DE2501793A1 - PRINT ARRANGEMENT - Google Patents

Description

Pressure arrangement

The invention relates to a printing arrangement for Performing printing operations that require a high degree of flexibility. One example is the area the publication of newspapers, which is still under increasing pressure, the manifold reading interests to satisfy an increasingly demanding readership. These days the average reader is constant Communication studies exposed him to large amounts of information transmit of general and special interest. The sources of this information are Television, radio, telephone, weekly newspapers, daily newspapers and specialist magazines.

Daily newspapers in major cities have tried everyone Meet people by adding columns for special interest as well as advertising in them and local and world news were included. However, this news is of little consequence to most readers Interest if they do not contain compilations of events broadcast on radio and television. As a result, the larger daily newspapers were closed

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forced to operate with multiple editions "at which every day five or six different editions are printed for distribution in the capital can. These requirements are similar in general terms, but they are each Updated to include news that was at press time of the previous editions were not yet available.

In addition to the numerous print runs required to keep the news up to the last minute, many major metropolitan daily newspapers publish several different runs for suburban sales. These requirements are in terms of their general content equal to each other, but one or more pages, or T _e are ile pages so packed that they contain news articles and advertisements that are in the suburban area of particular interest in which this requirement is distributed. These suburban editions were necessary because of competition with small regional newspapers which were very well suited to serving suburban residents' interests in news of local importance.

Despite the multiple circulation mentioned above, larger daily newspapers struggled to compete with other media and many did not succeed. An important contributing factor to such failure is the great expense of preparing a newspaper run, which in turn prevents profitability unless a large number of issues of each run are sold. It is easy to see, however, that editions that are up to date or in content to the last minute are strong

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are specialized, cannot be printed in large numbers. The failures of daily newspapers are polar continued to occur, and much of the public interest has been on increasing concentrated news media as single "ordered Facsimile newspapers are concentrated as generally described in U.S. Patent 3,479,451.

Many improvements have been proposed to reduce the large cost of producing a daily newspaper been. For example, it has been proposed to put the set of newspaper pages under control to provide a computer. Typical examples of such computerized typesetting systems are shown in U.S. Patent 3,593,305 and U.S. Patent 3,626,824. In addition to such improvements in the set making process, it has many improvements in type setting including photosetting given to the guy under the control of a computer on one photographic film were set without actually handling a type. The end result of such improvements can be from a number of photographic negatives each of which is a full newspaper page is equivalent to. Such negatives are used to make printing plates, depending on the type of used Printing presses can be of various types. In any case, there must be a series of new records for each new edition of the newspaper being produced, and the printing of each new edition has to stop the presses This is preceded by changing the plates and getting the press ready for printing, followed by the printing presses again to be started. It can be seen that this is a very lengthy and expensive process that increases the number the special editions that can be printed economically are severely limited.

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The invention enables the printing of fixed and variable information fields, for example for Publication of multiple editions of newspapers and the like. According to the invention, printing is done without Shutting down the printing press achieved by providing a dot matrix printing device that directly, so it can be reprogrammed in on-line operation and that prints within a column that is marked by a conventional printing press cooperating with him has been released. Another area of application The invention is the printing of business forms, many of which have some standard information as well as other variable information that can change from form to form.

The dot matrix printing device is preferably an inkjet field printer, which can be controlled by one of two memories. For printing daily newspapers with several editions, each memory can contain both graphic representations and text information and each memory can control the inkjet printer while the other memory is loaded with new ones Information is loaded. The graphic information will be loaded into the memories in the form of point matrices; Text information, on the other hand, is in the form of character code groups saved. At the end of the character code groups there is a special code group, the end-of-text code group and which is used in connection with the storage selection. A switch is provided with the help of which it is possible to switch from one memory to the other; this switch is at triggered every occurrence of the end-of-text code group. This prevents the dot matrix printer from printing the imprint in change the middle of a newspaper page.

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To synchronize the operation of the dot matrix printer with the movement of the printed paper, a tachometer is provided _T which generates pulses with a pulse sequence dependent on the speed of the paper movement. Ea an output register is provided which contains printing information for a row of matrix cells across the column being printed by the dot matrix printer and this register is loaded with new printing control information each time the tachometer generates a new pulse. In this way, the printed dot matrix information is held in line with one another, and the vertical extent of the dot matrix columns does not change with changes in the paper speed. In order to cause the dot matrix column to be covered with the space left empty by the conventional printing press, the conventional printing press prints a special print start code group which is read by a sensor. This sensor is arranged to observe the paper fed to the dot matrix printer; when it recognizes the print start code group, it activates a timer which, after a suitable time delay, causes the dot matrix printer to start printing.

It can thus be seen that the invention aims to provide a printing press that is long It can run uninterrupted passes, however, sections of the printed digest during the middle of a Can change pass. Another object of the invention is to provide an ink jet printing apparatus having a conventional one Printing press can be combined so that a printing arrangement with the combined capabilities of both devices arises. The arrangement to be created with the aid of the invention is intended to cost-effectively print multiple editions allow a daily newspaper.

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The invention will now be exemplified with reference to the drawing explained. Show it:

Fig. 1 shows the front page of a newspaper with conventional printed columns and with one according to the invention printed special column,

Fig. 2 is an illustration of a printing arrangement "in which use is made of the invention,

Figure 3 is a schematic sectional view of an ink jet printhead ,

Figures 4 A and 4 B are a schematic circuit diagram of the logic for controlling an inkjet printer according to the invention,

Fig. 5 shows a diode matrix and

Figure 6 is an enlarged view of a portion of a newspaper column shown with characters based on a dot matrix is printed.

As an example of a proof which can be printed in accordance with the invention, FIG. 1 is a specially printed one Newspaper 10 shown. The front page of this newspaper contains a first information field that consists of the usual heading and columns 11 printed by a conventional printing press are; Furthermore, the title page contains a second information field with two areas 12 and 13, which are printed with the help of a dot matrix printer. The surface area 12 contains a pictorial representation, while the area 13 consists of text. The surface area 13 can be below the surface area

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be attached, and the two surface areas can extend together over the entire length of a side or extend part of the page. The two areas are preferably of the same width, that of depends on the size and number of characters to be printed in it.

Fig. 2 shows schematically a complete printing arrangement according to the invention. As can be seen from the illustration, a data input unit 14 supplies coded print data to a print control unit 18. The data input unit 14 preferably contains a monitor 15, a keypad 16 and a scanning unit 14. The pressure control unit 18 preferably contains operating elements accessible to the operator, a memory, character generation circuits, a print control logic as well as input and output buffers. Preferably the storage capacity is the memory within the control unit 18 twice as large as the size required for the printed proof, so that the memory can be loaded with a revised print without disturbing the operation of the arrangement will. Output signals from the control unit 18 are fed to a dot matrix printer 19, which is preferably an ink jet printhead which has a supply of ink 20 and is connected to a power supply 22. The power supply 22 supplies a DC voltage Generation of electrostatic drop deflection fields as well as a regulated alternating voltage for drop excitation as described below.

A web 25 is passed between two pressure rollers 24, over two guide rollers 26 and then to further devices, which the printed web in the usual way for Putting together a newspaper cut and fold. To the The company can print 60,000 daily newspapers per hour

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The speed of the web will be about 610 m (2000 ft) per minute. During the run between the two guide rollers 26, the web 25 runs under an optical sensor 23, then under the ink jet printhead 19 and finally under a dryer 21. The pressure rollers 24 can be text pressure rollers or others be conventional rollers, and they print the bulk of the newspaper while leaving a blank unprinted area 27 leave blank for printing by the inkjet printhead 19. The upper platen 24 prints at the beginning of each new area section 27 a print start code group which is scanned by the optical sensor 23.

The optical sensor 23 can be connected to activate a timer which in turn controls the ink jet printing process triggers at the right time. For this purpose, the print start code group can be any suitable Be a code group that can be read by conventional automatic readers. For example, the Code group can be a width-coded bar code group, and the probe can be a device such as that shown in U.S. Patent 3,716,699. The timer can also be triggered by a digital encoder, which is attached to one of the pressure rollers 24.

The data input unit 14 generates both image information and: text information for storage in the Memory of the arrangement; in general, these two different types of information have different ones Formats. The image information can therefore be scanned on a film slide or in another graphic form are offered by the scanning unit 17 while the text information is entered via the keypad 16 will. The output of the scanning unit is a digital representation of black and white punk

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th as seen by a scanning photo sensor and this digital information is stored within the memory of the array in binary form; that is, each observed white resolution cell is represented by a binary "zero" and each observed black resolution cell is represented by a binary "one". A typical image area of 250 µm resolution cells with length and width dimensions of 12.2 cm (4.80 inches) is thus represented by the binary states of 230,400 storage locations within the memory of the array. Obviously, the text material can be treated as image information and also entered into the memory by scanning. 40 cm (16 inches) of image text would require 768,000 memory locations, so that a number of bits of memory in the vicinity of a million would be required for scanner controlled printing of areas 12 and 13.

Preferably, outputs the data input unit 14, only the image information for the printed Flächenbereich12 by sampling in the memory, and uses it for controlling the storage dea T _e xtes for ä®n S ^e "~ printed area 13, the keypad 16. This leads to a considerable Reduction of the need for memory capacity, since a character matrix, which typically contains 16 lines of 12 cells, can each be represented by a code group, which expediently consists of a single 8-bit word. Thus, the above-mentioned 40 cm of text (100 lines 40 characters each) can be represented by 4,000 character code groups or a total of 32,000 information bits.These information bits are loaded into the memory of the arrangement after the bits representing the pixels, and they are read again serially, as below

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still "is written. Ideally, the memory the arrangement connected so that it stores the monitor 15 and the print head 19 so ^ that an operator can check the print to be printed.

As described above, is the data entry unit Figure 14 is a fairly conventional device connected to load one of two memories; everyone Memory has a graphics section and a character code section. However, there is a special one Requirement that the keypad 16 needs a special key for generating an end-of-text code group. The keypad 16 also contains the usual keys for various letters, numbers and symbols and a space key. The space key (not shown) causes a Code group that the printer interprets as a space. The application of this key is important as any Complete line with letters or spaces must be filled. Depending on the operator's preference, there can be separate spaces at the end of each line appear or be inserted between words within the lines to create a line exclusion. As an alternative, line exclusion is also possible and to automatically carry out a proportional character spacing in the place of the data input unit one of the many known light setting systems is used, but in such a Pail the output signal of the light setting device are saved in graphical form and not in the form of character code groups. In another Embodiment can include the character information in the form of character code groups are stored, the proportional spacing when reading according to US-PS 3 174 427 is achieved.

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The print head 19 can be constructed in general so as described in U.S. Patent 3,701,998; it can look like the simplified cross-section of Pig. 3 is specified. There is an ink supply 30 is provided in a distributor port 29 by means of a . Perforated plate 30 is held. The perforated plate 31 is ■ with a number of. Holes 32 provided in two Rows can be arranged. For printing a surface area such as Pig's surface area 13. 1, the The perforated plate 31 has a total of lines with 40 character matrices, each with a width of 12 cells 480 holes or two rows of 240 holes each. The two rows of holes are offset from one another, in order to achieve full print coverage, as described in detail in US Pat. No. 3,560,640. Typically, the distance between the rows can be about 1.5 mm (60 mils), and the distance between the rows holes within each row can be approximately 0.5 mm (20 mils). The hole diameter is about 45 ^ m (1.8 in mils).

Ink is supplied to the manifold connection 29 under pressure so that 480 streams of ink continuously flow through the holes 32. An excitation device (not shown) is offset the orifice plate 31 in vibrations, which cause each of the ink streams in equal and regular Drops spaced apart from each other splits up. These drops pass through a series of charging rings 34 in a loading ring plate 33 on their way to track 25. For operating at a printing press speed of about 610 meters per minute is the oscillation frequency of the excitation device about 120 kHz.

The loading ring plate 33 is relative to the perforated plate 31 arranged so that the splitting of the ink streams into

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the drop takes place within the loading rings 34. The ring plate 33 is made of an insulating material and the charging rings 34 are coated with a conductive material. Each of the loading rings is connected to an electrical line 34 (Fig. 4 B), sen, which in turn is connected so that it receives output signals from the memory of the arrangement. For the selective charging of the drops 38, electrical signals are applied to the lines 73.

There are two catchers 36 are provided, which are made of electrically conductive material are made; a conductive strip 25 extends between them. The interceptors 36 and the deflection strip 35 are connected to electrical potential sources, thus between the deflection strip and electrical deflection fields are generated for each of the interceptors. All drops 38 which are an electric Carrying charge are deflected by these deflection fields and caught by one or the other catcher 36. Drops collected in this way are introduced into one of the chambers 37 so that they can pass through a (not shown) vacuum source are evacuated. Drops that are not charged pass through the deflection fields without being deflected and are deposited on track 25.

I _n Pig. 6 shows the character matrices which are printed within the printed surface area 13. Each character matrix 39 includes a series of cells 40, each of which may be 250 µm (10 mils) square. Each matrix 39 has 16 rows of character cells and there are 12 cells in each row for a total of 192 cells per matrix. In the entire width of the surface area 13 there are 40 such matrices, so that when each of the rows of cells passes under the print head 19, a total of 480 cells for printing

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(or not "printing") with drops from the 480 ink jets Tobe offered. Fig. 6 shows how by applying drops in the different cells different Letters can be printed. The dots 76 can each have the printed result of about 3 applied Are droplets and can be about 350 µm (14 mils) in diameter so that an overlapping coverage is achieved. Occupy the printed characters within each matrix 39 only part of the area, so that between the characters and between the ropes Gaps arise. The characters are thus on a 9 x 12- ■ Partial matrix limited within the entire 12 χ 16 matrix.

A simplified circuit diagram of the control logic for printer 19 is shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B. As in As shown in Fig. 4A, the control logic includes two memory sections 41a and 41b, each of which is one sufficient amount of data to control the printing of a full column of news items with image and text information such as those within the surface areas 12 and 13 of FIG. 1 stores the information it contains. The Speiclierabschnitt 41a and 41b are divided into graphic sections 42a and 42b and character code sections 43a and 43b. It's closed recognize that the graphics sections 42a and 42b additionally contain input and output buffers as well as the logic, which the output from the character code sections 43a and 43b triggers after graphics sections 42a and 42b have been discharged.

The output from the memories 41 & 41b is triggered under the control of a puck control flip-flop 55, which is set by an output pulse from a timer 44. D _e r timer 44 is connected so that it then receives an output signal from an optical sensor 23 each time that the above-mentioned

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Recognizes the start of printing code group; this triggers a timing cycle off, which corresponds to a correspondingly temporal impulse for the beginning of the unloading of the graphics section 42a and 42b leads. The length of the timing cycle depends on the speed of movement of the web

25 and the distance between the sensor 23 and the Print head 19. At a web speed of 610 el per minute and at a distance of about 15 cm (6 inches) the required time delay is about 15 ms. A number of suitable ones are commercially available Timers, but it is desirable to provide a variable time delay that is automatic is set according to changes in the path speed. Thus a tachometer 51 is provided, which is synchronous with the rotation of one of the guide rollers

26 pulses generated. Typically, the tachometer 51 generates about 100 pulses for every 2.5 cm of the web movement, so that the tachometer 51 generates pulses with a repetition frequency of 40 kHz at a web speed of 610 meters per minute. These pulses from the tachometer 51 are fed to an AND circuit 52 and the timer 44, which preferably consists of a digital counter. In the arrangement described above, the timer 44 counts 600 pulses from the tachometer 51 after activation by the sensor 23. After the count 600 has been reached, the timer 44 sets the flip-flop 55, which in turn enables the AND circuit 52. Thereafter, pulses from the tachometer 51 are fed through the AND circuit 52 to the AND circuits 45a and 45b for selective application to the two memories 41a and 41b. The flip-flop 55 is reset by a pulse on the line 92 from the AND circuit 50 when the operating memory 41a has been completely discharged.

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Since two separate memories are provided for the operation of the print head 19, a switch 46 is provided which can be set by an operator to control the memory selection. The switch 46 is connected to the set and reset inputs of a flip-flop 48 as shown. When switch 46 is in position B, flip-flop 48 enables TJID circuit 45b, which is connected to the discharge control input of memory 41b. If the UHD viewer 45b is enabled by the flip-flop 48, then pulses from the tachometer 51 are fed to the graphics section 42b of the memory 41b, and graphics information in bytes of 12 bits each is unloaded from this section. It can be seen, however, that a memory that works with data in bytes of 12 bits each must be set up at the customer's request. If it is desired to use a memory made up of commercially available building blocks, then the graphics data must be treated in bytes of 16 bits each, of which the last 4 bits of each byte are spaces. The 12-bit bytes of the unloaded graphics information would then represent the first 12 bits of 16-bit words, while the 4 bits of dummy data would represent wasted memory space. In such an alternative embodiment, each of the graphic sections 42a and 42b would necessarily have to be enlarged by $ 33.

When continuing to unload the graphics section 42b, every new pulse from the tachometer 51 does this Discharge of 40 bytes of information which are discharged at a frequency that differs from the frequency of a (not shown) internal clock in memory depends. In the exemplary embodiment described here, the clock frequency must be at least 1.64 MHz; preferably works the clock at two or three times this value

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Frequency. Pulses from the clock also appear on line 104 for later discussion Purposes.

When switch 46 is in position A, flip-flop 48 blocks AND circuit 45b and enables AND circuit 45a. This then has the consequence that pulses from the tachometer 51 are now on the AND circuits 52 and 45a reach graphics section 42a of memory 41a. Under these circumstances the graphics section 42b does not generate any output signals, and the graphics section 42a generates for each pulse from the tachometer 51 40 output data bytes of 12 each Bits.

The memory section 42a has 12 output lines 83a, and the memory section 42b has 12 output lines 83b. The output lines 83a and 83b are connected to a group of twelve OR circuits 82 connected as shown in Fig. 4A; the outputs of the OR circuits 82 are on multiple lines 86 connected. The output lines 83a and 83b carry signals with the signal value zero or one low signal value except in the event that data is from their respective memory sections 42a or 42b be discharged. If the flip-flop 48 is set for the selection of one of the graphic sections 42a or 42b, then the information output therefrom appears on lines 46 for controlling the print head, as subsequently is still being discussed.

The flip-flop 48 is connected to the AND circuit via a line 49 50 connected. The AND circuit 50 is activated whenever one of the memory sections 43a or 43b an end-of-text pulse is read; this activation of the AND circuit 50 provides a clock signal

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for the flip-flop 48. The setting and resetting of the flip-flop 48 is therefore not carried out immediately afterwards flipping the switch 46; rather, the end of the printing cycle is awaited. Hence received lines 56 continue to receive information from the same memory and the printer is prevented from to print a newspaper page with a split impression.

The memory sections 42a and 42b contain counters, that keep track of the amount of data unloaded. When the effective storage portion of the sections 42a and 42b has been discharged as described above, then triggers an output pulse from the discharge counter (which can be connected to line 87a or 87b) unloading from the associated character code memory 43a or 43b. Thereafter, the graphics memory 42a or 42b, which was previously active, gives an output signal with the signal value zero, that is to say a low output signal to the OR circuits 82.

Once one of the character code memories 43a or 43b has been activated, it begins to generate character code groups to be read out in serial form to one of the lines 108a or 108b. The bits that make up these code groups are read out in sequences of 320 bits, which represent the code groups for 40 characters. Reading this out Bit sequences are triggered by pulses on line 99 from a counter 80, with each counter output pulse a new sequence is read out. That happens here too Read out the memory again with the basic memory clock frequency, which can be around 5 MHz.

The bits read on lines 108a and 108b are applied to UIiD circuits 58a and 58b, respectively, which are respectively

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the position of switch 46 selectively from the flip-flop 48 are released. The output signals of the AND circuits 48a and 48b are then fed to an OR gate 59 which is connected to be loads a 320-bit register 60 over line 97. The register 60 is therefore every time an output pulse is generated -loaded by counter 80 with 320 new data bits, and the bits thus loaded .are output from the memory section 43a or 43b that is activated by the setting of the switch has been selected.

The register 60 is connected in such a way that it transfers character data in bytes of 8 bits each to a plurality of lines 62 which are connected to the AND circuit 50 and also to several other AND circuits 63. The unloading the information from the register 60 takes place under the control of memory clock pulses which are transmitted via the AND circuit 81 to line 98 are switched through. These clock pulses come from the control unit 18, and they can with the above-mentioned frequency of 5 MHz appear. The clock pulses arrive via the line to an AND circuit 94 which is enabled by a flip-flop 78; of the AND circuit 94 are the Clock pulses are fed to a counter 79 and the AND circuit 81, and they are fed via a line 95 to the charge control input of the print control register 67 is supplied. The AND circuit 81 is enabled by a flip-flop 91, as will be described later.

As mentioned above, a selected section of memory creates 43a or 43b the generation of 320 character code pulses on line 97 for each occurrence of one Pulse on line 99. These 320 bits of data are under the control of hold-through by pulses on the line 105 from AND circuit 89 into register 60

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loaded. The AND circuit 89 is made up of a flip-flop 90 enabled, and when enabled, AND circuit 89 transmits clock pulses over the line 105 to the load control input of the register 60 «A counter 88 counts the output from the AND circuit 89 . Clock pulses, and when the count reaches 320 the counter 88 resets the flip-flop 90. Resetting the flip-flop 90 prevents further Clock pulses are transmitted to the load control input of the register 60 until the flip-flop 90 is set again has been. As shown in Fig. 4Δ, the flip-flop 90 is activated by an output pulse from the counter 80 set. The pulse that sets flip-flop 90 is the same pulse that unloads the 320 bits triggers from the memory sections 43a and 43b. The same pulse is sent via line 84 to the memory control input of the register 60 so that the data bits (which represent the character code groups for 40 characters represent) for a subsequent output reading. be pushed into memory. It is recognizable, that this output read occurs simultaneously with the loading of the next 320 bits into register 60.

After 320 bits of character code information have been loaded and stored in register 60, begins the output read under the control of clock pulses on line 98. For each pulse on the line a data byte with 8 bits is read out to line 62. 40 pulses appear on line 98, thus 40 data bytes be discharged. The pulses from the AND circuit 81 to the line 98 are taken from the counter 79 counted. When 40 such pulses have been counted, then the counter 79 resets the flip-flop 78, whereby the AND circuit 94 is blocked and every further

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Re unloading of data from register 60 prevented. The set input of the flip-flop 78 is, however, connected in such a way that that it receives over the line 109 from the AND circuit 52 tachometer pulses. After this When the next tachometer pulse occurs, the AND circuit 94 is released again, and 40 others Clock pulses are sent to the register's discharge input 60 created. This has the consequence that the register 60 delivers the same 40 data bytes to the lines 62 that have been read out during the previous discharge cycle.

Each time the flip-flop 78 is reset by the counter 79, the counter 80 is increased by one count. Of the Counter 80 is a line counter which counts the cell lines printed within the character matrices 39. if the counter 80 reaches a count 16, it triggers the loading of a new sequence of character code groups into the register 60 off and it causes the shifting of the during the previous load cycle into the register loaded character code groups into memory. All this takes place under the control of tachometer pulses from AND circuit 52 so that every sixteenth Tachometer pulse causes 320 bits of character code data to be serially loaded into register 60. To 16 more speedometer pulses become these 320 bits of the character code data is transferred to the memory within the register 60. When the data bits are saved are, they are cyclically discharged in the form of bytes of 8 bits each, with each new speedometer pulse discharging every 40 bytes in memory. All data bytes stored in the register are unloaded sixteen times, before an output pulse from the counter 80 the loading of 320 new data bits in the memory.

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So that the cyclical actuation of the register 60 is limited to the period of time in which the print head 19 prints a text section of the newspaper 10, the set input of the flip-flop 91 is connected so that it from an output from an OR circuit 92 can be activated. The OR circuit 92 is connected to lines 87a and 87b which, as above was mentioned after completion of a readout process one of the graphics memory sections 42a or 42b Lead activation impulse. Y / enn reading out the graphic information has been completed, the flip-flop 91 is thus set, whereby the TJITD circuit 81 is enabled, so that the register 60 discharge pulses the line 98 are fed. When the printing of text information has finished, and the AND circuit 50 supplies the above-mentioned pulse for resetting the flip-flop 55, then this sets the same pulse also the flip-flop 91 back.

The character code groups unloaded from the shift register 60 are supplied to the AND circuits 63 and the AND circuit 50. The AND circuit 50 is decoded the end-of-text code group, as discussed above, and AND circuits 63 decode the character code groups. There are just as many AND circuits 63 how different character code groups exist. When an 8-bit character code is used as shown then there can be up to 256 different code groups. If any of these code groups is an end of text code group, then up to 255 character code groups and 255 AND circuits 63 can exist.

Each AND circuit 63 is connected in such a way that it activates a group of 12 associated AND circuits 64

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fourth. There are just as many groups of AND circuits 64 like AND circuits 63 are present, and each group of AND circuits 64 is on twelve output lines 65 connected from an associated character matrix 66. Each group of AND circuits 64 is connected as shown in Fig. 4B so a loading process into the print control register 67 takes place. The print control register 67 contains a group of twelve input lines 110 for loading the print information in the form of bytes of 12 bits each; these bytes come either via lines 56 from the OR circuits 82 (picture information) or selected Character matrices 66 (character information). The selective one Release of the groups of AND circuits 64 by decoded Output signals from the AND circuits 63 "determine which character matrices 66 load the register 87.

Each character matrix 66 has 16 input lines 68, the are activated sequentially by a line select shift register 69. Shifting the row selection shift register 69 takes place at the repetition frequency of the tachometer pulses under the control of output pulses from the counter 79. These pulses are fed to AND circuit 100 via line 106. The set output signal of the Flip-flops 91, which enables AND circuit 81, is also used via line 102 to enable the AND circuit 100 transferred.

The print control register 67 contains 480 storage locations on its input side and 480 storage locations its exit side, so that loading and unloading can go on at the same time. The register is like this constructed so that the input memory locations are loaded in bytes of 12 bits each, and the output memory

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spaces are created by parallel shifting the data in loaded in all 480 input memory locations. The contents of the output memory locations are read continuously, as long as a signal with a high signal value appears at the discharge input.

The loading input of the pressure control register 67 is connected to the output of the AND circuit 94 via the line 95 connected so that the register 67 for each tachometer pulse from the AND circuit 52 forty charge control clock pulses receives. This causes forty bytes of information to be loaded from OR circuits 82 during graphic printing or from forty bytes of information the AND circuits 64 during text printing. Consequently the register 67 receives character matrix bits for a corresponding one during the printing of text information Matrix line in each of the forty different characters before the line select shift register 69 causes the Register 67 is loaded with the character matrix bits for the next line of the same forty characters. After this forty bytes of twelve bits each are loaded into register 67 appears on line 106, which is connected to the memory input of the register, a Output pulse from counter 79. This causes the parallel shift of the forty bytes to the output side of the register for parallel reading on lines 71. The parallel shift within the register 67 takes place with the repetition frequency of the tachometer pulses, see above that the relocation of registers 67 and 69 is synchronized with the loading, saving and unloading of register 60 he follows.

In Fig. 5 it can be seen that the diode matrices 66 each have a series of diode connections 74 between Input lines 68 and output lines 65 included.

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Such diode matrices become general for character generation "used so that they do not need an exact description". Such matrices can be hardwired with Characters or with inactive connections that can be selectively activated as desired "can be procured. It It is easy to see that the activation of one of the lines 68 by the row select shift register 69 each of the diode arrays 66 causes a 12-bit code group corresponding to that in a row of a corresponding one To generate character matrix. All diode matrices 66 are linked together so that they simultaneously generate output code groups all of the same Line of their associated character pattern. Thus, when the first of lines 68 is activated, generate all diode matrices 66 output code groups corresponding to the first line of their associated character musber, and the Output signals of the register 60 determine which of these 12-bit code groups are in the register 67 at any point in time Loading. Forty of these 12-bit code groups are loaded into register 67 for print control, and thereafter the row select shift register 69 activates the next line out of the output lines 68 then cyclically runs through its forty stored character code groups a second time, thus in register 67 forty 12-bit code groups corresponding to the second line of each of the forty characters mentioned above can be stored. This process is repeated until all 16 lines 68 have been activated in succession and the output register of the shift register 60 has been unloaded sixteen times. At this point the input register is of the shift register 60 with. another 320 bits of information have been loaded and the arrangement is ready to start printing a new line of forty characters.

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In Fig. 4B it can be seen that the output lines 71 of the print control register 67 are connected to the charging rings 34 via inverting amplifiers 72. the Amplifiers 72 negate the output signals of the register 67 »since a printed cell in register 67 is represented by the value" 1 ", while to achieve the When a drop 38 is pressed, the associated charging ring 34 must be discharged at the moment the drop is formed.

As further shown in Fig. 4, the loading rings 64 a distance d from one another, which can typically be approximately 1.5 mm. Assuming that If the web 25 is moving at a speed of 610 meters per minute, then about 150 microseconds will elapse in the movement the path from a point below the row of loading rings shown above to a point below the Row of loading rings shown below. This means that the charge control signals that the lower shown Row of loading rings 34 are fed, a delay of 150 microseconds must be impressed in order for coverage of the printed dots formed from the streams of drops controlled by two rows of charging rings. For this purpose, several delay circuits 77 are provided which are connected to those output lines 71 serving the row of loading rings shown below. The delay circuits 77 are simple six-stage flip-fiop chains; ; each stage creates a delay of 24 microseconds in the case of a hen sliding freedom of forty kHz. Pulses for the time delay circuits 77 are supplied over the line 103, which is connected to the output of the counter 79.

It can readily be seen that the delay produced by the time delay circuits changes accordingly Changes in the web speed itself

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adjusts. This can be seen when "is observed that the tachometer 51 causes the counter 79 to generate 100 pulses for every 2.5 cm of web travel, so that six pulses are generated on lines 106 and 103 when the web moves 1.5 mm. The delay circuits 77 always produce a delay of six pulse periods regardless of what value the pulse frequency has; this is exactly the delay time required when the Distance d is 1.5 mm. If d is 1.75 mm or 2 mm and not 1.5 mm, then the time delay can in a corresponding manner by adding one or two flip-flop stages to the time delay circuits 77 must be set accordingly.

As described above, with each speedometer pulse from the UIiD view 52 forty data bytes 12 bits each loaded into register 67. The loading rings 34 applied charging signals are held at a constant value, and they are only on toggled a new value after the above forty bytes were loaded and pushed into memory have been. The new load ring values are then held until the next forty bytes are loaded and replaced the previous forty bytes in memory. For this reason, a flip-flop is 93 which controls the reading from the register 568 via the line 107. The flip-flop 93 is powered by pulses from the counter 79, which, as mentioned above, via the lines 101 and 106 to the memory control input of the register 67 are transferred. This causes a brief interruption in reading out the register 67, but reading is resumed after the occurrence of the next clock pulse on the line 104, connected to the set input of flip-flop 93

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that is.

It can be seen that the printed dots 76 of Pig. 6 not the printed result of individual drops 38 that have not been collected, but rather the respective print result of about three uncharged and uncaptured drops that are taken during the interval between sets and the next reset of the flip-flop 93 is generated will. At a web speed of 610 m per Minute, this time interval has a duration of about 25ii.s; this corresponds to about three drop periods hot the above-mentioned excitation frequency of 120 kHz * at a lower excitation frequency, on the order of 40 kHz, the points 76 would each be represented by a single Drop 38 printed, but this would be a very precise control of the phase of drop formation in all Require 480 beams. Such phase control is very difficult to achieve.

It is clear that the dots 76 need not be printed with the aid of an ink jet printer, but rather also printed by any other dot matrix printing device can be. The electrical signals fed to lines 71 can be used for selective activation of an array of electromagnetically actuated wires, in this EaIl a ribbon colored with printing ink between the wires and the moving paper web is attached. As a further alternative, a dot matrix could print through sequential Scanning the lines 71 and using the scanned data to amplitude modulate a scanning laser beam can be used.

The invention is here in connection with preferred Embodiments have been described, but is

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Obviously, further modifications are possible within the scope of the invention.

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Claims (7)

Claims 1 J printing arrangement with non-controllable printing devices for printing a constant information field on a print receiving web, controllable printing devices for printing a variable information field on the train in alignment with the unchangeable information field and facilities for continuous transport of the web through pressure zones adjoining the two printing devices, thereby characterized in that signal generating devices for generating in the controllable pressure devices of information signals corresponding to the variable information field are contained in that memory devices are provided with two memories, which are connected to store the information signals and for one alternate use are interconnected so that the one memory can generate print command signals while the other memory is loaded with information corresponding to a revised match of the variable information field, and that for recording the variable Information field depending on the print command signals a dot matrix recording device is provided. 2. Printing arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that the controllable printing devices pulse generating devices to generate pulses synchronous to the movement of the web and timing devices to the temporal Controlling the print command signals in synchronism with the timing Occurrence of these impulses included. - 3. Printing arrangement according to claim 2, characterized in that the non-controllable printing devices {cover 509830/0323 print marks on the web that the controllable printing means have a scanning device for scanning of the markings contain that a counter which can be activated by the scanning devices is provided, which after its activation counts the pulses, and that a locking device depends on an output signal of the counter blocks the unloading of the memory that received the print command signals generated. 4. Printing arrangement according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the signal generating devices Devices for generating graphic data in binary form and for generating character data in digital form Contain code words. 5 · Pressure assembly according to claim 4, characterized in that the controllable pressure means comprise a device for converting the digital codewords in dot matrix information corresponding to characters in graphical P _o rm. 6. Printing arrangement according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that one of the digital code words has a text end -C ode group and that the controllable printing devices have a decoding device for decoding the end of the text -Code group after unloading the effective memory for switching through every change in the memory, to which the dot matrix recording device is connected is. 7. Printing arrangement according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the dot matrix recording device is a printer with an ink jet field, the means for generating the same size and equal 509830/0323 distant drops and bodies for selective collection of the drops depending on the print command signals contains « 509830/0323