# US 2024/0198705 A1 · Vertical printer apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2024/0198705 A1 - Document ID: US20240198705A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 18/539,382 - Filed: 2023-12-14 - Published: 2024-06-20 - Earliest claimed: 2022-12-14 - Assignees: Vivid Laminating Technologies Limited - Applicants: Vivid Laminating Technologies Ltd - Inventors: Gavin WARD; Lewis EVANS - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20240198705A1 ## CPC - B41J 29/02: Framework - B05B 13/002: {Machines or plants for applying coating liquids or other fluent materials by inkjet} - B05B 13/0285: {Stands for supporting individual articles to be sprayed, e.g. doors, vehicle body parts} - B05B 13/041: {with spray heads reciprocating along a straight line} - B41J 3/407: for marking on special material - B41J 3/40731: {Holders for objects, e. g. holders specially adapted to the shape of the object to be printed or adapted to hold several objects} - B41J 3/4073: {Printing on three-dimensional objects not being in sheet or web form, e.g. spherical or cubic objects (B41J3/283, B41J3/286 take precedence; building up a 3D object using individual droplets from jetting heads B29C64/112)} - B41J: TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS - B05B: SPRAYING APPARATUS; ATOMISING APPARATUS; NOZZLES (spray-mixers with nozzles B01F25/72; processes for applying liquids or other fluent materials to surfaces by spraying B05D) ## Abstract A vertical printer apparatus is described. The apparatus includes a base and a printhead unit support frame extending substantially vertically above the base. A support frame actuator is configured to move the printhead unit support frame relative to the base along a longitudinal axis. A printhead unit is mounted to the printhead unit support frame and a printhead unit actuator is configured to move the printhead unit relative to the printhead unit support frame along a vertical axis that is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. The apparatus includes a workpiece support frame fixedly mounted to the base and configured to support a workpiece so that the normal of the workpiece is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal and vertical axes. The workpiece support frame comprises at least one mounting unit for temporarily fixing the workpiece to the workpiece support frame. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A vertical printer apparatus comprising: a base; a printhead unit support frame extending substantially vertically above the base; a frame actuator configured to move the printhead unit support frame relative to the base along a longitudinal axis; a printhead unit mounted to the printhead unit support frame; a printhead unit actuator configured to move the printhead unit relative to the printhead unit support frame along a vertical axis that is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis; and a workpiece support frame fixedly mounted to the base and configured to support a removable workpiece so that the normal of the workpiece is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal and vertical axes, wherein the workpiece support frame comprises at least one mounting unit for temporarily fixing the removable workpiece to the workpiece support frame. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The vertical printer apparatus of claim 1, wherein the base comprises at least one rail that extends along the longitudinal axis. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The vertical printer apparatus of claim 1, wherein the printhead unit support frame is movably mounted to the base. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The vertical printer apparatus of claim 1, wherein the printhead unit comprises one or more printheads. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The vertical printer apparatus of claim 1, wherein an upper part of the printhead unit support frame is movably mounted to the workpiece support frame. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The vertical printer apparatus of claim 1, wherein each mounting unit comprises a vacuum suction cup connectable to a vacuum generator. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The vertical printer apparatus of claim 1, wherein the workpiece support frame comprises a bottom support for supporting a bottom edge of the removable workpiece. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The vertical printer apparatus of claim 7, wherein the bottom support includes a plurality of rollers. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The vertical printer apparatus of claim 7, wherein the bottom support is formed in a plurality of sections, each section comprising an actuator configured to move the section relative to the base along the vertical axis. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The vertical printer apparatus of claim 9, further comprising a controller configured to lower each bottom support section when the printhead unit is substantially aligned with the bottom support section along the longitudinal axis, and to subsequently raise each bottom support section when the printhead unit is no longer substantially aligned with the bottom support section. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The combination of the vertical printer apparatus of claim 1 and a removable workpiece, wherein the workpiece is a jig or mount configured to hold one or more items. ### Claim 12 A method of using a vertical printer apparatus comprising: a base; a printhead unit support frame extending substantially vertically above the base and configured to move relative to the base along a longitudinal axis; a printhead unit mounted to the printhead unit support frame and configured to move relative to the printhead unit support frame along a vertical axis that is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis; and a workpiece support frame fixedly mounted to the base, the workpiece support frame comprising at least one mounting unit; the method comprising: using the workpiece support frame to support a removable workpiece so that the normal of the workpiece is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal and vertical axes, wherein the workpiece is temporarily fixed to the workpiece support frame by the at least one mounting unit; and using the printhead unit to print the removable workpiece. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, further comprising removing the printed workpiece from the workpiece support frame. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, further comprising moving the printhead unit support frame relative to the base along the longitudinal axis when the workpiece is being printed. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the workpiece support frame comprises a bottom support for supporting a bottom edge of the removable workpiece, the bottom support being formed in a plurality of sections, and wherein the method further comprises lowering each bottom support section when the printhead unit is substantially aligned with the bottom support section along the longitudinal axis, and subsequently raising each bottom support section when the printhead unit is no longer substantially aligned with the bottom support section.