Printing multi-channel image on web receiver
AssigneeEastman Kodak Company
InventorsJoel Sherwood Lawther, David James Cornell
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A multi-channel image is printed on a web receiver by a plurality of printing modules. The receiver is entrained around a take-up roll on a movable transport. During printing, the transport moves past the printing modules while the take-up roll holds the receiver in position with respect to the transport, and then the transport comes to a stop and the take-up roll draws the receiver across the transport. A cutter downstream of the take-up roll cuts off the printed portion of the web receiver to provide a printed sheet.
Claims10
Apparatus for printing a multi-channel image on a web receiver, comprising:
- a) a plurality of printing modules arranged in sequence along a feed path of the receiver and spaced apart from the feed path, each adapted to produce on the receiver a separation image corresponding to one channel of the multi-channel image;
- b) a movable transport for the web receiver, the transport including a take-up roll around which the receiver is entrained and a cutter arranged downstream of the take-up roll for selectively cutting the web receiver, wherein:
- i) the transport is operative in a first state to traverse from the leading printing module to the trailing printing module;
- ii) the take-up roll is operative in the first state to retain the receiver in position with respect to the transport;
- and
- iii) the take-up roll is operative in a second state to draw the receiver across the transport;
- and
- c) a controller adapted to perform the following steps in order:
- operate the transport and take-up roll in the first state and activate one or more of the printing modules in sequence to print a first portion of the image;
- once the transport traverses to bring the web receiver into operative arrangement with the plurality of printing modules, operate the take-up roll in the second state and activate one or more of the printing modules to print a second portion of the image;
- and
- cause the cutter to cut the web receiver to provide a cut sheet bearing the printed image.
A method of producing a print of a multi-channel image on a web receiver, comprising:
- entraining the web receiver around a take-up roll on a transport;
- traversing the transport past a plurality of non-contact printing modules and depositing respective separation images on the receiver by activating the printing modules as they are brought into operative association with the receiver on the transport, so that a first portion of the image is printed;
- and
- drawing the receiver past the printing modules using the take-up roll and activating the printing modules to deposit respective separation images on the receiver, so that a second portion of the image is printed.
A method of producing a print of a multi-channel image on a web receiver, comprising:
- entraining the web receiver around a take-up roll on a transport;
- traversing the transport past a plurality of non-contact printing modules and depositing respective separation images on the receiver by activating the printing modules as they are brought into operative association with the receiver on the transport, so that a first portion of the image is printed;
- drawing the receiver past the printing modules using the take-up roll and activating the printing modules to deposit respective separation images on the receiver, so that a second portion of the image is printed, wherein a selected one of the printing modules deposits a first-layer separation image on a selected area of the receiver in the first or second portion;
- repositioning the receiver by returning the transport or rewinding the receiver, or both, so that the selected area of the receiver is brought into operative association with the selected printing module;
- and
- moving the receiver by traversing the transport or drawing the receiver, or both, while activating the selected printing module to deposit a second-layer separation image on the selected area of the receiver.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.