Patent ID: 7387070
Filing Date: 2008-06-17
Classification: B41F,Y10S

Abstract:
1. A method for printing of indicia on a golf ball, the method comprising: providing to an orientation system a golf ball having a dimpled pattern trajectory; analyzing the dimpled pattern trajectory by a computer using a single communications transaction via Ethernet to orient the ball to a predetermined orientation; providing a conveyor having a plurality of magnetic indexing devices, each device attached to a sled on the conveyor; indexing the device to a first position using a station lock integral with the conveyor; opening a hemispherical cavity cup of the device using means to push open a pair of flexible fingers, a finger on each side of the cavity cup; transferring the oriented ball into the opened cavity cup; verifying the orientation of the ball in the device with a first vision inspection system; removing the ball from the device if the ball fails the first inspection; indexing the device to a next position using another station lock; printing a first set of indicia on up to three ball surface areas using UV curable ink; indexing the device to a next position using another station lock; printing a second set of indicia on up to two new ball surface areas using UV curable ink; indexing the device by yet another station lock to place the printing of the up to three ball surface areas in visual focus of a second vision inspection system; inspecting the printing of the up to three ball surfaces using the second vision inspection system; indexing the device to the next position by another station lock to place the printing of the up to two ball surfaces in visual focus of the second vision inspection system; inspecting the printing of the up to two ball surfaces using the second vision print quality inspection system; indexing the device by another station lock to place the up to three ball surfaces in view of a UV curing light: curing with UV radiation the ink of the printed up to three ball surfaces; indexing the device by another station lock to place the up to two ball surfaces in view of the UV curing light; curing with UV radiation the ink of the printed up to two ball surfaces; indexing the device by another station lock, wherein the ball is rejected if a signal received from the second vision print quality inspection system indicates that the ball failed inspection.