A knife assembly for cutting a substrate during relative motion between the knife and the substrate, the assembly comprising a knife having a distal knife blade and a proximal knife shaft attached to a holder rotatable about a first axis perpendicular to the substrate to define a cut direction angle. The holder is also configured to rotate the knife blade about a second axis perpendicular to the first axis to form a notch angle relative to the first axis. The notch angle is preferably automatically infinitely adjustable within a range of angles. The holder may also, optionally, be configured to rotate the knife blade about a third axis perpendicular to a plane defined by the knife blade to adjust an angle of attack of the knife blade relative to the substrate.
B26D 3/06 - Grooving involving removal of material from the surface of the work
B26D 5/00 - Arrangements for operating and controlling machines or devices for cutting, cutting-out, stamping-out, punching, perforating, or severing by means other than cutting
B26D 7/26 - Means for mounting or adjusting the cutting memberMeans for adjusting the stroke of the cutting member
G06F 30/17 - Mechanical parametric or variational design
G05B 19/4093 - Numerical control [NC], i.e. automatically operating machines, in particular machine tools, e.g. in a manufacturing environment, so as to execute positioning, movement or co-ordinated operations by means of programme data in numerical form characterised by part programming, e.g. entry of geometrical information as taken from a technical drawing, combining this with machining and material information to obtain control information, named part programme, for the NC machine
G05B 19/402 - Numerical control [NC], i.e. automatically operating machines, in particular machine tools, e.g. in a manufacturing environment, so as to execute positioning, movement or co-ordinated operations by means of programme data in numerical form characterised by control arrangements for positioning, e.g. centring a tool relative to a hole in the workpiece, additional detection means to correct position
B23B 29/04 - Tool holders for a single cutting tool
2.
HEATED TOOL FOR CUTTING AND SEALING MELTABLE MATERIAL
A tool for cutting a substrate and method of use. The tool has a blade with a distal cutting tip at least one shoulder on one side of and proximal the cutting tip. The cutting tip and shoulder are positioned so that when cutting, at least a portion of the at least one shoulder is in contact with at least one cut edge of the substrate defined by a cut line formed by penetrating the substrate thickness with the cutting tip. A heater heats the blade shoulder to a temperature that causes the portion of the shoulder in contact with the cut edge of the substrate to seal the cut edge. The method includes heating the blade, penetrating the substrate with the cutting tip with a portion of the shoulder contacting the substrate, and moving the blade relative to the substrate.
Systems and methods for processing a sheet having a printed underside. A gap between a feeder and a processing machine provides visibility to the printed underside, cameras capture images of the printed graphics through the gap, and a processor stitches the captured images together into a continuous image of the printed underside, including registration marks, corners or edges, and a sheet identifier. Processing instructions are retrieved from storage using the detected sheet identifier and are executed along processing paths calculated from detected information regarding locations of the registration marks and the corners or edges. A material guide positioned above the material path may be configured to constrain the sheet vertically as it passes over the gap and to reduce overhead light from interfering with the image capture.
A separator (10) for separating waste (820) from product (810; 2302) in a pre-cut substrate (2600) having one or more cut lines. An inlet feeder feeds the substrate (2600) into the separator (10) along a material path. A separation edge (2500) is disposed in a location downstream of the inlet feeder and defines a line below the plane of the material path. A plurality of punch tools (30; 1800; 1900; 2000) above the plane of the material path, upstream of the separation edge (2500), each has an actuator configured to position the tool in an extended configuration with a contact end of the punch tool (30; 1800; 1900; 2000) disposed below the separation edge (2500), and a retracted configuration with the contact end disposed above the plane of the material path. A controller commands each actuator to position the corresponding punch tool (30; 1800; 1900; 2000) contact end synchronized with the position of the pre-cut substrate (2600) to cause the separation edge (2500) to separate the waste (820) from the product (810; 2302) along the cut lines.
B26D 5/00 - Arrangements for operating and controlling machines or devices for cutting, cutting-out, stamping-out, punching, perforating, or severing by means other than cutting
B26D 7/18 - Means for removing cut-out material or waste
B26F 1/04 - Perforating by punching, e.g. with relatively-reciprocating punch and bed with selectively-operable punches
B26F 1/40 - Cutting-outStamping-out using a press, e.g. of the ram type
B26D 5/32 - Arrangements for operating and controlling machines or devices for cutting, cutting-out, stamping-out, punching, perforating, or severing by means other than cutting with interrelated action between the cutting member and work feed having the cutting member controlled by scanning a record carrier with the record carrier formed by the work itself
B26D 5/34 - Arrangements for operating and controlling machines or devices for cutting, cutting-out, stamping-out, punching, perforating, or severing by means other than cutting with interrelated action between the cutting member and work feed having the cutting member controlled by scanning a record carrier scanning being effected by a photosensitive device
Actuators, systems, and methods for controlling tools are disclosed. One actuator includes a first motor, a second motor, and a controller. The first motor is operable to rotate a first threading extending in a first helical direction around an axis. The second motor is operable to rotate a second threading axially spaced apart from the first threading and extending in a second helical direction opposite the first helical direction around the axis. The controller is in communication with the first and second motors. The controller is configured to control speed and direction of the first and second motors to effect a desired pattern of axial and rotational movement of the tool. One method includes rotating the first threading in a first rotational direction, and simultaneously, rotating the second threading in a second rotational direction opposite the first direction.
B23Q 5/36 - Feeding other members supporting tools or work, e.g. saddles, tool-slides, through mechanical transmission in which a servomotor forms an essential element
B23Q 5/40 - Feeding other members supporting tools or work, e.g. saddles, tool-slides, through mechanical transmission feeding continuously by feed shaft, e.g. lead screw
Actuators, systems, and methods for controlling tools are disclosed. One actuator includes a first motor, a second motor, and a controller. The first motor is operable to rotate a first threading extending in a first helical direction around an axis. The second motor is operable to rotate a second threading axially spaced apart from the first threading and extending in a second helical direction opposite the first helical direction around the axis. The controller is in communication with the first and second motors. The controller is configured to control speed and direction of the first and second motors to effect a desired pattern of axial and rotational movement of the tool. One method includes rotating the first threading in a first rotational direction, and simultaneously, rotating the second threading in a second rotational direction opposite the first direction.
B23Q 5/36 - Feeding other members supporting tools or work, e.g. saddles, tool-slides, through mechanical transmission in which a servomotor forms an essential element
B23Q 5/40 - Feeding other members supporting tools or work, e.g. saddles, tool-slides, through mechanical transmission feeding continuously by feed shaft, e.g. lead screw
A method and programmed apparatus for cutting graphics from substantially-identical sheets with graphics and registration marks printed thereon using a plotter and controlled cutter and sensor movable over the sheets, including: (1) sensing work-surface positions of the marks of a sheet and calculating an expected work-surface position for each such mark based on the work-surface positions of other marks of the sheet; (2) classifying each mark as active or inactive based on a first error criterion and applying the classification to corresponding marks of a subsequent sheet, the active marks being fewer than the total number of printed marks; (3) sensing the work-surface positions of the active marks of the subsequent sheet; and (4) cutting the graphics from the subsequent sheet based on the sensed positions of the active marks, thereby reducing the time for accurate cut-processing of the subsequent sheet.
G06F 19/00 - Digital computing or data processing equipment or methods, specially adapted for specific applications (specially adapted for specific functions G06F 17/00;data processing systems or methods specially adapted for administrative, commercial, financial, managerial, supervisory or forecasting purposes G06Q;healthcare informatics G16H)
B26D 5/00 - Arrangements for operating and controlling machines or devices for cutting, cutting-out, stamping-out, punching, perforating, or severing by means other than cutting
09 - Scientific and electric apparatus and instruments
40 - Treatment of materials; recycling, air and water treatment,
Goods & Services
Computer programs for graphic finishing systems and the control of digitally-printed graphics; software for digital printing and graphics finishing workflow and protocols therefor. Printing services; graphical printing services; printing of digital graphical images.
