du disque compact, comme, dans le cas de l'impression usuelle sur une feuille de papier. Lorsque cette impression est terminée, c'est-à-dire à la fin du cycle d'impression, le moteur du dispositif additionnel, grâce au commutateur mécanique, entraîne à nouveau le déplacement' du chariot. Cette fin du cycle d'impression peut avantageusement être détectée par un capteur, par exemple une cellule photo-électrique, repérant la position correspondante du chariot. Le commutateur mécanique est de préférence constitué par un système d'engrenage susceptible de pivoter entre deux positions pour être entraîné alternativement par les pignons de l'un ou l'autre des deux moteurs. Suivant une forme préférentielle de réalisation, le commutateur mécanique comprend un engrenage à monture droite comportant une roue dentée sur l'axe d'entraînement du chariot porte disque compact, coopérant avec un pignon intermédiaire monté sur un bras pivotant suivant l'axe de la roue dentée. Ainsi, le pivotement du bras autour de son axe amène le pignon intermédiaire en contact avec alternativement l'un et l'autre des deux pignons moteurs. Lorsque le commutateur mécanique est actionné pour basculer d'une position à l'autre, il peut arriver que le sommet d'une dent du pignon moteur se trouve face au sommet d'une dent du pignon intermédiaire. Pour éviter un mauvais entraînement de ce dernier, le mouvement du commutateur mécanique est commandé par un actionneur, et un ressort est placé entre 1 ' a.ctionneur et le commutateur, de manière à compenser la variation angulaire ainsi créée. Ainsi, dès le début de la rotation du pignon moteur, sous l'action du ressort le pignon intermédiaire se met en place et les deux pignons s'engrènent normalement. Suivant une variante conforme à l'invention, la liaison entre l' actionneur et le commutateur est .fixe mais l'axe du pignon intermédiaire est monté coulissant suivant une direction sensiblement perpendiculaire à l'axe longitudinal du bras pivotant, contre l'action d'un ressort qui le repousse contre le pignon moteur. Ainsi lorsque deux dents du pignon inter- médiaire et d'un pignon moteur se trouvent face à face, l'axe du pignon intermédiaire se trouve automatiquement reculé d'une distance égale à la profondeur de la denture, et dès le début de la rotation du pignon moteur, le pignon intermédiaire se met en place et les deux pignons s'engrènent normalement. Le dispositif suivant la présente invention possède en outre l'avantage de ne pas perturber le mode de nettoyage des têtes d'impression, nécessaire au maintien de la qualité de l'impression sur les disques compacts, ou sur le papier le cas échéant. Ainsi, suivant une technique connue, le nettoyage des têtes d'impression peut se faire au moyen d'une pompe, qui peut être actionnée par le même moteur que celui qui entraîne le papier ou le chariot porte disque compact. En conséquence, dans une telle configuration, le nettoyage des têtes d'impres- sion ne peut pas se faire pendant un cycle d'impression, mais il s'effectue nécessairement en dehors de ce cycle, à un instant déterminé par le programme de l'imprimante en fonction des paramètres qui lui sont propres. Le dispositif suivant l'invention permet de ne pas perturber le processus de nettoyage des têtes d'impression par la pompe actionnée par le moteur de l'imprimante en dehors du cycle d'impression, grâce au commutateur mécanique qui permet d'isoler le moteur de l'imprimante une fois l'impression effectuée, et d'entraîner le chariot porte disque compact au moyen du moteur additionnel. L'appareil de l'invention comprend un capteur de mouvement du moteur principal, connecté à un circuit de commande autorisant la rotation du moteur additionnel quand le capteur a détecté que le moteur principal est à l'arrêt. Ainsi, la synchronisation des deux moteurs est assurée par le capteur de mouvement permettant au circuit de commande du moteur additionnel de connaître la position marche ou arrêt du moteur de l'imprimante, et de n'activer le moteur additionnel que lorsque le -moteur de l'imprimante est à l'arrêt. L'imprimante de l'invention présente l'avantage de pouvoir être utilisée en mode manuel ou intégrée dans un dispositif robotisé. Dans le cas du fonctionnement manuel, l'utilisateur charge directement chaque disque et le reprend après impression. Dans un mode robotisé, l'imprimante est intégrée dans un système comprenant, de manière connue, des dispositifs permettant de charger et d'enlever automatiquement les disques. Les caractéristiques et avantages de la présente invention apparaîtront plus en détail dans la description suivante relative à une forme préférentielle et non limitative de réalisation en référence aux dessins annexés qui représentent : Figure 1 : une vue schématique montrant l'organisation du dispositif suivant l'invention. Figure 2: une vue en perspective du mécanisme permettant de basculer l'entraînement du chariot d'un système à l'autre. Figure 3 : une vue du dispositif de basculement assurant l'engrenage par le pignon du moteur additionnel. Figure 4 : une vue du dispositif de basculement en position d'entraînement du chariot porte-disque par le moteur de l'imprimante. La Figure 1 montre schématiquement le fonctionnement d'un dispositif suivant l'invention, combiné à un système d'entraî- nement de papier et de commande de la tête d'impression d'une imprimante à jet d'encre usuel. Le moteur (M I) est le moteur de l'imprimante qui entraîne le déplacement du chariot (C) . Le fonctionnement du moteur (M I) est contrôlé par le circuit de Commande I. Un commutateur mécanique (A) est placé entre le moteur (M I) et le chariot porte disque compact (C) de telle sorte que le déplacement du chariot (C) est entraîné par le moteur (M I) lorsque le commutateur (A) est basculé en position d'engrenage correspondant . Le moteur additionnel (M II) peut lui aussi entraîner le chariot (C) par l'intermédiaire du commutateur mécanique (JA) quand ce dernier est dans la position appropriée. Le fonctionnement du moteur additionnel (M II) est contrôlé par le circuit de Commande (II) . Le basculement du commutateur mécanique (A) est commandé par le circuit de Commande (II) en fonction des paramètres provenant du capteur de mouvement (B) , suivant une logique simple. Le capteur de mouvement (B) est de type usuel, qui détecte si le moteur (M I) est en rotation ou s'il est à l'arrêt. Le moteur de l'imprimante (M I) peut aussi entraîner le fonctionnement de la pompe (P) servant au nettoyage des têtes d'impression de l'imprimante. La Figure 2 représente les positions relatives des deux moteurs (M I) et (M II) et du commutateur mécanique (A) . Comme le montre cette Figure, le moteur ( I) de l'imprimante entraîne l'axe (1) par l'intermédiaire de la courroie (2) et de la roue (3). L'axe (1) porte le pignon (4) dont la rotation entraîne le pignon intermédiaire (5) monté sur le bras pivotant (6) du commutateur mécanique (A) . Le mouvement de rotation angulaire du commutateur (C) est commandé par un actionneur (7) par un mécanisme représenté plus en détail sur la Figure 3. Sous l'action de l' actionneur (7), le commutateur mécanique (A) est déplacé suivant un angle tel que le pignon intermédiaire (5) vient' en contact avec le pignon (8) du moteur (M II) . La Figure 3 montre le commutateur mécanique (A) en position basculée vers le moteur additionnel (M II) , le pignon intermédiaire (5) s ' engrenant avec le pignon moteur (8). L' actionneur (7) agit sur la tête de l'axe (9) portant le pignon intermédiaire (5) au moyen d'un ressort (10) à double lame flexible de part et d'autre de l'axe (9). Ainsi, la flexibilité de l'une ou l'autre des deux lames du ressort (10) compense le décalage angulaire se produisant lorsque la denture du pignon intermédiaire (5) est face à la denture du pignon moteur (8), les deux dents de chaque pignon étant en contact par leur sommet. Dès que le pignon moteur (8) commence à tourner, sa denture vient s'engrener normalement avec celle du pignon intermédiaire (5) qui entraîne à son tour la roue dentée (11) d'entraînement du chariot (C) . La Figure 4 représente la position symétrique où le commutateur mécanique (A) est basculé, par l'actionneur (7), contre le pignon moteur (4) du moteur (M I) de l'imprimante. The present invention relates generally to apparatus for printing on objects such as various magnetic or digital recording media, and more particularly an apparatus for printing text and / or images on one side of a compact disc such as a CD-ROM or versatile digital disc. Various types of compact discs are used today such as CD-ROMs (CD), including readable (CD-R) or recordable (CD-RW) discs, or versatile digital discs (DVD, DVD-R, DVD-RW) ) for recording data or information in digital format, for example text, images, audio-visual data, etc. This data varies from disc to disc, and it is often necessary to be able to identify the disc based on the information recorded on it. For this purpose, the discs generally bear a label on the central part of at least one of the two faces, on which it is possible to write manually or mechanically to identify it. Depending on the type of support, it is also possible to affix information in the form of text or graphics directly on one or other of the faces of the disc. For the production of large series of identical discs, all carrying the same information, and therefore receiving the same label, or the same identification information, the process of printing by screen printing is often carried out using suitable industrial machines. On the other hand, such techniques are not suitable for printing in limited series and, a fortiori, for occasional printing, especially when the user wants to print personalized and differentiated information on each disc. Various systems are known for printing information on the surface of compact discs. for example patent FR 2,844,744 describes a system intended to ensure both the sorting and the engraving of a series of discs as well as the printing of information on one of their faces by ensuring the transport of each disc between the various locations of blanks of discs, printing and recording of information on the disc, the passage from one station to the other being ensured by a carriage for transporting the disc. Systems of this type are relatively complex and are intended for processing relatively large numbers of discs. A device for recording data on a compact disc and printing information on the surface of the disc is described in application WO 03.102944. This device comprises a unit for recording or copying the disc and a printing unit on one side of the disc, these two units being mounted on the same axis perpendicular to a disc carriage combined with an arm used for handling the disk. Patent EP 1,057,651 describes a simple and economical printer comprising an object holder adaptable to several forms of objects. US Patent 6,302,601 relates to a printer of the thermal transfer type suitable for printing on compact discs comprising a removable support. Other devices intended for occasional use have been proposed from printers, for example inkjet type printers, relatively simple and inexpensive, modified and adapted to receive discs in place of sheets of paper. The compact disc printing apparatus according to the present invention belongs to this category, and then makes it possible to have a printer capable of printing various information in a punctual and personalized manner on the surface of a compact disc, thanks to an inexpensive additional device adapting the operation of the standard type printer so as to be able to print on one side of a support such as a compact disc. The printing apparatus of the present invention comprises a standard standard printer base, for example of the inkjet type, intended for printing on sheets of paper, comprising at least one motor for driving the head printing and support of the object to be printed, and supplemented by an additional motor and a mechanical device for tilting the drive of the support by one or the other motor. In general, conventional printers have two separate motors for moving the print head and for advancing the paper receiving the print. Thus, the apparatus for printing information on the surface of an object such as a compact disc, according to the present invention, is of the type comprising at least one movable print head and an object carriage and at least a main drive motor, and it is distinguished in that it comprises an additional motor driving the carriage for part of its movement, and a mechanical switch making it possible to switch alternately the carriage drive by the main motor and by the additional engine. The invention also relates to a method for printing information on the surface of an object such as a compact disc, by means of an apparatus of the type comprising at least one movable print head and an object carriage and at least a main drive motor, according to which method the object to be printed is placed on the carriage, the carriage is advanced by means of an additional motor to a position for starting printing, the carriage is advanced by the main motor during printing, and the carriage is returned to its initial position by the additional motor, after removing the printed disc. The control of the additional motor is preferably programmed to extend the movement of the carriage to a position allowing the removal of the printed disc. According to a variant, the carriage is held in its end-of-travel position corresponding to the removal of the printed disc until a new print order is given, causing the carriage to return to the starting position. According to another variant, the printed disc can be removed after returning the carriage to the starting position. The recording medium printing apparatus of the present invention is designed so as to use a standard printer base by supplementing it with an appropriate device and taking care to modify as little as possible its original operating mode. Thus, it is desirable that the program and the electronic components which control the movements of the print head and of the support of the object to be printed, in general a sheet of paper, are not modified either in their design or in their operating mode, and that the additional device inserted in the device does not interfere with their operation, so that printing on the surface of the recording medium, such as a compact disc, is done exactly like printing on a sheet of paper in the same unmodified printer. According to a characteristic of the invention, the recording medium on one side of which texts or graphics are to be printed, consists of a carriage capable of moving in both directions on an axis substantially perpendicular to the 'axis of movement of the print head, unlike the printing medium of a conventional printer which moves between two positions, always in the same direction. In a conventional printer, this support generally consists of rollers and slides which guide the movement of the sheet of paper from a loading tray to a receiving tray after printing. More particularly, according to the present invention, the movement of the compact disc carriage must be able to be controlled alternately by the control of the printer and by controlling the additional device, and the carriage is then driven either by the printer motor or by that of the additional device, depending on the position of the mechanical switch. In addition, the movement of the carriage is controlled so that it returns to its starting position after each printing of a compact disc so as to be ready for printing of the next compact disc. Thus, the movement of the carriage is only linked to the printing cycle during part of its own cycle. When the carriage is driven by the printer motor, the mechanical switch being then in the appropriate position, the printer printhead moves substantially perpendicular to the axis of movement of the carriage, under the control of the electronics and printer control software, in order to print the desired information on the surface of the compact disc, as in the case of conventional printing on a sheet of paper. When this printing is finished, that is to say at the end of the printing cycle, the motor of the additional device, thanks to the mechanical switch, again drives the movement of the carriage. This end of the printing cycle can advantageously be detected by a sensor, for example a photoelectric cell, locating the corresponding position of the carriage. The mechanical switch is preferably constituted by a gear system capable of pivoting between two positions to be driven alternately by the pinions of one or the other of the two motors. According to a preferred embodiment, the mechanical switch comprises a gear with a straight mount comprising a toothed wheel on the drive axis of the compact disc carriage, cooperating with an intermediate pinion mounted on an arm pivoting along the axis of the wheel toothed. Thus, the pivoting of the arm around its axis brings the pinion intermediate in contact with alternately one and the other of the two driving pinions. When the mechanical switch is actuated to switch from one position to another, it may happen that the top of a tooth of the drive pinion is facing the top of a tooth of the intermediate pinion. To avoid improper driving of the latter, the movement of the mechanical switch is controlled by an actuator, and a spring is placed between one actuator and the switch, so as to compensate for the angular variation thus created. Thus, from the start of the rotation of the motor pinion, under the action of the spring the intermediate pinion is put in place and the two pinions mesh normally. According to a variant according to the invention, the connection between the actuator and the switch is fixed, but the axis of the intermediate pinion is slidably mounted in a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the pivoting arm, against the action of '' a spring which pushes it against the motor pinion. Thus when two teeth of the intermediate pinion and a driving pinion are facing each other, the axis of the intermediate pinion is automatically moved back a distance equal to the depth of the teeth, and from the start of rotation drive pinion, the intermediate pinion is put in place and the two pinions mesh normally. The device according to the present invention also has the advantage of not disturbing the cleaning mode of the printheads, necessary for maintaining the quality of the printing on compact discs, or on paper if necessary. Thus, according to a known technique, the cleaning of the printheads can be done by means of a pump, which can be actuated by the same motor as that which drives the paper or the compact disc carriage. Consequently, in such a configuration, cleaning of the printheads cannot be done during a printing cycle, but it necessarily takes place outside this cycle, at a time determined by the printer program according to its own parameters. The device according to the invention makes it possible not to disturb the cleaning process of the print heads by the pump actuated by the printer motor outside the printing cycle, thanks to the mechanical switch which makes it possible to isolate the motor. of the printer after printing, and to drive the compact disc trolley by means of the additional motor. The apparatus of the invention comprises a movement sensor of the main motor, connected to a control circuit allowing the rotation of the additional motor when the sensor has detected that the main motor is stopped. Thus, the synchronization of the two motors is ensured by the motion sensor allowing the control circuit of the additional motor to know the on or off position of the printer motor, and to activate the additional motor only when the motor of the printer is stopped. The printer of the invention has the advantage of being able to be used in manual mode or integrated in a robotic device. In the case of manual operation, the user loads each disc directly and resumes it after printing. In a robotic mode, the printer is integrated into a system comprising, in known manner, devices making it possible to load and remove the disks automatically. The characteristics and advantages of the present invention will appear in more detail in the following description relating to a preferred and non-limiting embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings which represent: Figure 1: a schematic view showing the organization of the device according to the invention . Figure 2: a perspective view of the mechanism for switching the carriage drive from one system to another. Figure 3: a view of the tilting device ensuring the gearing by the pinion of the additional motor. Figure 4: a view of the tilting device in the drive position of the disc carriage by the printer motor. FIG. 1 schematically shows the operation of a device according to the invention, combined with a system for feeding paper and controlling the print head of a conventional inkjet printer. The motor (MI) is the printer motor which drives the carriage (C). The operation of the motor (MI) is controlled by the Control circuit I. A mechanical switch (A) is placed between the motor (MI) and the compact disc carriage (C) so that the movement of the carriage (C) is driven by the motor (MI) when the switch (A) is flipped to the corresponding gear position. The additional motor (M II) can also drive the carriage (C) via the mechanical switch ( J A) when the latter is in the appropriate position. The operation of the additional motor (M II) is controlled by the Control circuit (II). The switching of the mechanical switch (A) is controlled by the Control circuit (II) according to the parameters coming from the motion sensor (B), according to simple logic. The motion sensor (B) is of the usual type, which detects whether the motor (MI) is rotating or whether it is stopped. The printer motor (MI) can also operate the pump (P) used to clean the printer's printheads. Figure 2 shows the relative positions of the two motors (MI) and (M II) and the mechanical switch (A). As shown in this Figure, the motor (I) of the printer drives the axis (1) via the belt (2) and the wheel (3). The axis (1) carries the pinion (4) whose rotation drives the intermediate pinion (5) mounted on the pivoting arm (6) of the mechanical switch (A). The angular rotational movement of the switch (C) is controlled by an actuator (7) by a mechanism shown in more detail in Figure 3. Under the action of the actuator (7), the mechanical switch (A) is moved at an angle such that the intermediate pinion (5) is' in contact with the pinion (8) of the motor (M II). Figure 3 shows the mechanical switch (A) in the tilted position towards the additional motor (M II), the intermediate pinion (5) meshing with the motor pinion (8). The actuator (7) acts on the head of the axle (9) carrying the intermediate pinion (5) by means of a spring (10) with a flexible double leaf on either side of the axle (9) . Thus, the flexibility of one or the other of the two blades of the spring (10) compensates for the angular offset occurring when the toothing of the intermediate pinion (5) faces the toothing of the driving pinion (8), the two teeth of each pinion being in contact by their top. As soon as the motor pinion (8) starts to rotate, its toothing comes to mesh normally with that of the intermediate pinion (5) which in turn drives the toothed wheel (11) driving the carriage (C). Figure 4 shows the symmetrical position where the mechanical switch (A) is tilted, by the actuator (7), against the motor pinion (4) of the printer motor (MI).

Claims

REVENDICATIONS
1. Appareil d'impression d'informations sur la surface d'un objet tel qu'un disque compact, du type comportant au moins une tête d'impression mobile et un chariot (C) porte objet et au moins un moteur principal d'entraînement (M I), caractérisé en ce qu'il comporte un moteur additionnel (M II) entraînant le chariot (C) sur une partie de son déplacement, et un commutateur mécanique (A) permettant de basculer alternativement l'entraînement du chariot par le moteur principal (M I) et par le moteur additionnel (M II) . 1. Apparatus for printing information on the surface of an object such as a compact disc, of the type comprising at least one movable print head and a carriage (C) carrying an object and at least one main motor for drive (MI), characterized in that it comprises an additional motor (M II) driving the carriage (C) for part of its movement, and a mechanical switch (A) for alternately switching the carriage drive by the main engine (MI) and the additional engine (M II).
2. Appareil selon la revendication 1, caractérisé en ce que le chariot (C) porte disque est susceptible de se déplacer dans les deux sens sur un axe sensiblement perpendiculaire à l'axe de déplacement de la tête d'impression. 2. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the carriage (C) disk carrier is capable of moving in both directions on an axis substantially perpendicular to the axis of movement of the print head.
3. Appareil selon la revendication 1, caractérisé en ce que le commutateur mécanique (A) est constitué par un système d'engrenage susceptible de pivoter entre deux positions. 3. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the mechanical switch (A) is constituted by a gear system capable of pivoting between two positions.
4. Appareil selon la revendication 3, caractérisé en ce que le commutateur mécanique (A) comprend un engrenage à monture droite comportant une roue dentée (11) sur l'axe d'entraînement du chariot porte disque compact, coopérant avec un pignon intermédiaire (5) monté sur un bras pivotant (6) suivant l'axe de la roue dentée (11). 4. Apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that the mechanical switch (A) comprises a gear with straight mounting comprising a toothed wheel (11) on the drive axis of the compact disc carrier carriage, cooperating with an intermediate pinion ( 5) mounted on a pivoting arm (6) along the axis of the toothed wheel (11).
5. Appareil selon la revendication 4, caractérisé en ce que le commutateur mécanique (A) est commandé par un actionneur . (7) , un ressort (10) étant placé entre l'actionneur et le commutateur. 5. Apparatus according to claim 4, characterized in that the mechanical switch (A) is controlled by an actuator. (7), a spring (10) being placed between the actuator and the switch.
6. Appareil selon la revendication 4, caractérisé en ce que le pignon intermédiaire (5) du commutateur (A) est monté sur un axe pouvant coulisser contre un ressort. 6. Apparatus according to claim 4, characterized in that the intermediate pinion (5) of the switch (A) is mounted on an axis which can slide against a spring.
7. Appareil selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, caractérisé en ce qu'il comprend un capteur de mouvement du moteur principal . 7. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a movement sensor of the main motor.
8. Appareil selon la revendication 7, caractérisé en ce qu'il comprend un circuit de commande autorisant la rotation du moteur additionnel quand le capteur a détecté que le moteur principal est à l'arrêt. 8. Apparatus according to claim 7, characterized in that it comprises a control circuit authorizing the rotation of the additional motor when the sensor has detected that the main motor is stopped.
9. Procédé pour imprimer des informations sur la surface d'un objet tel qu'un disque compact, au moyen d'un appareil du type comportant au moins une tête d'impression mobile et un chariot porte objet et au moins un moteur principal d'entraînement, caractérisé en ce que l'on place l'objet à imprimer sur le chariot, on fait avancer le chariot au moyen d'un moteur additionnel jusqu'à une position de début d'impression, on fait avancer le chariot par le moteur principal pendant l'impression, et on fait revenir le chariot à sa position initiale par le moteur additionnel. ' 10. Procédé selon la revendication précédente, caractérisé en ce que le moteur additionnel entraînant le chariot n'est actionné que lorsque le moteur principal est à l'arrêt. 9. Method for printing information on the surface of an object such as a compact disc, by means of an apparatus of the type comprising at least one movable print head and an object carriage and at least one main motor d drive, characterized in that the object to be printed is placed on the carriage, the carriage is advanced by means of an additional motor to a position for starting printing, the carriage is advanced by the main motor during printing, and the carriage is returned to its initial position by the additional motor. '10. Method according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the additional motor driving the carriage is actuated only when the main motor is stopped.
EP05769929A 2004-05-05 2005-05-04 Compact disc printing device Not-in-force EP1742802B1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
FR0404825A FR2869830B1 (en) 2004-05-05 2004-05-05 COMPACT DISC PRINTING APPARATUS
PCT/FR2005/001131 WO2005120842A1 (en) 2004-05-05 2005-05-04 Compact disc printing device

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP1742802A1 true EP1742802A1 (en) 2007-01-17
EP1742802B1 EP1742802B1 (en) 2009-07-08

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Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP05769929A Not-in-force EP1742802B1 (en) 2004-05-05 2005-05-04 Compact disc printing device

Country Status (8)

Country Link
US (1) US20070200876A1 (en)
EP (1) EP1742802B1 (en)
JP (1) JP2007536688A (en)
AT (1) ATE435752T1 (en)
CA (1) CA2563880A1 (en)
DE (1) DE602005015309D1 (en)
FR (1) FR2869830B1 (en)
WO (1) WO2005120842A1 (en)

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Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US7540237B2 (en) * 2005-01-19 2009-06-02 Kubin Dale K Printer

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Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4885495A (en) * 1988-07-18 1989-12-05 Century Electric, Inc. Multi-piece amortisseur winding end plate
US6302601B1 (en) * 1998-06-08 2001-10-16 Primera Technology, Inc. Substrate carrier and printhead mounting for printer
JPH11348252A (en) * 1998-06-08 1999-12-21 Canon Inc Recorder
JP3570668B2 (en) * 1998-12-04 2004-09-29 株式会社リコー Optical disk device and optical disk
JP3459791B2 (en) * 1999-05-31 2003-10-27 セイコープレシジョン株式会社 Printer

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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Title
See references of WO2005120842A1 *

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JP2007536688A (en) 2007-12-13
EP1742802B1 (en) 2009-07-08
FR2869830B1 (en) 2006-07-28
WO2005120842A1 (en) 2005-12-22
CA2563880A1 (en) 2005-12-22
US20070200876A1 (en) 2007-08-30
ATE435752T1 (en) 2009-07-15
DE602005015309D1 (en) 2009-08-20
FR2869830A1 (en) 2005-11-11

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