IL262968A

IL262968A - Magnetized image producing apparatus

Info

Publication number: IL262968A
Application number: IL262968A
Authority: IL
Inventors: lazimi oren; Cohen Amit
Original assignee: lazimi oren; Cohen Amit
Priority date: 2018-11-12
Filing date: 2018-11-12
Publication date: 2020-05-31
Also published as: IL262968B

Description

The term "magnetized image" refers to an image affixed to a magnetic sheet so that it can be attached to the door of a refrigerator or any other surface that is drawn to a magnet.

Magnetized images have become very popular at family events such as weddings, bar mitzvahs, and the like. The use of a magnetized image is also common in advertisements such as those for food products, professional services, retail stores, etc. The content usually contains the name of a business, the services it provides, address, telephone, email address, and sometimes a QR-code which directs to the website of the business.

Presently the process of producing magnetized images is carried out by an image "conventional" printer (i.e., not oriented to perform a specific printing job), and then laminated in order to seal the image in a plastic cover, for preserving the image and its colors over time. Then the laminated image sheet is glued to a magnetic sheet. 19230 It is common that in the production process each sheet comprises a plurality of images, and at the last stage of production, the image sheet is cut by a user in order to separate the images from each other.

In other words, the current process of producing magnetized images is manual, and therefore takes too much time to be suitable for an event of 2 to 3 hours in which the images have to be photographed and produced during the event.

All the methods described above have not yet provided satisfactory solutions to the problem of shortening the time of producing magnetized images.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a solution to the above-mentioned and other problems of the prior art.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the description proceeds.

SSSSUUUUMMMMMMMMAAAARRRRYYYY OOOOFFFF TTTTHHHHEEEE IIIINNNNVVVVEEEENNNNTTTTIIIIOOOONNNN A magnetized image producing apparatus (100), comprising: a cutting press (13), employing a blade (27); a camera (26) and an image processing unit (36), for locating borders of an image sheet (14) adhered to a magnetic-adhesive tape (12); a controllable mechanical system, for placing the 19230 blade (27) and the borders of the image sheet (14) to overlap each other; and a controller (31) for controlling controllable activities of the apparatus; thereby upon pressing the tape (12) by the cutting press (13), cutting borders of the image sheet (14), resulting in a magnetized image thereof.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the mechanical system comprises: means for shifting the magnetic-adhesive tape (12), such as two parallel and adjacent rollers (15, 16) and a controlled step motor (17) connected to at least one of the rollers (15, 16).

According to one embodiment of the invention, the mechanical system comprises: means (21) for rotating the cutting press (13) around a vertical axis (25) thereof.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the mechanical system comprises: means for shifting the cutting blade (27).

According to one embodiment of the invention, the mechanical system comprises: means (23) for lifting and lowering the cutting press (13).

According to one embodiment of the invention, the blade (27) is in the form of the borders of the image sheet (14), for example, in rectangular form. 19230 According to one embodiment of the invention, the magnetic-adhesive tape (12) is provided to the apparatus (100) by a roller (11).

The apparatus may further comprise two parallel rollers, for affixing the image sheet (14) to the magnetic-adhesive tape (12).

The reference numbers have been used to point out elements in the embodiments described and illustrated herein, in order to facilitate the understanding of the invention. They are meant to be merely illustrative, and not limiting. Also, the foregoing embodiments of the invention have been described and illustrated in conjunction with systems and methods thereof, which are meant to be merely illustrative, and not limiting. 19230 BBBBRRRRIIIIEEEEFFFF DDDDEEEESSSSCCCCRRRRIIIIPPPPTTTTIIIIOOOONNNN OOOOFFFF DDDDRRRRAAAAWWWWIIIINNNNGGGGSSSS Preferred embodiments, features, aspects and advantages of the present invention are described herein in conjunction with the following drawings: Each of FFFFiiiiggggssss.... 1111 aaaannnndddd 2222 is a perspective view from a different angle of a magnetized image producing apparatus, according to one embodiment of the invention.

FFiigg.. 33 is a side view thereof.

FFiigg.. 33 FFFFiiiigggg.... 4444 schematically illustrates a movement freedom of the rectangular blade 27, according to one embodiment of the invention.

Each of FFFFiiiiggggssss.... 5555aaaa aaaannnndddd 5555bbbb schematically illustrates a process of producing a magnetized image, according to one embodiment of the invention.

FFFFiiiigggg.... 6666 is a block diagram that schematically illustrates a control system of a magnetized image producing apparatus, according to one embodiment of the invention.

It should be understood that the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. 19230 DDDDEEEESSSSCCCCRRRRIIIIPPPPTTTTIIIIOOOONNNN OOOOFFFF EEEEMMMMBBBBOOOODDDDIIIIMMMMEEEENNNNTTTTSSSS The present invention will be understood from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments ("best mode"), which are meant to be descriptive and not limiting.

For the sake of brevity, some well-known features, methods, systems, procedures, components, circuits, and so on, are not described in detail.

Each of FFFFiiiiggggssss.... 1111 aaaannnndddd 2222 is a perspective view from a different angle of a magnetized image producing apparatus, according to one embodiment of the invention, and FFFFiiiigggg.... 3333 is a side view thereof.

The apparatus, which is marked herein by reference numeral 100, comprises a chassis in a form of four vertical pillars 19.

A cutting board 24 is connected to the chassis. Above the cutting board 24 is disposed a cutting device in the form of a press 13, comprising a cutting blade underneath (not seen in these figures). The cutting press 13 is vertically moveable in a controllable manner by a motor 23.

The cutting press 13 is rotatable along a vertical axis 25 which coincides with the rotation axis of pulley 20, which is controllably rotatable by step motor 21. 19230 The apparatus 100 comprises a roller 11 of magnetic and adhesive tape 12. The adhesiveness may be on one side or both sides of the tape 12.

A printer 10 ejects its sheets on the magnetic-adhesive tape 12, and is adhered to therein by, for example, two parallel and adjacent rollers (not illustrated for the sake of brevity) that press the image sheet (14) towards the adhesive side of tape 12.

The magnetic-adhesive tape 12 is disposed on cutting board 24. The forward and backward movement of the tape 12 over the cutting board 24 is carried out by two adjacent and parallel rollers 15 and 16, wherein at least one of them (marked by reference numeral 15 in these figures) is rotatable by the controllable step motor 17.

It should be noted that the sheet ejected from the printer does not necessarily fall in parallel to the edges of the magnetic-adhesive tape 12, but may be slightly rotated.

Upon ejecting an image sheet (not illustrated in these figures) by printer 10, the sheet is adhered to the magnetic- adhesive tape 12 (e.g., by a pair of parallel and adjacent rollers, which are not illustrated in these figures for the sake of brevity). A camera 26 takes a shot, and an image processing unit analyzes the shot in order to detect its position, including its horizontal tilt. 19230 In this situation the cutting press 13 changes its tilt by rotating pulley 20 in order to correspond to one of the sides of the image sheet, and then rollers 15 and 16 move the tape 12 such that one side thereof is under the cutting blade (the blade is not seen in these figures). In this situation the cutting press 13 goes down, and cuts the borders of sheet 14.

Thus, by shifting the magnetic-adhesive tape, and changing the angle of the cutting press, the cutting blade is placed to overlap the borders (sides) of the image sheet, and when the cutting press goes down, it cuts the borders of the image sheet.

After the borders of the image sheet have been cut, the tape is shifted outwards, allowing the next image sheet to be processed.

FFiigg.. 44 schematically illustrates the movement freedom of FFiigg.. 44 the rectangular blade 27, according to one embodiment of the invention.

The magnetic-adhesive tape 12 is shiftable forward and backward as illustrated by arrows 28.

The cutting press 13 is rotatable as illustrated by arrows .

The cutting press 13 comprises a rectangular blade 27.

In this example the size of the rectangular blade 27 19230 corresponds to the size of the borders of the printed image sheet.

Blade 27 is controllably shiftable across the cutting press 13, as illustrated by arrow 29 in this figure. The dashed line illustrates the shifting limits.

Thus, the rotation of the cutting press 13, the movement of the tape 12, and the shifting of the rectangular blade 27 across the cutting press 13 allow locating the cutting blade 27 above the frame of the printed image, such that when the cutting press 13 goes down, it cuts the magnetic-adhesive tape 12 at the frame of the image sheet.

Each of FFiiggss.. 55aa aanndd 55bb schematically illustrates a FFiiggss.. 55aa aanndd 55bb process of producing a magnetized image, according to one embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 5a illustrates the magnetic-adhesive tape 12 on which is glued an image sheet 14, as ejected from a printer (not illustrated in these figures). As illustrated, the image sheet 14 is slightly rotated.

In the situation illustrated in Fig. 5a, camera 26 shoots an image, and the image location on tape 12 including its tilt is analyzed by image processing techniques.

Then, the tape 12 controllably advances (to the right, in the figure orientation), until the image sheet 14 is placed 19230 underneath the cutting press 13. This situation is illustrated in Fig. 5b. In this situation, the cutting press goes down, and cuts the printed image sheet borders.

In the description of this figure, the reference numbers in parentheses refer to an article which is not shown in this figure but appears in other figures herein.

The control system comprises a controller 31, which obtains an image taken by camera 26 and analyzed by an image processing unit 36 for detecting the location of an image sheet (14), including its tilt.

Upon detecting the location of an image sheet (14) by the image processing unit 36, in block 34 it instructs the mechanical system of the apparatus to roll the magnetic- adhesive tape (12) underneath the rectangular blade (27) of the apparatus (100). As mentioned above, this part was not illustrated in the figures for the sake of brevity.

In this situation, the controller 31 instructs in block 35 the step motor (21) of the cutting press (13) to rotate such that the angle of the blade (27) will correspond to the tilt of the image sheet (14). 19230 In this situation, the controller 31 instructs in block 32 the blade (27) to shift in order to overlap the image sheet (14).

In this situation, in block 33 the controller instructs the motor (23) of the cutting press (13) to lower itself until the blade thereof is pressed towards the cutting board (24) thereby cutting the borders of the image sheet, and then it lifts up.

In this situation, the controller 31 instructs the mechanical control system to move the tape (12) outwards from the apparatus.

In the examples herein, a step motor is used for a controllable movement (as each step can be counted), while a motor that has not been specified as the step motor does not necessarily have to be controllable. Actually, all the motors in the example herein are step motors, except motor 23 - which is not necessarily a step motor.

This is merely an example, and the present invention can be embodied by different cutting mechanisms. 19230 In the figures and/or description herein, the following reference numerals (Reference Signs List) have been mentioned: - numeral 100 denotes a magnetic-label producing apparatus; - numeral 10 denotes a printer; - numeral 11 denotes a magnetic tape roller, having an adhesive layer; - numeral 12 denotes a magnetic tape; - numeral 13 denotes a cutting press; - numeral 14 denotes a sheet on which an image has been printed by the printer 10; - numeral 15 denotes a first roller, rotatable by controllable step motor 17; - numeral 16 denotes a second roller being pushed towards the first roller 15, for pulling the magnetic tape 12; - numeral 17 denotes a controllable step motor that rotates roller 15; - numeral 18 denotes a controllable step motor that rotates the magnetic tape roller 11; - numeral 19 denotes a supporting pole of the apparatus chassis; - numeral 20 denotes a pulley that rotates the cutting press 13 around a vertical axis; - numeral 21 denotes a controllable step motor that rotates pulley 20; - numeral 22 denotes a tray; - numeral 23 denotes a motor that vertically lifts and lowers the cutting press 13; 19230 - numeral 24 denotes a cutting board; - numeral 25 denotes a vertical axis around which pulley 20 and the motor that vertically lifts and lowers the cutting press 13 are rotatable; - numeral 26 denotes a camera; - numeral 27 denotes a blade; - numeral 28 denotes an arrow which schematically illustrates a shifting of tape 12; - numeral 29 denotes an arrow which schematically illustrates a shifting of blade 27 across cutting press 13; - numeral 30 denotes an arrow which schematically illustrates a rotation of cutting press 13; - numeral 31 denotes a controller; - numeral 32 is a block denoting a shifting of blade 27; - numeral 33 is a block denoting a lifting and lowering of the cutting press 13 by motor 23; - numeral 34 is a block denoting a shifting of tape 12; - numeral 35 is a block denoting the cutting press rotation; and - numeral 36 denotes an image processing unit. 19230 The foregoing description and illustrations of the embodiments of the invention has been presented for the purposes of illustration. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the above description in any form.

Any term that has been defined above and used in the claims, should to be interpreted according to this definition.

The reference numbers in the claims are not a part of the claims, but rather used for facilitating the reading thereof.

These reference numbers should not be interpreted as limiting the claims in any form.

Claims

1. A magnetized image producing apparatus (100), comprising: 5 a cutting press (13), employing a blade (27); a camera (26) and an image processing unit (36), for locating borders of an image sheet (14) adhered to a magnetic-adhesive tape (12); a controllable mechanical system, for placing said blade 10 (27) and the borders of said image sheet (14) to overlap each other; means (21) for rotating said cutting press (13) around a vertical axis (25) thereof, or means for shifting said cutting blade (27), or 15 two parallel rollers, for affixing said image sheet (14) to said magnetic-adhesive tape (12); and a controller (31) for controlling controllable activities of said apparatus; 20 thereby upon pressing said tape (12) by said cutting press (13), cutting borders of said image sheet (14), resulting in a magnetized image thereof.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said mechanical system 25 comprises: means for shifting said magnetic-adhesive tape (12).

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said means for shifting said magnetic-adhesive tape (12) comprises: two parallel 19230 262968/2 - 16 - and adjacent rollers (15, 16) and a controlled step motor (17) connected to at least one of said rollers (15, 16).

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said mechanical system 5 comprises: means (23) for lifting and lowering said cutting press (13).

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said blade (27) has a form of the borders of said image sheet (14). 10

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said magnetic-adhesive tape (12) is provided to said apparatus (100) by a roller (11). 15 Reuben Berman, patent attorney