Printing system and method including magnetic coupling device

A method of operating a system comprising a driving element that is coupled to a torque input that causes the driving element to rotate about a drive axis, the driving element comprising a first magnetic element;

• a driven element that is configured to rotate about a driven axis, the driven element comprising a second magnetic element;
• wherein both the first magnetic element and second magnetic element are susceptible to a magnetic field, and at least one of the first and second magnetic element produces a magnetic field;
• wherein the driving element and the driven element are configured such that, when in a drive position in which the drive axis is aligned with the driven axis, a magnetic interaction between the first magnetic element and the second magnetic element couples rotational motion of the driving element and rotational motion of the driven element, wherein the coupling between the driving element and the driven element causes the driving element and the driven element to be coupled at a predetermined rotational orientation with respect to each other, and wherein the driven element is mounted on a carrying device that is transportable along a path, wherein the path requires that the carrying device moves the driven element into and out of the drive position in a direction perpendicular to the drive axis of the driving element;
• the method comprising:
• rotating the driving element around the drive axis using the torque input;
• moving the driven element in the direction perpendicular to the drive axis into the drive position, thereby causing the rotational motion of the driven element to be coupled with the rotational motion of the driving element;
• and
• moving the driven element out of the drive position in the direction perpendicular to the drive axis, thereby decoupling the rotational motion of the driven element from the rotational motion of the driving element.

A printing system comprising a driving element that is disposed at a stationary location beside a track and a driven element that is configured to carry an object to be printed on and to move along the track, wherein:

• the driving element is coupled to a torque input that causes the driving element to rotate about a drive axis, the driving element comprising a first magnetic element;
• the driven element is configured to rotate about a driven axis, the driven element comprising a second magnetic element;
• wherein
• both the first magnetic element and second magnetic element are susceptible to a magnetic field, and at least one of the first and second magnetic element produces a magnetic field;
• wherein the driving element and the driven element are configured such that, when in a drive position in which the drive axis is aligned with the driven axis, a magnetic interaction between the first magnetic element and the second magnetic element couples a rotational motion of the driving element and a rotational motion of the driven element;
• and
• wherein the driven element is movable in a linear translation along the track in a direction perpendicular to the drive axis of the driving element in order to move the driven element out of the drive position, thereby to decouple the rotational motion of the driven element from the rotational motion of the driving element.