Method and apparatus for on-demand production of digitally imaged webs

A web printing and handling apparatus comprising:

• a web printing assembly operable to print individual images on a continuously moving web, including a rotatable impression drum presenting an outer surface, and at least one digital print head adjacent said drum outer surface;
• a web cutting and handling assembly including a cutting mechanism operable to cut said individual images from said continuously moving web, and a collection assembly for collecting the cut images;
• and
• a web guidance system operable to guide the continuously moving web around at least a portion of the drum surface and between the drum surface and the print head for printing of said images, and to thereafter guide the web to and into said web cutting and handling system,
• said web guidance system comprising:
• a pair of nip rollers located at circumferentially spaced locations about said drum surface and defining, with the drum surface, a web infeed nip and a web exit nip;
• and
• a servo roller adjacent said web infeed and web exit nips respectively for tensioning the web and assisting in maintaining the desired speed thereof.

In an apparatus including a web printing assembly operable to print individual images on a continuously moving web, and a web cutting and handling assembly having a web cutting mechanism operable to cut the images from the continuously moving web and a handler for handling the cut images, an improved web printing assembly comprising:

• a rotatable impression drum presenting an outer surface;
• at least one digital print head adjacent said drum outer surface;
• and
• a web guidance system operable to guide a continuous web around at least a portion of said drum outer surface and between the drum outer surface and said at least one print head for printing of the web with successive images, and to thereafter guide the web into said web cutting and handling assembly,
• said cutting mechanism producing a stream of cut images and a waste matrix, said web guidance system including a takeup roller for taking up the waste matrix,
• said web cutting and handling system including:
• a rotatable image transfer drum located to pick up and support said cut images;
• and
• a cut image collection assembly including a pair of rollers adapted to support a continuous release coated liner web moving therebetween, said liner web oriented to collect said stream of cut images from the transfer drum.

A web printing and handling apparatus comprising:

• a web printing assembly operable to print individual images on a continuously moving web, including a rotatable impression drum presenting an outer surface, and at least one digital print head adjacent said drum outer surface;
• a web cutting and handling assembly including a cutting mechanism operable to cut said individual images from said continuously moving web, and a collection assembly for collecting the cut images;
• and
• a web guidance system operable to guide the continuously moving web around at least a portion of the drum surface and between the drum surface and the print head for printing of said images, and to thereafter guide the web to and into said web cutting and handling system,
• said cutting mechanism producing a stream of cut images and a waste matrix, said web guidance system including a takeup roller for taking up the waste matrix,
• said web cutting and handling system including:
• a rotatable image transfer drum located to pick up and support said cut images;
• and
• a cut image collection assembly including a pair of rollers adapted to support a continuous release coated liner web moving therebetween, said liner web oriented to collect said stream of cut images from the transfer drum.