IES65201B2 - A method and apparatus for checking print - Google Patents

Abstract

A master screen (15) for checking print (3) on a hard copy (4) comprises an acetate substrate (16) with a negative image (18) of the print. The negative image 18 is the reverse of the print (3) so that by overlaying the master screen (15) on the hard copy (4) any missing elements of the print (3) can readily easily be identified since they will be visible through the negative image (18) on the master screen (15).

Description

A method and apparatus for checking print The present invention relates to a method for checking print on a hard copy for detecting a missing element of the print, and in particular, for checking type face on an instruction leaflet, a label, a package, carton or the like.

In the printing of instruction sheets, booklets, labels and data on packaging, cartons and the like, it is important that the printed matter should be accurate and free from errors and misprints. This is particularly important where the printed matter relates to instructions for use and/or dosage of pharmaceutical drugs. While in general, it is not necessary to check each individual instruction sheet, package or carton printed, it is important that random samples be checked on a reasonably regular basis in case of damage to the printing mechanism in the printing apparatus. In cases where the instructions or other printed data are in one language, such checking for errors and misprints can be carried out by a person competent in the language by reading the instructions, data or the like. However, where the instructions and data are printed in a number of different languages on the same instruction sheet, package or carton, unless a person who is competent to a high standard in all the languages of the printed matter is available to read and check the printed matter in the various languages, and in general, this is not feasible, the only other alternatives are either to have the different languages of the printed matter read and checked by a number of individuals who are competent in the respective languages in which the instructions and data are printed, or to have a person read each character of the printed matter individually and visually compare the characters with the corresponding characters on a master. In general, it is not commercially viable to have a number of people competent in the respective languages available for checking printed matter on a regular basis, and thus this is not a practical alternative. The latter alternative of having a person read and check each character is a particularly time consuming task and is by no means foolproof. Particularly, because of the high risk of the person carrying out the checking becoming fatigued in the course of reading the characters. Even in the case of instruction sheets, labels, packaging and cartons in which the instructions and data are printed in one language only, misprints can be inadvertently missed due to fatigue of the person carrying out the checking.

There is therefore a need for a method and apparatus for checking print on a hard copy for detecting a missing element of the print, the print being type face, caricatures or any other type of print.

The present invention is directed towards providing such a method and apparatus.

According to the invention there is provided a method for checking print on a hard copy for detecting a missing element of the print, the method comprising the steps of: placing a master screen comprising a negative of the image of the print on the hard copy to be checked, aligning the master screen with the hard copy so that the negative on the master screen overlays and is aligned with the corresponding print on the hard copy, and inspecting the combination of the master screen and the hard copy for detecting a missing element of the print.

In one aspect of the invention, the inspection is carried out by visual inspection.

Preferably, the master screen comprises first areas which correspond to the print on the hard copy, the first areas being transparent, and advantageously, the first areas of the master screen are colourless.

In one aspect of the invention, the master screen comprises at least one second area which defines the first areas and corresponds to a background area of the hard copy which carries and surrounds the print, each second area being of a colour or shade of colour which is different to that of the background area of the hard copy. Preferably, the colour or shade of colour of each second area of the master screen is darker than that of the background area of the hard copy. Each second area of the master screen may be translucent, and may also be transparent.

In one aspect of the invention, the master screen comprises a substrate of flexible material, which may be acetate.

Additionally, the invention provides apparatus for checking print on a hard copy for detecting a missing element of the print, the apparatus comprising a master screen which comprises a negative of the image of the print on the hard copy, the master screen being alignable with the hard copy so that on the master screen overlaying the hard copy the negative on the master screen is alignable with the corresponding print on the hard copy for inspection of the combination of the master screen and the hard copy for detecting a missing element of the print.

In one aspect of the invention, the master screen facilitates visual inspection of the combination of the master screen and the hard copy.

In another aspect of the invention, the method and the 5 apparatus are for detecting a missing element of type face on the hard copy. Typically, the method and the apparatus are for detecting a missing element of an alpha-numeric character on the hard copy. The method and the apparatus may also be used for detecting a missing part of a character on the hard copy. Needless to say, the method and the apparatus may also be used for detecting a missing bar of a character on the hard copy. The method and the apparatus may be used for detecting a missing accent of a character on the hard copy. Additionally, the method and the apparatus may be used for detecting a missing element of a print of a caricature on the hard copy.

The invention will be more clearly understood from the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof which is given by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a plan view of a correct version of the print which is to be printed on a hard copy, Fig. 2 is a plan view of a version of the print printed on a hard copy which includes misprints, Fig. 3 is a plan view of apparatus according to the invention for use in a method also according to the invention for detecting missing elements of the print on the hard copy of Fig. 2, and Fig. 4 is a plan view of a combination of the hard copy and the apparatus of Fig. 3 showing the apparatus of Fig. 3 in use.

Referring to the drawings there is illustrated apparatus according to the invention indicated generally by the reference numeral 1 for carrying out a method, also according to the invention for checking print 3 on a hard copy 4 (see Fig. 2) for detecting a missing element of the print. In this case, the print 3 on the hard copy 4 comprises printed words 5 and a caricature 6 of an individual, see Fig. 2. In this embodiment of the invention the printed words 5 are printed in black on a background 7 of the hard copy 4 which is white. The caricature 6 is formed by the white background 7 of the hard copy 4 and is defined by a black printed area 8. For ease of illustration, the black printed words 5 and the black printed area 8 which defines the caricature 6 are illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 4 by dotted areas. The words 5 of the print 3 are Spanish words which translate into English as cotton and/or rayon. Each word comprises a plurality of characters, namely, letters, some of which include accents 9, and two of the words 5, namely, y and o are connected by an oblique line, namely, / 10. The correct version of the words 5 is illustrated in Fig. 1. The version of the words 5 on the hard copy 4 includes three misprints. The accents 9 over the letter o of the words algoddn and raydn are missing. The oblique line 10 between the two words y and o is missing. In the black printed area 8 which defines the caricature 6, portion of the black printed area which defines the hat of the individual in the caricature 6 has been omitted from the print 3 of the hard copy 4.

Referring now to Figs. 3 and 4, and particularly to Fig. 3, the apparatus 1 for checking the print 3 on the hard copy 4 will now be described. The apparatus 1 comprises a master screen 15 which comprises a substrate 16 which is formed from a sheet of flexible clear colourless transparent acetate material. A negative image 18 of the print 3 is formed on the substrate 16 of the master screen 15. The negative image 18 comprises a negative image 20 of the words 5 and a negative image 21 of the caricature 6. The negative images 20 and 21 of the words 5 and caricature 6, respectively, each comprise first areas 22 of the acetate substrate 16 which are left clear and correspond to the print 3 and the printed area 8 of the hard copy 4. The negative images 20 and 21 also comprise second areas 23 which define the first areas and which correspond to the areas of the hard copy which carry and surround the print 3. The second areas in this embodiment of the invention are formed of a transparent relatively dark colour, namely, a dark orange which is printed on the substrate 16. For convenience the second areas 23 are illustrated by relatively closely spaced cross hatching.

The negative images 20 and 21 on the master screen 15 are of identical size, and shape to the correct version of the words 5 and caricature 6 (see Fig. 1) which should have been printed on the hard copy 4 of Fig. 2. Accordingly, on overlaying the master screen 15 on the hard copy 4 the negative images 20 and 21 can be readily, easily and accurately aligned with the corresponding words 5 and the caricature 6, respectively, printed on the hard copy 4.

The method according to the invention for checking the print 3 on the hard copy 4 using the master screen 15 will now be described. The hard copy 4 of Fig. 2 is laid out flat on an inspection table. The master screen 15 of Fig. 3 is overlaid on top of the hard copy 4 and is accurately aligned with the hard copy 4 so that the negative image 18 on the master screen 15 is accurately aligned with the print 3 on the hard copy 4. The combination of the master screen 15 on top of the hard copy 4 which is illustrated in Fig. 4 is then visually inspected. Since the background 7 of the words 5 on the hard copy 4 is white any missing element of the words 5 of the print 3 of the hard copy 4 can be readily easily identified by virtue of the fact that the missing elements when viewed through the master screen 15 will show up white through the first areas 22 of the master screen 15. Likewise any areas 8 of print which define the caricature 6 which are missing in the hard copy 4 will also show up through the first areas 22 of the master screen 15. Thus, by guickly inspecting the combination of the master screen 15 and hard copy 4 if no white shows up on the combination, the print 3 is accurate. If white does show up on the combination, then the missing element can be detected and corrective action can be initiated to rectify the printing fault in the printing apparatus.

In the combination of the master screen 15 and the hard copy 4 the missing accents 9 and the oblique line 10 as well as the missing portion of the printed area 8 of the hat of the caricature 6 show up white through the first areas 22 of the master screen 15.

The advantages of the invention are many. A particularly important advantage of the invention is that it facilitates ready checking of print on a hard copy without the need for painstakingly reading the print on the hard copy and comparing it with a master of the print. Because of this, the checking can be carried out significantly quicker, and more importantly, with a considerably higher degree of accuracy, since it is unlikely that operator fatigue would arise during checking.

While the master screen has been described as comprising a substrate of acetate, the master screen may comprise any suitable substrate. It will of course be appreciated that in certain cases, the master screen may be mounted in a frame. It is envisaged that the second areas 23 of the master screen 15 may be of other colours besides dark orange. It will be appreciated that the first areas need not be clear they may be coloured but it is important that they be transparent and of a lighter shade or colour than the second areas 23.

It will of course be appreciated that while the method and apparatus has been described for use in checking print which comprises words and a caricature, the apparatus and method may be used for checking the accuracy of any other type of print.

Claims (5)

1. A method for checking print on a hard copy for detecting a missing element of the print, the method comprising the steps of: placing a master screen comprising a negative of the image of the print on the hard copy to be checked, aligning the master screen with the hard copy so that the negative on the master screen overlays and is aligned with the corresponding print on the hard copy, and inspecting the combination of the master screen and the hard copy for detecting a missing element of the print.

2. A method as claimed in Claim 1 in which the inspection is carried out by visual inspection.

3. Apparatus for checking print on a hard copy for detecting a missing element of the print, the apparatus comprising a master screen which comprises a negative of the image of the print on the hard copy, the master screen being alignable with the hard copy so that on the master screen overlaying the hard copy the negative on the master screen is alignable with the corresponding print on the hard copy for inspection of the combination of the master screen and the hard copy for detecting a missing element of the print.

4. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 3 in which the master screen comprises first areas which correspond to the print on the hard copy, the first areas being transparent.

5. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 4 in which the master screen comprises at least one second area which defines the first areas and corresponds to a background area of the hard copy which carries and surrounds the print, each second area being of a colour different to that of the background area of the hard copy.