# US 12,759,314 B2 · Printing device for individually printing webs or sheets of printing substrates

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- Number: US 12,759,314 B2
- Document ID: US12759314B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/728,733
- Filed: 2023-01-06
- Published: 2025-03-06
- Granted: 2026-10-13
- Earliest claimed: 2022-01-13
- Assignees: Kolbus Group GmbH
- Applicants: Kolbus Group GmbH
- Inventors: Manuel Kötz; Randolf Voigtländer; Falk Preuss
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12759314B2

## CPC

- B41J 3/543: {with multiple inkjet print heads (B41J2/17503, B41J2/2103 take precedence)}
- B41J 2/145: Arrangement thereof
- B41J 2/17596: {Ink pumps, ink valves}
- B41J 25/001: {Mechanisms for bodily moving print heads or carriages parallel to the paper surface}
- B41J: TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS

## Abstract

A printing device for individually printing webs or sheets of printing substrates according to the ink jet principle comprises a plurality of identical printing units that can be individually positioned transversely, with every printing unit comprising two print heads and being suitable to form a separate printing region or, together with one or more neighboring printing units, to form a common, continuous printing region without ink voids.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A printing device for individually printing webs, sheets or boards of printing substrates according to the ink jet principle, wherein the printing substrate defines a printing substrate plane and the printing device comprising:
a machine frame (1);
a transport device (60) that is designed for transporting the printing substrate in an essentially linear material flow direction (100) within the printing substrate plane;
two identical printing units (2, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3) that are arranged behind one another in a direction (200) extending transverse to the material flow direction (100), wherein each of the two printing units (2, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3) respectively has a frame (20) and includes;
a first print head (23), which is designed and can be controlled in such a way that it is suitable for delivering and transferring liquid ink to the printing substrate in a predefined manner;
a primary reservoir (21) for storing a first quantity of liquid ink;
a secondary reservoir (22) for storing a second quantity of liquid ink; and
a pump (25) for conveying the liquid ink,
wherein the primary reservoir (21), secondary reservoir (22), and pump (25) are arranged in the frame (20), primary reservoir (21), the secondary reservoir (22) and the pump (25) are connected to one another and to the first print head (23) to convey the liquid ink to supply the first print head (23) with liquid ink;
wherein the two printing units (2, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3) respectively have a second print head (24), wherein the first and the second print head (23, 24) of the same printing unit (2, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3) are respectively accommodated in the frame (20) of the printing unit (2, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3) and have a printing region (203.1, 203.2) and a printing plane, the printing planes of the two print heads (23, 24) of a printing unit (2, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3) are identical to the same printing substrate plane (1000), and the printing regions (203.1, 203.2) of the two printing units (2.1, 2.2) alternately either form a common and uninterrupted printing region (204) at least in the transverse direction (200), wherein the printing regions (203.1, 203.2) of the two printing units (2.1, 2.2) directly border on one another or partially overlap one another and respectively form a second overlapping region (212) or form printing regions (203.2, 203.3) that are spaced apart from each other in the transverse direction.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The printing device of claim 1, wherein the two print heads (23, 24) of the same printing unit (2, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3) each have a printing region (201, 202) and are arranged offset to one another in the transverse direction (200) in such a way that their printing regions (201, 202) partially overlap in the transverse direction (200) and form a first overlapping region (211).

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The printing device of claim 2, wherein the printing regions (201, 202) of each printing unit (2, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3) respectively correspond to a multiple of the overlap (211) of these printing regions (201, 202) in the transverse direction (200).

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The printing device of claim 1, wherein the two print heads (23, 24) of the same printing unit (2, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3) are arranged relative to one another in the transverse direction (200) in such a way that their printing regions (201, 202) directly border on one another in the transverse direction (200).

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The printing device of claim 1, wherein the two printing units (2, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3) are respectively received in the machine frame (1) such that they can be moved individually in the transverse direction (200).

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The printing device of claim 5, comprising an adjustment device (30) for each of the two printing units (2, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3), wherein each adjustment device (30) respectively has one controllable motor (37) that communicates with the control (70) of the printing device.

### Claim 7 (depends on 5)

The printing device of claim 5, comprising a common adjustment device for the two printing units (2, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3) with a controllable motor that communicates with the control (70) of the printing device, wherein the common adjustment device is operatively connected to one of the at least two printing units (2, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3) in an alternating manner.

### Claim 8 (depends on 5)

The printing device of claim 5, wherein the frame (20) of a first printing unit (2.1) of the two printing units (2, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3) has a spacer (38), wherein the spacer (38) is arranged so as to face a second printing unit (2.2) of the two printing units (2, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3) located adjacent to the first printing unit (2.1) such that the spacer (38) limits a variable distance between the print heads (23, 24) of the first printing unit (2.1) and the print heads (23, 24) of the second printing unit (2.2) to a minimum dimension.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The printing device of claim 1, wherein the secondary reservoir (22) of the two printing units (2, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3) is vertically arranged essentially at the height of the two print heads (23, 24) of the same printing unit (2, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3).

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The printing device of claim 1, wherein the two print heads 23, 24 of the same printing unit (2, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3) are offset to one another in the material flow direction (100) in the frame (20) in such a way that their printing regions are spaced apart from one another by a distance (220) in the material flow direction (100).

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein the two printing units (2, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3) respectively have such a cranked or geared contour (27) in the printing substrate plane (1000) that these contours (27) of two adjacent printing units (2, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3) engage into one another.