Tensioning mechanism for a textile feed to a stepped operation digital textile printer
AssigneeKornit Digital Technologies Ltd.
InventorOhad Snir
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A textile feed for a stepped operation digital textile printer, comprises a textile feeding mechanism, and a tension storage mechanism. The textile feeding mechanism feeds the textile in a forward direction onto the printer, but is at the same time mechanically connected to a tension storage mechanism which is tensioned by the forward feeding. At the end of the feed step, the tension storage mechanism releases respectively stored tension to cause the feed mechanism to briefly reverse feed, thereby to pull the textile taut and take up any slack caused by the feeding step. The textile is thus kept taut, to allow effective digital printing by the printer.
Claims14
A textile feed for a stepped operation digital textile printer, comprising a textile feeding mechanism configured to feed said textile in a forward direction onto said digital textile printer, said feeding mechanism being mechanically connected to a tension storage mechanism, such that forward motion of said feeding mechanism applies tension to said tension storage mechanism, said tension storage mechanism configured to release said tension to cause said feed mechanism to feed in a second, reverse direction after feeding in said forward direction, thereby to pull said fabric taut after said feeding in a forward direction, wherein said tension storage mechanism comprises a drive mechanism and a spring, said spring being compressed by motion of said tensioning roller in said first, forward direction and release of said spring causing motion of said tensioning roller in said second, reverse direction, the feed mechanism further comprising an arresting mechanism for holding said fabric at a forward feed position following feeding so that said pull in said second, reverse direction is prevented from reverse feeding said textile.
A method of stepped feeding of a roll of textile onto a digital printer and printing on said textile, the method comprising for each step of said stepped feeding:
- feeding the textile in a first forward direction for a predetermined feeding length onto the digital printer;
- during said feeding storing tension from the feeding motion in a tension reservoir;
- at the end of said predetermined feeding length releasing said stored tension to exert a pull on said textile in a second reverse direction to pull said textile taut after said feeding;
- arresting said fabric at a forward feed position following feeding so that said pull in said second, reverse direction is prevented from reverse feeding said textile.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.