A method for printing on a plurality of sheets includes the steps of: arranging the plurality of sheets on a support surface of an endless conveyor, the plurality of sheets including a first sheet and a second sheet being arranged at a sheet-to-sheet distance between one another; advancing the plurality of sheets on the support surface in a conveying direction along a print head assembly for applying droplets of ink on the sheets; providing a suction force through perforations arranged in the support surface for holding the plurality of sheets on the support surface, wherein the suction force provides an air flow through uncovered perforations present in the sheet-to-sheet distance in a print region between the print head assembly and the support surface; and forming an image by the print head assembly on each of the plurality of sheets supported on the support surface of the conveyor by applying droplets of ink. The method further includes the step of controlling the sheet-to-sheet distance in response to a dew formation attribute for indicating dew formation on the print head assembly.
B41J 2/375 - Protection arrangements against overheating
B41J 3/60 - Typewriters or selective printing or marking mechanisms characterised by the purpose for which they are constructed for printing on both faces of the printing material
B41J 29/38 - Drives, motors, controls, or automatic cut-off devices for the entire printing mechanism
An electronic circuit for driving an inkjet print element in an array of print elements with an electric waveform is provided. The print element includes a piezo transducer for converting the electric waveform in a mechanical displacement. The electric waveform is tunable for an individual print element. The circuit includes a common waveform generator that is connected to the piezo transducer through a first print data dependent switch for providing an electric waveform independent of the print element. The circuit further includes a waveform tuning part, dependent on the print element and the print data, for controlling a second switch that adds electric energy from a voltage source to the electric waveform. The switches are operable in either a saturation state or a blocking state to limit an amount of dissipation in the switches.
B41J 2/045 - Ink jet characterised by the jet generation process generating single droplets or particles on demand by pressure, e.g. electromechanical transducers
3.
Ink handling unit and ink jet imaging device comprising such ink handling unit
An ink handling unit includes an ink reservoir with an integrated heat exchange channel configured for pre-heating or pre-cooling an ink feed flow entering the ink reservoir via the heat exchange channel. The heat exchange channel is in direct thermal contact with an interior space of the ink reservoir. An ink jet imaging device includes the ink handling unit. Such imaging devices are suitable to be used in highly productive ink jet processes at elevated temperatures.
A printing system includes a print station disposed at a sheet transport path, a feed section arranged to feed media sheets of different media types into the transport path so as to be fed sequentially to the print station, and a controller arranged to receive print instructions concerning images to be printed, to schedule a sequence of the media sheets, and to control the feed section and the print station such that each image is printed on a sheet of a media type that has been specified for that image in the print instructions. A sensor is arranged at the transport path for detecting a quality condition of the sheets being fed to the print station, and the controller is adapted to receive a quality signal from the sensor and, when the quality of a sheet is found to be insufficient, to skip that sheet and to reroute the corresponding image to another scheduled sheet that is compatible with the print instructions.
B41J 13/00 - Devices or arrangements specially adapted for supporting or handling copy material in short lengths, e.g. sheets
B41J 11/00 - Devices or arrangements for supporting or handling copy material in sheet or web form
B65H 7/06 - Controlling article feeding, separating, pile-advancing, or associated apparatus, to take account of incorrect feeding, absence of articles, or presence of faulty articles by feelers or detectors responsive to presence of faulty articles or incorrect separation or feed
B65H 5/26 - Duplicate, alternate, selective, or coacting feeds
B65H 29/60 - Article switches or diverters diverting the stream into alternative paths
B65H 29/62 - Article switches or diverters diverting faulty articles from the main stream
B41J 3/60 - Typewriters or selective printing or marking mechanisms characterised by the purpose for which they are constructed for printing on both faces of the printing material
5.
Method for scheduling a depletion of supply material in a printing system
A method for scheduling a depletion of a supply material in a printing system including a print engine capable of printing at a settable print velocity while using the supply material, a control unit for controlling a print job queue comprising at least one print job scheduled to be printed by means of a scheduling scheme while using the supply material, a supply material output holder for holding the supply material, and a user interface for interacting with a user of the printing system. The method includes determining a plurality of moments in time that the supply material output holder is full, and simultaneously scheduling for each determined moment in time of the plurality of moments in time a depletion event of emptying the supply material output holder in the scheduling scheme. The plurality of moments in time is determined by taking into account the total planned usage of the supply material according to print job specifications of the at least one print job scheduled in the print job queue and a capacity of the supply material output holder with respect to the properties of the supply material. Each of the determined moments in time is established on the basis of the settable print velocity of the printing system with respect to the at least one print job in the print job queue.
A sheet conveyor is provided for transporting a sheet. The sheet conveyor includes a supplying conveyor, a receiving conveyor and a sheet guidance unit. The receiving conveyor includes a support surface arranged for supporting the sheet on a contact side of the sheet and an attraction unit arranged for attracting the sheet to the support surface. The supplying conveyor includes a transport belt being arranged for advancing the sheet in a transport direction along a transport path towards the support surface of the receiving conveyor; the sheet having two side edge portions relative to the transport path. The sheet guidance unit is arranged at a downstream end of the transport path for guiding the sheet towards the receiving conveyor, wherein said sheet guidance unit includes a lifting element arranged for lifting both side edge portions of the sheet away from the support surface while a middle portion of the sheet in between both side edge portions is guided towards the support surface.
The present invention relates to a method for printing a plurality of voxels of an object in a plurality of passes of a print head of a printing system over a substrate, each pass having a movement direction of the print head relative to the substrate while ejecting marking material from the print head towards the substrate, each voxel having a position in the object, the method comprising the steps of for each voxel of the object selecting a movement direction of the print head based on the position of the voxel in the object, selecting at least one pass in which the voxel will be printed, the at least one pass having a movement direction which corresponds to the selected movement direction of the print head, and printing the voxel in the selected at least one pass. The present invention also relates to a printing system configured to execute the method.
B29C 64/112 - Processes of additive manufacturing using only liquids or viscous materials, e.g. depositing a continuous bead of viscous material using individual droplets, e.g. from jetting heads
B29C 64/393 - Data acquisition or data processing for additive manufacturing for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes
G05B 19/4099 - Surface or curve machining, making 3D objects, e.g. desktop manufacturing
A method for printing a plurality of print jobs on a flat bed printer includes automatically grouping the print jobs into a plurality of consecutive container jobs, and for each container job automatically creating a digital plan of the flat bed, automatically defining a mask with cutting information according to the created plan, receiving the defined mask on the flat bed, receiving the media pieces on the flat bed positioned in according with the received mask, and unattended printing of the print jobs on the media pieces by the flat bed printer making use of the received mask. The automatic grouping includes gathering the group of print jobs due to the print job characteristics of each of the print jobs and/or the flat bed characteristics of the flat bed and ordering the consecutive container jobs due to the print job characteristics of each of the print jobs and/or the flat bed characteristics of the flat bed.
An inkjet print head includes an ejection unit having a liquid chamber for holding an amount of liquid, a electromechanical transducer operatively coupled to the liquid chamber for generating a pressure wave in the amount of liquid and a nozzle in fluid communication with the liquid chamber for enabling a droplet of the amount of liquid to be ejected through the nozzle. A method for detecting an operating state of the ejection unit includes the consecutive steps of actuating the electromechanical transducer to generate a pressure wave in the liquid; actuating the electromechanical transducer to suppress a residual pressure wave in the liquid; sensing an amplitude of the residual pressure wave in the liquid; and based on the result of the sensing step determining that the ejection unit is (i) in an operative state if the amplitude of the residual pressure wave is below a threshold or (ii) in a malfunctioning state if the amplitude of the residual pressure wave is above the threshold.
B41J 2/045 - Ink jet characterised by the jet generation process generating single droplets or particles on demand by pressure, e.g. electromechanical transducers
A print head assembly including a print head unit, a cooling duct, and a blower arranged to pass a gaseous cooling medium through the cooling duct. The cooling duct has an elongated closed hollow cross-section bounded on at least one side by a flat wall. The print head unit is attached to the flat wall outside of the cooling duct such that the print head unit is cooled by the gaseous medium passing through the cooling duct via thermal contact through the flat wall of the cooling duct.
Belt conveyor system comprising: an endless mesh belt, the belt having a mesh structure and having edge areas at the lateral sides, a drive mechanism drivable by a drive motor to rotate the belt, and a steering roller for steering the lateral position of the belt, wherein an edge area comprises a band running substantially parallel to the lateral sides, the band comprising an elastic filler being provided inside the mesh structure, the elastic filler being discernible from the mesh structure, and wherein the belt conveyor system further comprises a band position detector for detecting the lateral position of the band.
B65H 7/14 - Controlling article feeding, separating, pile-advancing, or associated apparatus, to take account of incorrect feeding, absence of articles, or presence of faulty articles by feelers or detectors by photoelectric feelers or detectors
B65H 5/22 - Feeding articles separated from piles; Feeding articles to machines by air-blast or suction device
B65H 29/24 - Delivering or advancing articles from machines; Advancing articles to or into piles by air-blast or suction apparatus
B65H 7/02 - Controlling article feeding, separating, pile-advancing, or associated apparatus, to take account of incorrect feeding, absence of articles, or presence of faulty articles by feelers or detectors
G03G 15/00 - Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern
The present invention relates to a radiation curable ink composition comprising two ester compounds. The invention further relates to a method for making such ink composition and a printing method using such ink composition.
B41J 11/00 - Devices or arrangements for supporting or handling copy material in sheet or web form
C09D 11/101 - Inks specially adapted for printing processes involving curing by wave energy or particle radiation, e.g. with UV-curing following the printing
C09D 11/38 - Inkjet printing inks characterised by non-macromolecular additives other than solvents, pigments or dyes
C09D 11/326 - Pigment inks characterised by the pigment dispersant
C09D 11/03 - Printing inks characterised by features other than the chemical nature of the binder
C09D 11/107 - Printing inks based on artificial resins containing macromolecular compounds obtained by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds from unsaturated acids or derivatives thereof
13.
Recording substrate treatment apparatus, printing system and method of drying
A recording substrate treatment apparatus includes transporting mechanism for transporting a sheet of a recording substrate through a first chamber in the interior space of the recording substrate treatment apparatus; a first suction device arranged for removing a gaseous medium from the first chamber; and an impingement device, arranged for providing a first flow of the gaseous medium at the outer surface of the transporting mechanism. The first suction device is fluidly connected to the impingement device, such that in operation the impingement device receives a first flow of the gaseous medium from the first suction device. With this arrangement, the impingement flow is balanced with an air flow directly extracted from the first chamber of the recording substrate treatment apparatus. A printing system including such a recording substrate treatment apparatus and a method of drying a recording substrate using such a recording substrate recording apparatus are also disclosed.
The present invention relates to a radiation curable ink composition comprising an ester compound, that is suitable for printing high gloss images. The invention further relates to a method for making such ink composition and a printing method using such ink composition.
C08F 2/46 - Polymerisation initiated by wave energy or particle radiation
C08F 2/50 - Polymerisation initiated by wave energy or particle radiation by ultraviolet or visible light with sensitising agents
C08G 61/04 - Macromolecular compounds containing only carbon atoms in the main chain of the macromolecule, e.g. polyxylylenes only aliphatic carbon atoms
C09D 11/101 - Inks specially adapted for printing processes involving curing by wave energy or particle radiation, e.g. with UV-curing following the printing
B41J 11/00 - Devices or arrangements for supporting or handling copy material in sheet or web form
C09D 11/03 - Printing inks characterised by features other than the chemical nature of the binder
C09D 11/107 - Printing inks based on artificial resins containing macromolecular compounds obtained by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds from unsaturated acids or derivatives thereof
15.
Gas impingement device, recording substrate treatment apparatus and printing system comprising such gas impingement device
A gas impingement device includes a first surface including a pattern of a plurality of gas outlets, the pattern including a number of substantially parallel rows of gas outlets, the rows arranged in a direction, which direction is at a skew angle α with a front edge of the first surface of the gas impingement device. A recording substrate treatment apparatus and a printing system including such a gas impingement device and a method of drying a recording substrate by using the gas impingement device are also disclosed.
G03G 15/20 - Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern for fixing, e.g. by using heat
B41F 23/04 - Devices for treating the surfaces of sheets, webs or other articles in connection with printing by heat drying, by cooling, by applying powders
B41J 11/00 - Devices or arrangements for supporting or handling copy material in sheet or web form
16.
Printing system for cut sheets comprising a paper path with a loop
The present invention relates to a printing system for printing a plurality of sheets having different media properties, and a paper path comprising a loop in order to enable printing on the plurality of sheets in an interweaving first and second pass in the loop, and a print engine for disposing marking material on the sheets according to the image data. The print system comprises a pattern recognition module for recognizing a repeating pattern in the plurality of sheets on the basis of the media properties of the sheets. The control unit is configured to determine the entrance time of each of the plurality of sheets for entering the loop in the paper path for the first pass and for the second pass while taking the repeating pattern recognized by the pattern recognition module and a length of the loop into account.
A sheet conveying system includes an upstream conveyor section having an endless first conveyor belt movable in a first conveying direction x and extending in a first lateral direction z, the first conveying direction x and the first lateral direction z defining a first conveying plane xz; and a downstream conveyor section having an endless second conveyor belt that adjoins the first conveyor belt and is movable in a second conveying direction x′ and extends in a second lateral direction z′, the second conveying direction x′ and the second lateral direction z′ defining a second conveying plane x′z′. The conveyor sections are adapted to hold the sheets slip-free on the first and second conveyor belts. The second conveyor belt has a shear compliance in the second conveying plane x′z′ that is larger than the shear compliance of the first conveyor belt in the first conveying plane xz.
B65H 29/24 - Delivering or advancing articles from machines; Advancing articles to or into piles by air-blast or suction apparatus
B65H 5/22 - Feeding articles separated from piles; Feeding articles to machines by air-blast or suction device
B65H 29/16 - Delivering or advancing articles from machines; Advancing articles to or into piles by contact of one face only with moving tapes, bands, or chains
For assessing the functioning of an ejection unit of an inkjet print head, a comparison of a residual pressure wave with a residual pressure wave reference is employed. To enable assessment during printing, multiple residual pressure wave references are provided, each relating to a condition relevant to the residual pressure wave. Such a condition may relate to an actuation status of an adjacent ejection unit which may cause crosstalk, for example. When performing the assessment, the condition during assessment is taken into account, for example for selecting a suitable residual pressure wave reference, such that an appropriate and correct assessment can be performed independent from the conditions during assessment.
B41J 2/045 - Ink jet characterised by the jet generation process generating single droplets or particles on demand by pressure, e.g. electromechanical transducers
B41J 2/325 - Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by selective application of heat to a heat sensitive printing or impression-transfer material using thermal heads by selective transfer of ink from ink carrier, e.g. from ink ribbon or sheet
B41J 2/355 - Control circuits for heating-element selection
19.
Printing system comprising a proof print repository
The present invention relates to a printing system, comprising a print job receiving section permitting a user to submit a print job to the printing system, the print job comprising a plurality of print job settings, a print job queue section comprising a print job queue for print jobs submitted to the printing system and scheduled to be printed, and a proof print repository section comprising a proof print repository for proof print jobs submitted to the printing system. The printing system comprises a continuous monitoring section configured to compare print job settings of a proof print job residing in the proof print repository or scheduled in the print job queue with current resources available in the printing system according to a proof print policy. The proof print policy is attached to the proof print job and comprises a comparison criterion. Upon a match of the print job settings of the proof print job with the current resources according to the comparison criterion, the proof print job is scheduled in the print job queue.
The present invention provides a printing system with an apparatus for defect detection comprising a sensing unit for sensing a surface geometry or topology of a sheet and for generating data representative of that surface geometry or topology, a processor device for processing the data to detect and classify deformations, and a controller for controlling further progress of the sheet along the transport path of the printing system in dependence upon the deformations detected and classified by the processor device. Furthermore, the invention provides a corresponding method of detecting defects in a printing system.
B41J 29/38 - Drives, motors, controls, or automatic cut-off devices for the entire printing mechanism
B41J 11/00 - Devices or arrangements for supporting or handling copy material in sheet or web form
B41J 13/00 - Devices or arrangements specially adapted for supporting or handling copy material in short lengths, e.g. sheets
B65H 29/62 - Article switches or diverters diverting faulty articles from the main stream
B65H 85/00 - Recirculating articles, i.e. feeding each article to, and delivering it from, the same machine work-station more than once
B65H 7/06 - Controlling article feeding, separating, pile-advancing, or associated apparatus, to take account of incorrect feeding, absence of articles, or presence of faulty articles by feelers or detectors responsive to presence of faulty articles or incorrect separation or feed
B65H 43/04 - Use of control, checking, or safety devices, e.g. automatic devices comprising an element for sensing a variable detecting, or responding to, presence of faulty articles
B41F 33/00 - Indicating, counting, warning, control or safety devices
21.
Method for ejecting sheets from an output holder of a printing device
The invention relates to a method for ejecting a stack of sheets from an output holder attached to a printing device, the output holder configured to hold a stack of sheets printed upon by the printing device according to a plurality of print jobs submitted to the printing device, the printing device comprising a control unit for controlling the receiving of the plurality of print jobs in a print job queue and the printing of the plurality of print jobs according to the print job queue, the method comprising the steps of receiving a trigger comprising information for an ejection of the stack for another reason than a full output holder, the stack ejection to be performed before the start of the printing of a print job residing in the print job queue or after the print job residing in the print job queue has been printed, and entering a task for the ejection of the stack at a position in the print job queue, the position determining an intended moment in time of the ejection of the stack corresponding to the information comprised in the trigger. The invention also relates to a printing system configured to execute the method according to the present invention.
A method for processing with a document processing system is provided. The method includes generating a sheet assembly by executing a production route model of at least one function leading to a plurality of actions, the sheet assembly including a set of transitions that result from invocation of the plurality of actions, extracting from the sheet assembly a document imposition recipe including a set of imposition descriptions generated by computing transformations and parameters for each transition performed on the sheet assembly, and rendering the imposition descriptions of the document imposition recipe on behalf of at least one source file in order to deliver impositions in a source format describing at least placement of content of pages of the source file and action marks for subsequent displaying of the impositions on a user interface of the document processing system and/or for subsequent processing on the at least one printer and/or an the at least one finisher. A document processing system is configured to execute the method.
The invention provides a printing system with a transport mechanism for transporting sheets. The transport mechanism comprises: a conveyor body for supporting and conveying a plurality of sheets a transport path; suction means, and especially fan means, for generating an under-pressure at or adjacent to the conveyor body to hold the sheets fixed in position on the conveyor body as it conveys the plurality of sheets along the transport path; and a controller for controlling or regulating operation of the suction means to adjust the under-pressure generated. The controller is configured to control operation of the suction means based on delivery of the plurality of sheets to the conveyor body and/or a change in the delivery of the sheets to the conveyor body. Further, the invention provides a corresponding method of transporting sheets of a print medium in a printing system.
at the second angular position, guiding the leading edge between the web on the transport path and the take-up roller for attaching the leading edge to the take-up roller.
A method for scheduling operator actions for a print job to be printed in a print-while-rip mode includes assuming at least one part of a print job duration which is unknown due to missing information, establishing at least one operator action during the at least one second part of the print job duration based on a first part of the print job duration, displaying a time bar for the print job on the user interface, the time bar starting from the established start time and including a first time bar part corresponding to and proportional to the first part of the print job duration and at least one second time bar part corresponding to the at least one second part of the print job duration, and for each established operation action, displaying a digital object representing the operator action at the corresponding moment in time on the second time bar part.
In an inkjet print head for generating a droplet of ink, the inkjet print head comprises an ink supply substrate, a droplet forming unit arranged on the ink supply substrate and an intermediate element arranged between the ink supply substrate and the droplet forming unit. The intermediate element has a first element surface on which the droplet forming unit is arranged and the intermediate element has a second element surface opposite to the first element surface. The intermediate element is supported on the ink supply substrate at the second element surface. The intermediate element is provided with a number of support protrusions at the second element surface. Due to the support protrusions, differences in coefficient of thermal expansion of the droplet forming unit and the ink supply substrate may reduce an effect of a resulting deformation of the droplet forming unit on an image quality.
A method is provided for converting image data from a source format into a target format in a system including a converter for converting a sequence of data from the source format into an intermediate format, and an image processing system for converting the data from the intermediate format into the target format. The inverter is capable of dividing the data in the intermediate format into separate files. The method includes the steps of processing a first file in the image processing system; compiling a second file in the converter; and when the first file has been processed completely, instructing the converter to close the second file and send it to the image processing system and to open a new file for the next data to be converted.
A method for printing by means of a flatbed printer including a flatbed surface for placing a plurality of pieces of media to be printed upon, the plurality of pieces of media having different thicknesses, a control unit for controlling the printing of digital images on the plurality of pieces of media, a gantry constructed to move over the flatbed surface in a first direction and extending in a second direction, a print head configured to eject recording material on the plurality of pieces of media and attached to the gantry, the method including the steps of dividing the flatbed surface into a plurality of strips extending in the second direction over a length of the flatbed surface in the second direction, storing a position of each of the plurality of strips in storage of the control unit, for each strip coupling in storage a thickness range to the strip, the thickness range including a maximum allowed thickness for a piece of media to be placed in the strip on the flatbed surface and a minimum allowed thickness for a piece of media to be printed upon when placed in the strip on the flatbed surface, establishing a position of each piece of media of the plurality of pieces of media in the appropriate strip according to the thickness of the piece of media, moving the print head over the flatbed surface, and ejecting the recording material on the plurality of pieces of media when moving the print head over the flatbed surface, wherein upon the print head reaching a strip when moving over the flatbed surface, adapting the distance from the print head to the flatbed surface according to the thickness range coupled to the strip.
B41J 3/28 - Typewriters or selective printing or marking mechanisms characterised by the purpose for which they are constructed for printing downwardly on flat surfaces, e.g. of books, drawings, boxes
B41J 13/00 - Devices or arrangements specially adapted for supporting or handling copy material in short lengths, e.g. sheets
29.
Aqueous reaction liquid composition, ink set comprising such aqueous reaction liquid composition and method of printing using such aqueous reaction liquid composition
The present invention relates to an aqueous reaction liquid comprising a salt, a first surfactant being an amphoteric surfactant and a second surfactant being a non-ionic surfactant, preferably selected from the group consisting of hydrophilic silicones (such as polyalkylene oxide modified silicones/polyether modified silicones), alkoxylated alcohols, fluorosurfactants, polyether modified silicone surfactants and polyethyleneoxides. Reaction liquids according to the present invention show improved spreading on print substrates when applied, which is beneficial when the reaction liquid is applied by an ink jet method. The present invention further pertains to an ink set comprising such a reaction liquid and a method of printing using such an ink set.
C09D 11/54 - Inks based on two liquids, one liquid being the ink, the other liquid being a reaction solution, a fixer or a treatment solution for the ink
A user interface for at least one media processing apparatus includes a display device connected to an apparatus control system and arranged to visualize timings of events occurring or expected to occur in a processing sequence of the apparatus, the timings being visualized by showing an indication of each event on a timeline that has a certain time scale and a certain zero point, wherein the timeline has at least two sections which differ in the time scale and/or the zero point.
G06F 3/0484 - Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI] for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
A print head includes a plurality of chip-like tiles arranged on a common substrate, each tile having a front face with an array of recording elements disposed in the front face in a predetermined pattern, and a generally rectangular contour with a cut-out formed at at least one of its four corners, each cut-out being delimited by two reference-defining walls extending normal to one another and to the front face and serving as a reference for positioning the tiles on the substrate so as to establish a predetermined positional relationship between the recording elements of the different tiles. The substrate has a plurality of recesses accommodating each at least a part of a tile and having side walls that define engagement surfaces for each of the reference-defining walls of each tile, the substrate is formed of a material that is suitable for photo-lithographic processing, and the engagement surfaces of the substrate are surfaces formed by photo-lithographic techniques.
A method of printing includes a. providing a substrate, a reaction liquid including a coagulation agent and an ink set including a first ink composition including a first colorant and a second ink composition including a second colorant, different from the first colorant, wherein both the first colorant and the second colorant are dispersed as primary particles in the first ink composition and the second ink composition, respectively; b. applying the reaction liquid to a first surface of the substrate; c. printing a first layer of the first ink composition and a second ink layer of the second ink composition on the first surface of the substrate, wherein upon contact with the coagulation agent, the primary particles present in the first ink layer and in the second ink layer agglomerate such that secondary particles are formed in the first ink layer and in the second ink layer respectively, wherein the first ink layer obtains a first opacity and the second ink layer obtains a second opacity, wherein the ink layer obtaining the highest opacity is printed first. With such a method, the color gamut of an ink set including inks having a high light-fastness can be significantly improved. Printed matter, printed with the method is also disclosed.
C09D 11/54 - Inks based on two liquids, one liquid being the ink, the other liquid being a reaction solution, a fixer or a treatment solution for the ink
C09D 11/03 - Printing inks characterised by features other than the chemical nature of the binder
C09D 11/107 - Printing inks based on artificial resins containing macromolecular compounds obtained by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds from unsaturated acids or derivatives thereof
The present invention provides a refill adapter for coupling a closure of a toner bottle to a toner reservoir, the refill adapter comprising: a base having an insertion area for receiving the closure inserted therein and an opening mechanism for opening the closure, wherein the opening mechanism is configured to hold a first closure member of the closure and to move a second closure member of the closure relative to the first closure member along an axis between a closed position, in which the second closure member cooperates with the first closure member to close or seal an outlet opening of the closure, and an open position for dispensing toner from the toner bottle through the outlet opening into the toner reservoir; a sealing device comprising a first sealing part, which is fixed to the base, and a second sealing part, which is movable relative to the first sealing part, wherein the second sealing part is configured to be moved together with the second closure member along the axis and to thereby contact the second closure member for isolating an outer region of the closure from an inner region of the closure, which is in contact with toner. Furthermore, the invention provides a corresponding method of coupling a toner bottle to a toner reservoir, and a printing system comprising such a refill adapter and/or for performing such a method.
Disclosed is a method for preparing a nozzle surface provided with a coating having anti-wetting and anti-fouling property. The method is based, for example, on the self-healing property of the coating used in the method. Also disclosed is a nozzle surface having such coating and a print head having the nozzle surface.
A method and print system for stopping the print system are disclosed. The print system includes a control unit for controlling the printing of sheets, a print engine for printing recording material on the sheets, an input tray for holding sheets to be printed upon, and a finishing unit. The method includes scheduling printing and finishing of a plurality of sheets, including sending a sheet request from the control unit to the finishing unit, and upon receiving the sheet request, the finishing unit provides an earliest expected arrival time of a sheet at the finishing unit to the control unit. When this time is too huge, operator intervention is required and the finishing unit reports an error to the control unit, after a previous sheet has been deposited in the finishing unit, and the control units stops the print engine before the sheet leaves the input tray.
An apparatus is provided for positioning a substrate on a support body. The apparatus comprises the support body for supporting the substrate, at least one registration element, wherein said at least one registration element is positioned and arranged for registering the substrate in a preselected position on the support body when brought into a registering state. The apparatus further comprises a registration actuator movably arranged with respect to the support body for selectively arranging a registration element into the registering state.
A system and method for adding a print medium digitally to a print system are disclosed. The print system has a control unit for controlling a print job queue and print system parameters, a print engine, an input section, and a receiving section. The method includes receiving the print medium in the input section, loading a test job having prescribed print system parameters in the receiving section, printing a large number of prints of the test job to establish an unwanted deposit of marking material on the side of the stack, and establishing whether or not an unwanted marking material is deposited on a stack height side of the stack. If unwanted deposit is established, then printing a number of blank sheets of the same print medium, adjusting the print system parameters, and returning to printing. If no unwanted deposit is established, approving the use of the print medium.
B41J 11/00 - Devices or arrangements for supporting or handling copy material in sheet or web form
G03G 5/05 - Organic bonding materials; Methods for coating a substrate with a photoconductive layer; Inert supplements for use in photoconductive layers
B41J 29/38 - Drives, motors, controls, or automatic cut-off devices for the entire printing mechanism
G03G 15/00 - Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern
38.
Printing system having an attached local user interface
A printing system includes a local user interface arranged to be attached to the printing system, a plurality of functional modules, and a control system. The local user interface has a display device connected to the control system, and the display device displays information on a display screen. The orientation of the display device may be detected via a determining device. The control system receives the orientation of the display device, upon a change of the orientation of the display device, and automatically determines a functional module of the plurality of modules, which is in an operator's perception view. The display device receives the information regarding the determined functional module and displays this information on an information window. A method for displaying information of a printing system is also disclosed.
A printing assembly comprises a medium support surface, a guide assembly and a carriage support structure for moveably supporting a print head carriage on the guide assembly. The guide assembly is arranged to move the print head carriage in a carriage plane, which carriage plane is parallel to the medium support surface. The guide assembly comprises a guide beam; and a guide rail arranged on the guide beam. The guide rail and the guide beam each extend in a scanning direction. The printer carriage support structure comprises a guide frame arranged on the guide rail and the guide frame is moveable in the scanning direction and extends in the scanning direction between a first support position and a second support position. The guide frame is supported on the guide rail at said first support position and at said second support position. A carriage frame is moveably supported on the guide rail through the guide frame. The carriage frame is coupled to the guide frame such that the carriage frame is moveable relative to the guide frame in the carriage plane.
The present invention provides a guide device for guiding print medium onto a take-up roll in a printing system. The guide device comprises a first guide member presenting a substantially planar surface for limiting or preventing lateral deviation of a printed medium output from the printing system as the medium moves along a transport path towards a take-up roll for winding or taking up a length of the medium. The first guide member is stationary in use. A position of the first guide member is adjustable in a direction transverse to the transport path for setting the position to limit or prevent lateral deviation of the medium along the transport path. The guide device further comprises a second guide member presenting a support surface configured and arranged to support the medium thereon as the medium travels along the transport path towards the take-up roll. The first guide member and the second guide member are preferably integrally formed as a guide unit. Further, the invention provides a printing system which incorporates such a guide device.
B65H 23/04 - Registering, tensioning, smoothing, or guiding webs longitudinally
B65H 19/24 - Accumulating surplus web delivered while changing the web roll
B65H 20/32 - Arrangements for accumulating surplus web by making loops
B65H 23/032 - Controlling transverse register of web
B65H 23/10 - Registering, tensioning, smoothing, or guiding webs longitudinally by retarding devices, e.g. acting on web-roll spindle acting on running web
B65H 29/00 - Delivering or advancing articles from machines; Advancing articles to or into piles
41.
Preventing bleeding of multi-color print by in-line jetting
An ink-jet printing method includes printing an image with at least one ink on a recording medium, and applying a cover liquid on the image formed with the at least one ink within 1 s after printing the image with the at least one ink. An ink-jet printing apparatus includes at least one printing unit for printing an image with at least one ink on a recording medium, and an application unit for applying a cover liquid on the image formed with the at least one ink.
The present invention provides apparatus for assisting change-over of take-up rolls in a printing system, especially in a roll-to-roll printing system. The apparatus comprises a guide device for directing or guiding printed sheet output from the printing system along a transport path towards a take-up roll for winding or taking up a length of the printed sheet, and a first clamping device for holding a new leading edge region of the printed sheet formed after the printed sheet is cut to terminate the length of the sheet to be wound or taken up onto the take-up roll. The first clamping device is configured to hold or clamp the new leading edge region of the printed sheet against movement along the transport path towards the take-up roll. The guide device is movable to redirect the printed sheet output from the printing system to a buffer zone, and the guide device is configured to redirect the printed sheet to the buffer zone when the first clamping device holds or clamps the new leading edge region of the printed sheet. Furthermore, the invention provides a corresponding method of handling take-up rolls in a printing system.
The invention relates to a printing system for printing a plurality of print jobs, the printing system having a receiving unit for receiving the print jobs, a controller for controlling a scheduling process and a printing process of the print jobs, a print unit for printing the print jobs, a plurality of supply holders for holding supply material for printing, and a user interface for communicating to the operator scheduled supply operator actions. Each of the scheduled supply operator actions is linked to one of the plurality of supply holders. The controller has an establishing unit for establishing a time period of unattended printing of the printing system, and a determination unit for determining scheduled supply operator actions per holder needed to be done before the time period of unattended printing starts. The user interface displays the established time period of unattended printing and the determined supply operator actions per holder. The invention also relates to a method suitable for application in the printing system.
An ink storage apparatus and an agitator device in a printing system having at least one agitator member rotatable about an axis, wherein the agitator member includes a plurality of fin elements that extend out of a primary plane of the agitator member. The agitator member includes a paddle element having a generally planar rectangular configuration, and a plurality of fin elements that extend out of a plane of the paddle element. The ink storage apparatus has at least one ink container defining a storage volume for holding a predetermined volume of printing ink, and the agitator device is arranged within the storage volume of the ink container for agitating the ink.
An ink storage apparatus for a printing system includes at least one ink container defining a storage volume for holding a predetermined volume of printing ink, the ink container being elongate and having a substantially uniform cross-sectional profile perpendicular to a longitudinal axis thereof. The cross-sectional profile is elliptical or oval. The ink storage apparatus in a printing system includes at least one ink container defining a storage volume for holding a predetermined volume of printing ink, and an agitator device arranged within the storage volume of the ink container for agitating the ink. The agitator device includes at least one agitator member which is configured to rotate about an axis. The agitator member includes a paddle element having a generally planar rectangular configuration, and a plurality of fin elements which are configured or arranged to extend out of a plane of the paddle element.
A print fleet system includes a plurality of printer instances, which have a same set of at least one system setting. A registration system registers print jobs in combination with system settings of the same set of at least one system setting. An advice system generates advice for an operator. The registration system includes a value change made to the set of at least one system setting of a printer instance before printing a print job on the print engine. The advice system is configured to generate advice related to the same print job intended to be printed on another printer instance, the advice concerning the change includes in the registration system. The advice system is configured to transmit signals representing the advice to a user interface screen in order to advise the operator before printing the same print job on the other printer instance.
A method of using an interface device to interface to a processing unit is disclosed. The interface device and the processing unit are part of a station of a plurality of stations in a sheet processing line. The method involves using the interface device to receive a control signal from an upstream station, and comparing a selection part of the control signal with a reference, the selection part being part of an addressing part of the control signal. If the comparison result is negative, a further control signal is determined from the control signal, which is derived from and differing from the addressing part of the control signal and the interface device outputs the further control signal to a different interface device corresponding to a processing unit of a downstream station. If the comparison result is positive, an instruction signal is sent from the interface device to the processing unit.
A method for creating and processing specifications for a combined print product includes determining a plurality of parts needed to produce the combined print product, selecting a corresponding digital representation of the determined part from a digital representation collection, displaying the digital representations, and creating a digital hierarchical structure of the digital representations. An order in the digital hierarchical structure defines usage of the parts, appliance of the parts and a combination of the parts in a production process of the combined print product. Each part of the plurality of parts belongs to a part category out of a set of part categories, and the plurality of parts includes at least two resources, at least one device action, at least one finishing action, at least one combination action, at least one device and at least two logical concepts. A combined print product processing system is configured to apply the method.
A printer includes a print head fastening facing a medium support surface; a scanning print carriage being movable along a guide in a scanning direction (Y); and a transporter for transporting the medium in a transport direction (X). The printer includes a suspension structure connecting the print head fastening to the scanning print carriage while allowing movement of the print head fastening with respect to the scanning print carriage in a direction (X) parallel to the transport direction. The suspension structure is elastically deformable to allow for the movement in said direction (X).
A method of removing an electric crosstalk contribution is disclosed. This crosstalk exists in a monitoring signal from a monitored electro-mechanical transducer in a device comprising a plurality of electro-mechanical transducers which are driven by actuation signals so as to produce acoustic waves in an acoustic frequency range. The method comprises the steps of: (a) applying an actuation signal to at least one of the transducers other than the monitored transducer; (b) detecting the monitoring signal in a high frequency range outside of the acoustic frequency range; (c) deriving, from the detected monitoring signal, a number of parameters that characterize the electric crosstalk; and (d) using said parameters to calculate the electric crosstalk contribution in the acoustic frequency range.
B41J 2/045 - Ink jet characterised by the jet generation process generating single droplets or particles on demand by pressure, e.g. electromechanical transducers
In a printer assembly for image-wise providing a recording substance on a recording medium, the printer assembly comprises a print surface for supporting the recording medium; a gantry supporting a print head; and a medium supply assembly for step-wise supplying the recording medium over the print surface in a medium transport direction. The print head is configured to provide a swath of the recording substance on the recording medium arranged on the print surface in a scanning direction. The gantry is rotatable in a plane substantially parallel to the print surface such that the scanning direction is rotatable relative to the medium transport direction. Thus, skewing of the recording medium may be compensated such to prevent visibility of banding due to misalignment of subsequently printed swaths.
B41J 11/44 - Controlling by devices, e.g. programme tape or contact wheel, moved in correspondence with movement of paper-feeding devices, e.g. platen rotation
B41J 15/08 - Supporting, feeding, or guiding devices; Mountings for web rolls or spindles characterised by being applied to printers having transversely-moving carriages
B41J 11/00 - Devices or arrangements for supporting or handling copy material in sheet or web form
B41J 15/04 - Supporting, feeding, or guiding devices; Mountings for web rolls or spindles
B41J 19/00 - Character- or line-spacing mechanisms
B41J 25/00 - Actions or mechanisms not otherwise provided for
The invention further relates to an ink set comprising such an ink composition and a primer composition comprising a precipitating agent, preferably a multivalent metal salt. The invention also relates to a method of printing using such an ink set. The inks and ink sets according to the present invention are capable of improving the transport robustness of prints, in particular of prints on machine coated media.
C09D 11/107 - Printing inks based on artificial resins containing macromolecular compounds obtained by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds from unsaturated acids or derivatives thereof
C09D 11/10 - Printing inks based on artificial resins
C09D 11/38 - Inkjet printing inks characterised by non-macromolecular additives other than solvents, pigments or dyes
C09D 11/40 - Ink-sets specially adapted for multi-colour inkjet printing
C09D 11/54 - Inks based on two liquids, one liquid being the ink, the other liquid being a reaction solution, a fixer or a treatment solution for the ink
53.
Method for queuing print jobs in a print fleet system
The invention relates to a method of assigning a print job to a print job queue of a printer, the method comprising the steps of displaying an overview of print job queue representations on a user interface system, each print job queue representation suitable for showing image items representing print jobs in a print job queue dedicated to a printer of a plurality of printers, selecting a first image item of the overview of print job representation, the image item representing a first print job residing in a first print job queue of which a print job queue representation is displayed in the overview, the first print job queue dedicated to a first printer of the plurality, dragging the first image item to a second print job queue representation displayed in the overview, the second print job queue representation representing a second print job queue dedicated to a second printer of the plurality, dropping the first image item on the second print job queue representation displayed in the overview, removing the first print job from the first print job queue, adding the first print job to the second print job queue, and placing the first image item in the second print job queue representation, wherein the method comprises the step of during dragging of the first image item and before dropping of the first image item providing visual feedback of the impact of at least one of the steps according to the method. The invention also relates to a print fleet system configured to apply the method according to the invention.
The invention relates to a print system comprising a plurality of printers for printing print jobs, a user interface screen connected to the print system, each printer of the plurality of printers comprising a print job scheduling module for planning a print job schedule for print jobs submitted to the printer and an operational action scheduling module for planning an operational action schedule of operational actions to be applied to the printer, a control unit comprising a first merging module for merging for each printer the print job schedule and the operational action schedule into a first merged schedule, the control unit configured to control for each printer display of the first merged schedule on the user interface screen, wherein the control unit comprises a second merging module for merging the operational action schedules of the plurality of printers chronologically into a second merged schedule, and the control unit is configured to control display of the second merged schedule along the first merged schedule on the user interface screen. The invention further relates to a method to be applied in the print system.
An imaging system includes an imaging station, an actuator for driving a medium roller for controllably displacing the medium along a media transport path, and a controller assembly. The controller assembly includes a sensor device for generating a position signal and a processor for processing the position signal. The actuator is actuated in response to an actuation command from the controller assembly, which actuation command is derivable from a feedback component and a feedforward component. The feedback component is based on a position error. The processor is further arranged for determining a time dependent status parameter, which status parameter represents a status of the medium on the medium roller. The processor is further arranged for deriving an actuation command estimate based on the status parameter, and wherein the feedforward component includes the actuation command estimate.
G06K 15/00 - Arrangements for producing a permanent visual presentation of the output data
H04N 1/00 - PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION - Details thereof
B41J 15/04 - Supporting, feeding, or guiding devices; Mountings for web rolls or spindles
G05B 11/42 - Automatic controllers electric with provision for obtaining particular characteristics, e.g. proportional, integral, differential for obtaining a characteristic which is both proportional and time-dependent, e.g. P. I., P. I. D.
G05B 13/04 - Adaptive control systems, i.e. systems automatically adjusting themselves to have a performance which is optimum according to some preassigned criterion electric involving the use of models or simulators
56.
Inkjet print head with improved lifetime and efficiency
In a print head having a bimorph thin-film piezo actuator, the piezo-electric actuator is arranged on a membrane at a first side of the piezo-electric actuator and a passive layer is arranged on the piezo-electric actuator at a second side of the piezo-electric actuator, wherein the second side is opposite to the first side. The membrane is more compliant, at least in a lateral direction, for contraction than the passive layer. Thus, a bending direction of the actuator is affected. As a consequence, there is no need for a bias voltage on the actuator during a standby state of the print head. Omitting the bias voltage during standby results in an increased lifetime and stability of the actuator assembly.
A system and a method for automatically processing a plurality of sheets. The method includes receiving printing instructions, receiving finishing instructions, after printing, in order to form a stack of printed and finished sheets, the finishing instructions includes an instruction to create a new target stack edge extending in a direction of a stack height on each of the plurality of sheets, printing a mark on each sheet of a group of sheets of the plurality of sheets, the mark intended to hit the new target stack edge in a group of at least one target hit point, and finishing the plurality of printed sheets according to the finishing instructions to create a new actual stack edge. A plurality of actual hit points form a pattern on the new actual stack edge and comprises a continuous proportional indication for a degree of correctness of the printing and/or finishing operation.
A printing system includes a storage unit, a print unit and a control unit. The storage unit includes a print media catalog including a list of print media, each print medium in the list having a plurality of media attribute values characterizing the print medium, and each print medium categorized in at least one group based on at least one media attribute value. The print unit includes a print head for ejecting marking material on a print medium of the list. The control unit is configured to control the printing on a print medium of the list according to a plurality of optimization parameters, an optimization parameter being related to the at least one media attribute value used for categorization in a group of the at least one group. Upon receipt of a value of a particular optimization parameter for a print medium categorized in a particular group of the at least one group, the received value is automatically propagated to other print media categorized in the same particular group. A method is suitable for application in the printing system.
B41J 11/00 - Devices or arrangements for supporting or handling copy material in sheet or web form
G06K 15/02 - Arrangements for producing a permanent visual presentation of the output data using printers
G06K 15/00 - Arrangements for producing a permanent visual presentation of the output data
B41J 2/045 - Ink jet characterised by the jet generation process generating single droplets or particles on demand by pressure, e.g. electromechanical transducers
A flatbed printer assembly includes a medium support table for supporting a recording medium, the table extending in a first direction and a second direction, the first direction being perpendicular to the second direction; a gantry arranged to be moveable over the medium support table in the first direction; a carriage support movably arranged on the gantry to move over the medium support table in the second direction; a carriage configured to be detachably coupled to the carriage support; a carriage station for holding the carriage, when such carriage is detached from the carriage support; wherein the carriage support is configured to engage and disengage the carriage at the carriage station.
B41J 25/34 - Bodily-changeable print heads or carriages
B41J 2/51 - Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by the process of building-up characters applicable to two or more kinds of printing or marking processes from an assembly of identical printing elements serial printer type
B41J 3/28 - Typewriters or selective printing or marking mechanisms characterised by the purpose for which they are constructed for printing downwardly on flat surfaces, e.g. of books, drawings, boxes
B41J 19/00 - Character- or line-spacing mechanisms
A method for printing an object using a color image printer is provided. The printer applies colorant dots having a flat shape. The object has an apparent surface with a locally varying color for representing a color image on the surface. The printer comprises a white colorant, that is applied as a background underneath a surface colorant for begetting a local color of the apparent surface. The invented method comprises the steps of: generating two-dimensional image data for composing the object in slices; determining a local surface orientation of the apparent surface of the object; and applying colorant material in accordance with the two-dimensional image data, wherein, in dependence on the local surface orientation, white colorant dots are deposited between other colorant dots to compensate a color effect of an orientation of a surface colorant dot relative to the local surface orientation.
B41J 3/407 - Typewriters or selective printing or marking mechanisms characterised by the purpose for which they are constructed for marking on special material
B41J 11/00 - Devices or arrangements for supporting or handling copy material in sheet or web form
B41M 3/00 - Printing processes to produce particular kinds of printed work, e.g. patterns
61.
Mounting structure for a plurality of print head units
A mounting structure for a plurality of print head units includes a frame; a rigid support mounted on the frame, the support having a plurality of mounting sites each of which is adapted to hold an individual print head unit; and an adjusting system for positional adjustment of the print head units relative to the frame. Each mounting site has at least one adjusting mechanism for individually adjusting, in at least one degree of freedom, a position of the print head unit that is held in that mounting site.
A liquid jetting device comprising a plurality of ejection units each of which is arranged to eject a droplet of a liquid and comprises a nozzle, a liquid duct connected to the nozzle and an electro-mechanical transducer arranged to create an acoustic pressure wave in the liquid in the duct, the device further comprising an electronic control system arranged to receive a pressure signal from at least one of the transducers and to generate a transducer control signal on the basis of the received pressure signal and to control the transducers of said plurality of ejection units to operate in a mode of operation selected from a variety of different modes of operation, wherein the control system is arranged to detect an acoustic property of the liquid of the basis of the received pressure signal and to select the mode of operation in accordance with the detected property, the control system being arranged to deliver transducer control signals to the transducers, which control signals are derived from a common basic waveform that is specified by mode parameters, each mode of operation of the device is specified by a different set of mode parameters, the waveform comprises a jetting pulse and quench pulse following on the jetting pulse, and one of the mode parameters is a time delay between the start of the jetting pulse and the start of the quench pulse.
B41J 2/045 - Ink jet characterised by the jet generation process generating single droplets or particles on demand by pressure, e.g. electromechanical transducers
A method is provided for printing a digital document on a plurality of cut sheets arranged in a cut sheet printing sequence order resulting in at least one reader spread in an end product, each cut sheet having a first side and a second side, the at least one reader spread consisting of two neighboring sides, each neighboring side of which is of a different cut sheet of the plurality of cut sheets and is intended to be printed upon by a digital page image of the digital document. The method includes the step of, for each reader spread in an end product, printing each digital page image corresponding to the reader spread on the first side of the corresponding cut sheet or printing each digital page image corresponding to the reader spread on the second side of the corresponding cut sheet. A cut sheet printing system is configured to apply the method.
A method for scheduling a reload of a supply material in a printing system including a print engine capable of printing at a settable print velocity while using the supply material, a control unit for controlling a print job queue comprising at least one print job scheduled to be printed by means of a scheduling scheme while using the supply material, a supply material input holder for holding the supply material, and a user interface for interacting with a user of the printing system. The method includes determining a plurality of moments in time that the supply material input holder is empty, and simultaneously scheduling for each determined moment in time of the plurality of moments in time a reload event of reloading the supply material input holder with the supply material in the scheduling scheme. The plurality of moments in time is determined by taking into account the total planned usage of the supply material from the supply material input holder according to print job specifications of the at least one print job scheduled in the print job queue and a capacity of the supply material input holder with respect to the properties of the supply material, and each of the determined moments in time is established on the basis of the settable print velocity of the printing system with respect to the at least one print job in the print job queue.
An orifice surface is provided with a coating. A molecule for forming the coating is bonded to the orifice surface through a silicon-carbon bond. The molecule constituting the coating comprises exactly one fluoro-atom. A print head is provided with such orifice surface. In addition, a methods of manufacturing such orifice surface and a method of printing using a print head provided with such orifice surface are disclosed.
A method of forming a solid body using a two-dimensional image printer, wherein liquid droplets of different colors are used for applying solid material in several layers one upon the other, and colors of the liquids for forming a surface layer of the body are selected from a specific set of surface colors, the surface layer being formed by mixed printing of transparent droplets and surface color droplets, characterized in that the thickness of the surface layer is varied such that it increases with increasing slope of the surface of the body.
A method compensates a failing nozzle of a print head of an inkjet printer. The inkjet printer includes at least one print head, the at least one print head including a plurality of nozzles. A receiving material is moved relatively to the at least one print head. The method includes ejecting droplets of marking material from the plurality of nozzles onto the receiving material forming dots of an image, scanning the printed dots, analyzing the scanned dots for detecting whether a nozzle is failing, determining a group of nozzles, which group of nozzles most likely contains the nozzle that is failing, selecting one nozzle of the group of nozzles, in an image part ejecting compensating droplets of marking material in accordance with a compensation scheme selected as if the one nozzle is failing, scanning the image part, repeating the steps of ejecting and scanning for each other nozzle in the group of nozzles, analyzing each image part, selecting from the image parts a deviating image part, the deviating image part having a highest or lowest print quality of all image parts, selecting a compensation scheme based on the deviating image part, and proceeding with printing, including ejecting compensating droplets in accordance with the selected compensation scheme. An inkjet printer is configured to execute the method.
B41J 2/045 - Ink jet characterised by the jet generation process generating single droplets or particles on demand by pressure, e.g. electromechanical transducers
A print head mounting structure includes a beam that extends along a scan axis y of the print head; and a carriage adapted to be driven for reciprocating movement along the beam. The carriage includes a print head carrier for carrying the print head, a cable guide carrier and a link. The print head carrier has a first runner block arranged to guide the print head carrier along the beam. The cable guide carrier is connected to a flexible cable guide that extends along the beam and has a second runner block arranged to guide the cable guide carrier along the beam independently of the print head carrier. The link connects the print head carrier and the cable guide carrier for joint movement along the beam, wherein the link is rigid and play-free in the direction of the scan axis y and is resilient in all remaining degrees of freedom.
The invention relates to an ink composition, the ink composition including a pinning agent. The pinning agent provides the ink composition with thermogelling behavior. The invention further relates to a pinning agent suitable for an ink composition. The invention further relates to a method for applying an image to a receiving medium using an ink composition including a pinning agent.
C09D 11/107 - Printing inks based on artificial resins containing macromolecular compounds obtained by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds from unsaturated acids or derivatives thereof
C09D 11/03 - Printing inks characterised by features other than the chemical nature of the binder
C09D 11/102 - Printing inks based on artificial resins containing macromolecular compounds obtained by reactions other than those only involving unsaturated carbon-to-carbon bonds
The invention relates to a printing system comprising a print job receiving section permitting a user to submit a print job to the printing system, the print job comprising a plurality of print job settings comprising a proof print job setting indicating whether or not the print job needs to be proofed before printing, a control unit for controlling a print job queue for print jobs submitted to the printing system and scheduled to be printed, a user interface configured to display the print job queue, wherein the user interface is configured to display a digital user operable item for a print job in the print job queue, the print job having a proof print job setting indicating that the print job needs to be proofed before printing, and wherein the control unit is configured to schedule a proof print job corresponding to the print job in the print job queue before the print job upon activation of the digital user operable item, and to print the proof print job according to the print job queue.
A printing system and method of printing an object having a surface of varying height, by a printer configured to print a number of pass images on top of each other in a number of passes, including: deriving from an object image a number of pass images to be printed on top of each other, including: establishing pass pixels of the pass images for which pass pixels a pass pixel height is defined, where a sum of the defined heights of a sequence of pass pixels that corresponds to a respective pixel of the object image equals the height of that pixel of the object image; and printing the pass images on top of each other. An amount of printed material that is printed per printed pass pixel is varied in accordance with the defined pass pixel heights. The pass pixels heights are selected, based on random data, from a respective set of at least two positive pass pixel heights.
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)
B29C 67/00 - Shaping techniques not covered by groups , or
H04N 1/00 - PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION - Details thereof
G06K 15/10 - Arrangements for producing a permanent visual presentation of the output data using printers by matrix printers
G05B 19/4099 - Surface or curve machining, making 3D objects, e.g. desktop manufacturing
G06F 7/58 - Random or pseudo-random number generators
H04N 1/54 - Conversion of colour picture signals to a plurality of signals some of which represent particular mixed colours, e.g. for textile printing
B29C 64/112 - Processes of additive manufacturing using only liquids or viscous materials, e.g. depositing a continuous bead of viscous material using individual droplets, e.g. from jetting heads
B29C 64/386 - Data acquisition or data processing for additive manufacturing
B33Y 50/02 - Data acquisition or data processing for additive manufacturing for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes
The invention relates to a method for printing on a media object supported by a flat bed of a printer, the printer comprising a print head and a camera above the flat bed, the method comprising the steps of detecting a media object on the flat bed surface of the printer by means of a digital camera image captured by the camera, deriving camera coordinates of the media object in the digital camera image, applying a direct transformation from the camera coordinates into print head coordinates of the media object without using coordinates of the flat bed surface, and printing a digital target image on the media object by ejecting recording material on the media object from the print head, the print head controlled according to the print head coordinates appropriate for the media object.
B41J 3/28 - Typewriters or selective printing or marking mechanisms characterised by the purpose for which they are constructed for printing downwardly on flat surfaces, e.g. of books, drawings, boxes
B41J 29/393 - Devices for controlling or analysing the entire machine
B41J 3/44 - Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms having dual functions or combined with, or coupled to, apparatus performing other functions
B41J 11/00 - Devices or arrangements for supporting or handling copy material in sheet or web form
73.
Method of printing with height adjustable print head
A method of printing on a mixed sequence of media sheets uses a printer with a print head that is adjustable in height relative to a print surface that supports the media sheets. The media sheets differ in their specifications that define an admissible range for the height of the print head. The method includes the steps of retrieving admissible height ranges for a plurality of media sheets that are scheduled for printing, searching for a height value that is contained in the admissible range of all scheduled sheets, if such a height value is found, adjusting the print head to that height value, and if such height value is not found, proceeding to a problem handling routine.
A method for visualizing relationships between a source and target view includes displaying in the source view a source widget representing a source object; detecting a user interaction event for the source widget; sharing a message including a reference to or at least part of the source object; displaying in the target view a target widget representing a target object; reading by a target device that displays the target view the shared message; determining the existence of a relationship between the source and target object by looking-up in a storage the referenced or the at least part of the source object from the shared message; and updating the target view by changing the visual appearance if a relationship has been determined. The source and target object each are one of a printable object, a reprographic device or component thereof, and a property or status of any of the these.
A MEMS chip having at least two chip components bonded together by means of an adhesive layer that is applied to at least one of two mating bonding surfaces of the two components, wherein a pattern of finely distributed micro-cavities is formed in at least one of the two mating bonding surfaces, said micro-cavities being arranged to accommodate a major part of the adhesive.
An inkjet printing apparatus includes an inkjet print head arranged to be moveable in a direction of movement along a guiding assembly. The guiding assembly includes a support structure; a strip mounted on the support structure, the strip being rigidly straight in a first direction substantially perpendicular to the direction of movement and mounted in such way that a straightness in the direction of movement is provided; and an air bearing system operatively coupled to the strip. The strip extends in a vertical plane, the vertical plane being substantially parallel to the direction of movement and being substantially parallel to the first direction. The air bearing system is configured to control a position of the inkjet print head in a horizontal plane relative to the strip during movement of the print head in the direction of movement, the horizontal plane being substantially perpendicular to the vertical plane. Employing such a strip and a suitable mounting method for mounting the strip on the support structure, it is enabled to select a cost-effective and/or light-weight support structure.
The invention comprises a method for forming a 3D object, wherein the method comprises the step of depositing a support structure. According to the invention, the support structure comprises an organic di-acid having a molecular weight of 300 g/mole or less. The invention further relates to an assembly of a 3D printed object and a support structure.
B29C 64/112 - Processes of additive manufacturing using only liquids or viscous materials, e.g. depositing a continuous bead of viscous material using individual droplets, e.g. from jetting heads
B33Y 70/00 - Materials specially adapted for additive manufacturing
An inkjet printing apparatus includes an inkjet print head arranged to be moveable in a direction of movement along a guiding assembly. The guiding assembly includes a support structure; a strip mounted on the support structure, the strip being substantially rigid and straight in a first direction substantially perpendicular to the direction of movement and mounted in such way that a straightness in the direction of movement is provided; and an air bearing system operatively coupled to the strip. The strip extends in a vertical plane, the vertical plane being substantially parallel to the direction of movement and being substantially parallel to the first direction. The air bearing system is configured to control a position of the inkjet print head in a horizontal plane relative to the strip during movement of the print head in the direction of movement, the horizontal plane being substantially perpendicular to the vertical plane. Employing such a strip and a suitable mounting method for mounting the strip on the support structure, it is enabled to select a cost-effective and/or light-weight support structure.
A print job processing system comprising at least one printer, a user interface, a job file receiving section for receiving a print job having print job properties, a conflict checking section for checking for a conflict in the print job, and an auto resolve section for automatically resolving the conflict according to an auto resolve strategy, wherein the print job processing system comprises a system setting section adapted to set according to user input by means of the user interface per print job property a user interaction strategy out of a plurality of user interaction strategies, each user interaction strategy of the plurality of user interaction strategies comprising a different user interaction and each user interaction strategy being configured to be executed if the corresponding print job property has been changed due to the auto resolve strategy for the conflict.
A scrolling system for scrolling a printed roll of media includes a mechanical scrolling apparatus and a user interface device. The mechanical scrolling apparatus includes a first winder for placing the printed roll and from which first winder the printed roll is unwindable, and a second winder for winding up the printed roll unwound from the first winder. At least one winder of the first and second winder is drivable by a motor. An unwound area is a piece of the printed roll that is unwound from the first winder and not yet wound up on the second winder. The user interface device is configured to receive a selection of a part of a digital representation of images printed on the roll. Upon receiving a selection of the part of the digital representation of the images printed on the roll by means of the user interface device, the motor is activated in order to scroll the printed roll by means of the two winders until a piece of the printed roll arrives in the unwound area, which piece of the printed roll corresponds to the selected part of the digital representation. A method to be applied by the scrolling system is also disclosed.
G09F 11/00 - Indicating arrangements for variable information in which the complete information is permanently attached to a movable support which brings it to the display position
G09F 11/29 - Indicating arrangements for variable information in which the complete information is permanently attached to a movable support which brings it to the display position the advertising or display material forming part of a moving band, e.g. in the form of perforations, prints, or transparencies of a band other than endless
G09F 11/32 - Indicating arrangements for variable information in which the complete information is permanently attached to a movable support which brings it to the display position the display elements being fed one by one from a storage place to a display position the feeding means comprising belts or chains, e.g. endless belts or chains
H04N 1/00 - PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION - Details thereof
81.
Electronic beacon, use of the electronic beacon, a print system comprising an electronic beacon and a method for an electronic beacon in a printed product production process
An electronic beacon is used in a print system connected to an at least partially wireless network system. The electronic beacon is linkable to the print job via the network system, placeable on top of, attachable to or insertable in a physical intermediate product or a physical end product resulting from the print job. The electronic beacon includes a switch for activating and deactivating the electronic beacon, a memory for storing a link to the print job, and a signaling device for giving an electronic signal when the print job linked to the electronic beacon is selected on a mobile device connected to the network system. Upon detection that a mobile device and an electronic beacon are in each other's proximity, a link of a print job selected on the mobile device is sent via the network system to the memory of the electronic beacon upon activation of the electronic beacon, a link of a print job stored in the memory of the electronic beacon is sent via the network system to the mobile device, and a link of a print job stored on the electronic beacon is deleted from the memory of the electronic beacon upon deactivation of the electronic beacon.
Disclosed is a hot melt ink composition containing a substantially non-aqueous carrier composition; at least one dye which comprises at least one salt of the anthrapyridone series; and an organic sulfonic acid compound. Also disclosed is a method of preparing the hot melt ink composition.
A droplet ejection apparatus includes: a number of droplet ejection units each of which has a nozzle connected to a liquid chamber and an actuator for expelling droplets of a process liquid; a cleaning station; and a control system arranged to control a relative movement of the droplet ejection units and the cleaning station and to immerse the nozzles into a cleaning liquid, wherein a heater is provided for heating the droplet ejection units, and the control system is adapted to activate the heater when the droplet ejection units and the cleaning station are moved or have been moved towards one another, and to deactivate the heater to allow the droplet ejection units to cool down while the nozzles are immersed in the cleaning liquid.
A print head unit comprises a print head for ejecting droplets of a marking material; an electronic print head controller; and a coupling assembly for mechanically coupling the print head and the print head controller; wherein the coupling assembly provides a first coupling state and a second coupling state, wherein in the first coupling state, the print head and the print head controller are fixed relative to each other; in the second coupling state, the print head and the print head controller are enabled to move relative to each other within a limited range.
The print head unit can be easily handled in the first coupling state, while in the second coupling state the print head may be mounted in a moving carriage without the print head controller affecting the position and rotation of the print head.
A print media discharge unit includes a print media transport path along which in operation a sheet of print media is transported in a transport direction. The print media transport path is defined by a first electrically isolating print media guide and a second electrically isolating print media guide. The print media discharge unit further includes an electrically grounded electrically conductive discharge element extending through an opening in at least one of the first and second electrically isolating print media guides into the print media transport path. At least one of the first and second electrically isolating print media guide includes a plurality of guidance ribs aligned substantially in the transport direction at an angle with respect to the transport direction.
A method for applying an image onto a receiving medium uses an ultraviolet curable phase change ink. The method includes the steps of pre-curing the ultraviolet curable ink and post-curing the ultraviolet curable ink. An ink jet apparatus is configured to perform the above mentioned method.
A method is provided for controlling the ejection of ink drops from an inkjet printhead. The printhead comprises an array of ink chambers with nozzles arranged for applying a row of ink dots on a receiving medium using a control signal. The method comprises the steps of labeling a nozzle as a functioning nozzle if the nozzle, upon activation by a control signal, ejects an ink drop within predefined specifications, otherwise labeling the nozzle as a failing nozzle, and distributing a control signal associated with a failing nozzle to a neighboring nozzle to maintain a local optical density, wherein said control signal associated with a failing nozzle is not distributed to a neighboring nozzle, if a neighboring nozzle of said failing nozzle is also labeled as a failing nozzle.
B41J 2/045 - Ink jet characterised by the jet generation process generating single droplets or particles on demand by pressure, e.g. electromechanical transducers
A sheet transport assembly is provided for transporting a sheet along a process unit configured for applying a process to the sheet. The sheet transport assembly includes: a conveying unit including a transport belt and a deflection element. The transport belt is configured for advancing the sheet in a transport direction along the process unit to the deflection element, the sheet being placed with a contact side on the belt and a process side towards the process unit. The deflection element is arranged in contact with the transport belt to deflect the transport belt downstream in the transport direction relative to the process unit. The sheet transport assembly further includes a separating unit for separating the sheet from the transport belt. The separating unit is connected to an air supply source. The separating unit includes a restrain blowing device arranged for directing a restrain air flow onto the process side of the sheet in a restrain area for urging the sheet towards the transport belt proximate to the deflection element. The separating unit further includes a lifting blowing device arranged for directing a lifting air flow onto the contact side of the sheet in a lifting area for lifting the sheet from the transport belt. The lifting area is arranged extending only over a middle portion of a width of the sheet, the width being a dimension of the sheet in a lateral direction perpendicular to the transport direction.
A method is provided for determining a sheet height of a sheet conveyed by a sheet transportation unit. An optical sensor is used for sensing the surface geometry of the sheet, resulting in a two-dimensional height image of the sheet. The height image has pixels that have a value representing a local height of the sheet. The method comprises the steps of: a) selecting from the height image pixels that have a deviating value; b) substituting the deviating value of a selected pixel by a realistic value that is derived from not selected pixels; and c) determining a sheet height by finding a maximum value from the values of the not selected pixels and the substituted values. Furthermore, a print system is provided that comprises a control unit that is configured to apply the invented method.
According to the present invention a sheet handling apparatus is provided which comprises a rotary drum with openings at its peripheral wall. A strip with perforations formed therein spirals circumferentially over an outer surface of the drum in a circumferential spiralling direction, such that a screen is formed over the drum. A suction system controls a flow of air through the perforations thereby to attract sheets towards the drum. The strip is biased by means of a tensioning assembly, which exerts a tensioning force on the strip substantially parallel to the circumferential spiralling direction of the strip.
B65H 81/00 - Methods, apparatus, or devices for covering or wrapping cores by winding webs, tapes, or filamentary material, not otherwise provided for
B41F 21/10 - Combinations of transfer drums and grippers
B41F 23/04 - Devices for treating the surfaces of sheets, webs or other articles in connection with printing by heat drying, by cooling, by applying powders
The present invention provides a sheet diverting unit for selectively diverting a sheet towards a first receiving path or a second receiving path, comprising an inlet path for advancing a sheet in a sheet supply direction towards a diverter; the diverter comprising a shaft, a deflector being connected to said shaft and extending between said shaft and a tip, and an actuator arranged for rotating the shaft thereby selectively pivoting the deflector between a first deflector position for directing the sheet into the first receiving path and a second deflector position for directing the sheet into the second receiving path; said deflector comprising a guiding edge and a second edge, said second edge arranged facing a second trajectory to the second receiving path in the second deflector position for directing the sheet into the second receiving path and said guiding edge arranged facing a straight first trajectory to the first receiving path thereby said guiding edge facing a guiding element in the first deflector position for guiding the sheet into the first receiving path; wherein the guiding edge comprises a recess portion, wherein the recess portion is arranged inwardly away from the straight first trajectory to the first receiving path when the deflector is arranged in the first deflector position, wherein the recess portion is arranged for extending substantially from the guiding element towards the shaft when the deflector is arranged in the second deflector position.
A printer is provided for forming a phase change inkjet image on a print substrate. The printer includes a sheet transport unit for advancing the sheet along a print station. The sheet transport unit includes a sheet support platen, a sheet attraction mechanism and a feed mechanism. The sheet support platen includes a print surface for supporting a contact side of the print substrate. The sheet attraction mechanism is arranged for attracting the print substrate to the print surface. The feed mechanism is arranged for advancing the print substrate in a transport direction over the print surface, wherein the feed mechanism is arranged upstream of the print surface. The print station includes a print head assembly, the print head assembly being arranged for providing ink droplets for forming the phase change inkjet image on a process side of the print substrate, the print substrate being arranged on a print area of the print surface, the process side being opposite to the contact side. The print surface has an average surface roughness Ra being in the range of 1 micron to 4 micron.
A transport mechanism is provided for transporting sheets of a print medium in a printing system. The transport mechanism include a first conveyor device having a first conveyor body which is configured to support a plurality of sheets of print medium, the first conveyor body being movable to convey the sheets along the transport path in the printing system; and a transfer system including a second conveyor device having a movable second conveyor body for supporting the sheets of print medium and conveying the sheets further along the transport path, the transfer system being configured to transfer the sheets of print medium from the first conveyor body to the second conveyor body in a transfer region. The second conveyor body is arranged adjacent or proximate to the first conveyor body in the transfer region, and the transfer system includes spacer means which is configured to maintain a predefined spacing between the first conveyor body and the second conveyor body in the transfer region. An associated method of transporting sheets of a print medium in a printing system is also disclosed.
A transport mechanism and method are provided for transporting sheets of a print medium in a printing system. The transport mechanism includes a first conveyor device having a first conveyor body configured to hold a plurality of sheets of print medium and to convey the sheets along the transport path, and a transfer system including a second conveyor device having a second conveyor body configured to hold the sheets and to convey the sheets further along the transport path. The transfer system is configured to transfer the sheets from the first conveyor body to the second conveyor body in a transfer region. The second conveyor body is adjacent the first conveyor body in the transfer region, and the transfer system includes a suction device configured to provide an under-pressure at the second conveyor body for contactless transfer of the sheets from the first conveyor body to the second conveyor body.
An apparatus for cooling media sheets in a printer includes a number of cooling units, a conveyor having a first conveyor path adapted to feed the media sheets successively through the cooling units, and a switch adapted to deflect selected ones of the media sheets into a second conveyor path. The switch is disposed upstream of a last one of the cooling units and downstream of a first one of the cooling units. The second conveyor path bypasses the last one of the cooling units. The conveyor includes a decelerating mechanism configured to decelerate the sheets in the first conveyor path between the first one of the cooling units and the last one of the cooling units.
B41J 13/00 - Devices or arrangements specially adapted for supporting or handling copy material in short lengths, e.g. sheets
B41J 3/60 - Typewriters or selective printing or marking mechanisms characterised by the purpose for which they are constructed for printing on both faces of the printing material
G03G 15/23 - Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern involving the combination of more than one step according to groups specially adapted for copying both sides of an original or for copying on both sides of a recording or image-receiving material
96.
Conveyor mechanism and a method for adjusting a conveyor mechanism
The present invention provides a conveyor mechanism for conveying sheets. The conveyor mechanism comprises a movable conveyor body, a drive mechanism, and an adjustment system configured to detect and correct skewing of the conveyor body, comprising one or more markers provided on or in the conveyor body, a sensor arrangement for detecting each marker at two or more discrete positions, and a processor to determine the skewing of the conveyor body. The conveyor body and the drive mechanism of the conveyor mechanism are mounted on a movable conveyor frame, and the adjustment system includes a frame shifting device comprising one or one or more actuator for shifting or moving the conveyor frame relative to a fixed framework. The invention also provides a related method of correcting skewing in a conveyor mechanism for conveying sheets along a transport path.
B65H 5/00 - Feeding articles separated from piles; Feeding articles to machines
B65H 5/22 - Feeding articles separated from piles; Feeding articles to machines by air-blast or suction device
B65H 7/08 - Controlling article feeding, separating, pile-advancing, or associated apparatus, to take account of incorrect feeding, absence of articles, or presence of faulty articles by feelers or detectors responsive to presence of faulty articles or incorrect separation or feed responsive to incorrect front register
B65H 9/00 - Registering, e.g. orientating, articles; Devices therefor
A vacuum platen for media sheets has a sheet support wall formed with a plurality of perforations and a number of chambers formed on a bottom side of the sheet support wall. Each of the chambers is directly connected to a vacuum source. Each chamber contains an acoustic barrier member arranged to divide the chamber into at least two sub-chambers such that the sub-chambers are in fluid communication with one another and have overlapping contours when seen in a direction normal to the plane of the sheet support wall.
A device for redirecting sheets in a sheet transport mechanism, especially sheets of a print medium in a printing system includes a support member, which carries or supports at least one guide member for directing a path of travel of a sheet. The support member is configured to be mounted adjacent a first transport path of a plurality of sheets and such that the support member is movable between a first inoperative position in which the at least one guide member does not impinge upon the first transport path, and a second operative position in which the at least one guide member is introduced into the first transport path to redirect one or more of the sheets to a second, alternative transport path. The device further includes an actuator configured to move the support member between the first and second positions. The actuator is connected to the support member such that vibrations imparted by the actuator to the support member, as the support member moves between the first and the second positions, are substantially parallel to the first transport path.
In a method for jetting a droplet of an electrically conductive fluid, a Lorentz force is generated in the electrically conductive fluid. The Lorentz force is directed into an actuation direction. The actuation direction is a direction opposite to the droplet ejection direction. A jetting device is provided for printing a droplet of an electrically conductive fluid.
B41J 2/06 - Ink jet characterised by the jet generation process generating single droplets or particles on demand by electric or magnetic field
H05K 3/10 - Apparatus or processes for manufacturing printed circuits in which conductive material is applied to the insulating support in such a manner as to form the desired conductive pattern
B22F 9/08 - Making metallic powder or suspensions thereof; Apparatus or devices specially adapted therefor using physical processes starting from liquid material by casting, e.g. through sieves or in water, by atomising or spraying
B22F 5/00 - Manufacture of workpieces or articles from metallic powder characterised by the special shape of the product
100.
Method for generating prints on a flatbed printer, apparatus therefor and a computer program therefor
A flatbed printer and a method for printing with a flatbed printer are disclosed. The flatbed printer includes a flatbed surface for placing media to be printed upon, a controller configured to control the printing of digital images on the media, a camera-projector system connected to the controller and situated above the flatbed surface, and a print head for ejecting recording material on the media. The method includes detecting an arbitrary position, an arbitrary shape, an arbitrary size and/or an arbitrary thickness of a media on the flatbed surface with a camera of the camera-projector system, projecting a digital image on the media with a projector of the camera-projector system, and printing the digital image on the media according to the projection by moving the print head over the flatbed surface.
B41J 29/393 - Devices for controlling or analysing the entire machine
B41J 29/38 - Drives, motors, controls, or automatic cut-off devices for the entire printing mechanism
H04N 1/00 - PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION - Details thereof
B41J 3/28 - Typewriters or selective printing or marking mechanisms characterised by the purpose for which they are constructed for printing downwardly on flat surfaces, e.g. of books, drawings, boxes
B41J 11/00 - Devices or arrangements for supporting or handling copy material in sheet or web form
patents
