System, method and apparatus for printing oversized print media

A system for printing an entire image on oversized print media, comprising:

• a transportation system having a track;
• a printing station, comprising a moveable print head;
• an unloading station and delivery station;
• a platform, wherein the platform is sized to receive an oversized print substrate, the print substrate being sized to correspond to a desired product size, and wherein the platform resides on the track and moves along the track in a translational motion;
• a smoothing device having a horizontal bed and an elevating means, and wherein the platform further comprises a hollow frame, wherein the horizontal bed is sized to pass through the hollow frame when the horizontal bed is elevated;
• wherein the printing station and the unloading station and delivery station are coupled together by the track;
• the platform and print substrate being linearly translated along the track to each station;
• and
• wherein the print head is configured to scan across the print substrate in a direction perpendicular to the translational motion of the print substrate.

A system for printing an entire image on oversized print media, comprising:

• a transportation system having a track;
• a printing station, comprising a moveable print head;
• an unloading station and delivery station;
• a platform, wherein the platform is sized to receive an oversized print substrate, the print substrate being sized to correspond to a desired product size, and wherein the platform resides on the track and moves along the track in a translational motion;
• wherein the printing station and the unloading station and delivery station are coupled together by the track;
• the platform and print substrate being linearly translated along the track to each station;
• wherein the print head is configured to scan across the print substrate in a direction perpendicular to the translational motion of the print substrate;
• and
• a smoothing device having a horizontal bed and an elevating means;
• wherein the smoothing device is coordinated with the platform movement such that the elevating means elevates the horizontal bed of the smoothing device in accordance with a predefined position of the platform along the track;
• and wherein the platform further comprises a hollow frame, wherein the horizontal bed is sized to pass through the hollow frame when the horizontal bed is elevated.

A method for printing an image on oversized print media the copy of the image being received by a printer from a client, comprising:

• assembling a single print substrate, wherein the single print substrate comprises a plurality of smaller print substrate segments;
• editing and adjusting the print parameters for the image;
• scanning the image and storing the image on a storage medium;
• printing the image onto the preassembled single print substrate;
• and
• delivering the printed substrate to the client, wherein assembling a print substrate further comprises coupling the smaller print substrate segments together into the single substrate, and coupling an attachment member along at least one edge of the single substrate.

A system for printing an entire image on oversized print substrate, comprising:

• a transportation system having a track;
• a printing station, comprising a moveable print head;
• a smoothing device, comprising a horizontal bed and an elevating means;
• a platform, wherein the platform comprises a hollow frame, wherein the horizontal bed is sized to pass through the hollow frame when the horizontal bed is elevated wherein the platform is sized to receive an oversized print substrate, and wherein the platform resides on the track and moves along the track in a translational motion;
• and
• wherein as the print substrate passes the print head, it is adjacent the horizontal bed at an elevation higher than the platform by the elevating means;
• and
• wherein the print head is configured to scan across the print substrate in a direction perpendicular to the translational motion of the print substrate.

A system for printing an entire image on oversized print substrate, comprising:

• a transportation system having a track;
• a printing station, comprising a moveable print head;
• a smoothing device, comprising a horizontal bed and an elevating means;
• a platform, wherein the platform is sized to receive an oversized print substrate, and wherein the platform resides on the track and moves along the track in a translational motion;
• and
• wherein as the print substrate passes the print head, it is adjacent the horizontal bed at an elevation higher than the platform by the elevating means;
• and
• wherein the print head is configured to scan across the print substrate in a direction perpendicular to the translational motion of the print substrate;
• wherein the smoothing device is coordinated with the platform movement such that the elevating means elevates the horizontal bed of the smoothing device in accordance with a predefined position of the platform along the track and wherein the platform further comprises a hollow frame, wherein the horizontal bed is sized to pass through the hollow frame when the horizontal bed is elevated.

A method for printing an image on oversized print media on a printing apparatus having a transportation system;

• a printing station;
• an unloading station and delivery station:
• and a platform;
• the copy of the image being received by a printer from a client, comprising:
• assembling a single print substrate, wherein the single print substrate comprises a plurality of smaller print substrate segments;
• editing and adjusting the print parameters for the image;
• scanning the image and storing the image on a storage medium;
• printing the image onto the preassembled single print substrate;
• and
• delivering the printed substrate to the client, wherein assembling a print substrate further comprises coupling the smaller print segments together into the single substrate, and coupling an attachment member along at least one side of the single substrate.

A method for printing an image on oversized print media on a printing apparatus having a transportation system;

• a platform comprising a hollow frame, a printing station;
• and a smoothing device, comprising a horizontal bed and an elevating means, wherein the horizontal bed is sized to pass through the hollow frame when the horizontal bed is elevated;
• the copy of the image being received by a printer from a client, comprising:
• assembling a single print substrate, wherein the single print substrate comprises a plurality of smaller print segments;
• editing and adjusting the print parameters for the image;
• scanning the image and storing the image on a storage medium;
• printing the image onto the preassembled single print substrate;
• and
• delivering the printed substrate to the client.

A system for printing an entire image on oversized print media, comprising:

• a transportation system having a track;
• a printing station, comprising a moveable print head;
• an unloading station and delivery station;
• a platform, wherein the platform is sized to receive an oversized print substrate, the print substrate being sized to correspond to a desired product size, and wherein the platform resides on the track and moves along the track in a translational motion;
• a smoothing device, the smoothing device comprising a horizontal bed and an elevating means, wherein the smoothing device is positioned adjacent the print station such that the substrate passes over the horizontal bed;
• wherein the printing station and the unloading station and delivery station are coupled together by the track;
• the platform and print substrate being linearly translated along the track to each station;
• and
• wherein the print head is configured to scan across the print substrate in a direction perpendicular to the translational motion of the print substrate.