JP2007525339A5

JP2007525339A5 -

Info

Publication number: JP2007525339A5
Application number: JP2006552776A
Authority: JP
Filing date: 2005-02-10
Publication date: 2008-02-28

Claims

A rigid frame;
A first linear motion X-axis stage mounted on the frame;
A second linear motion X-axis stage mounted on the frame in parallel with the first axis stage and configured to operate independently of the first axis stage;
A printing table assembly movable on each said linear X-axis stage;
A linear motion Y-axis stage mounted on the frame at a right angle to the linear X-axis stage above the printing table assembly;
A printing machine including an array of inkjet nozzles mounted on the linear Y-axis stage so as to linearly move at right angles to the X-axis stage.

2. The printing press according to claim 1, wherein each of the printing table assemblies includes a medium holding plate and an opening / closing lid pivotally attached to the medium holding plate to securely hold the medium against the plate.

The printing press according to claim 2, wherein the medium holding plate includes a raised portion, and the lid includes a window having the same shape as the raised portion and slightly larger than the raised portion.

The printing machine according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the linear motion X-axis stage and the linear motion Y-axis stage is a linear motor drive stage.

The printing press according to claim 1, wherein at least a part of each printing table assembly is a vacuum table.

The printing machine according to claim 1, wherein the inkjet nozzle includes a drop-on-demand type piezoelectric inkjet nozzle or a continuous piezoelectric inkjet nozzle.

The printing press according to claim 1, further comprising a curing unit disposed above each print table assembly and configured to cure ink on a medium on the print table assembly.

The printing machine according to claim 7, wherein the curing unit is an infrared system or a hot air blowing unit.

The printing press according to claim 1, further comprising an ironing unit disposed above each printing table assembly and configured to iron media on the printing table assembly.

The printing press according to claim 1 configured for digital printing.

The printing press according to claim 1, wherein the printing table assembly is a flat plate.

The printing press according to claim 1, further comprising a second printing table assembly movable on the linear X-axis stage stage independently of the first printing table assembly.

The printing press according to claim 12, wherein the printing table assembly includes a medium holding plate and an opening / closing lid pivotally attached to the medium holding plate to securely hold the medium against the plate.

A printing system for printing on a surface,
A printhead controllably mounted to print at selected locations on the surface;
And a controllable wetting device mounted to wet the selected location prior to printing.

A printing system for printing on a surface,
At least one printing device including at least one ink applicator operable to print an image on at least a portion of the surface;
With the ink applicator, a wetting composition capable of inhibiting the binding of the liquid ink composition to at least one binding site on the surface is applied to at least a portion of the portion of the surface prior to printing. A printing system comprising at least one wetting device including at least one liquid applicator in operation.

The printing system of claim 15, further comprising at least one control device operable to control the at least one liquid applicator to apply the wetting composition to selected portions of the surface.

And further comprising at least one retractable reservoir carrying a dilute solution that serves to prevent the wetting composition from drying in the liquid applicator, the retractable reservoir being under the liquid applicator. The printing system of claim 15, wherein the printing system is arranged to be retracted on demand to expose the liquid applicator and to apply the wetting composition to the surface.

A rigid frame;
A linear motion X-axis mounted on the frame;
At least one table assembly operable to support a printable medium and movable on the linear X axis;
A bridge mounted to the frame above the table assembly and perpendicular to the linear X axis;
At least one liquid applicator mounted on the bridge and serving to apply a wetting composition onto the printable medium, the wetting composition being at least one of the surfaces of the printable medium; At least one liquid applicator capable of inhibiting the binding of the binding site to the liquid ink composition;
A linear motion Y-axis stage mounted on the frame at a right angle to the linear X-axis stage above the printing table assembly;
The printing system according to claim 15, further comprising at least one ink applicator mounted on the linear Y-axis stage so as to linearly move at right angles to the X-axis stage.

A rigid frame;
A first linear motion X-axis stage mounted on the frame;
A second linear motion X-axis stage mounted on the frame in parallel with the first axis stage and configured to operate independently of the first axis stage;
At least one table assembly operable to support a printable medium movable on each said linear X axis;
A bridge mounted to the frame above the table assembly and perpendicular to the linear X axis;
At least one liquid applicator mounted to the bridge on each of the X-axis and serving to apply a wetting composition onto the printable medium, wherein the wetting composition is the printable At least one liquid applicator capable of inhibiting the binding of the liquid ink composition to at least one binding site on the surface of the transparent medium;
A linear motion Y-axis stage mounted on the frame at a right angle to the linear X-axis stage above each of the printing table assemblies;
The printing system according to claim 15, further comprising at least one ink applicator mounted on the linear Y-axis stage so as to linearly move at right angles to the X-axis stage.

The printing system according to claim 15, wherein the image is a photograph.

The printing system of claim 15, wherein the surface is made of at least one of a fibrous material, a porous material, and a material having a high surface tension with respect to the liquid ink.

A pre-printing device for producing a surface for printing, comprising a controllable wetting device for wetting selected locations of said surface prior to printing.

At least one wetting device for producing a surface for printing comprising at least one liquid applicator operable to apply a wetting composition over at least a portion of said surface prior to printing A pre-printing device comprising a device, wherein the wetting composition is capable of inhibiting the binding of at least one binding site on the surface to the liquid ink composition.

A method for printing on a surface comprising the following steps:
Providing the surface;
A controllable wetting device is used to wet selected areas of the surface; and a controllably mounted digital print head is used to print over at least a portion of the wetted areas.

A method for printing on a surface comprising the following steps:
Preparing the surface to be printed;
A wetting composition capable of inhibiting the binding of at least one binding site on the surface to a liquid ink composition is applied onto at least a portion of the surface prior to printing using the at least one liquid applicator. And printing the image on at least a portion of the wetted surface using at least one ink applicator.

26. The method of printing a surface according to claim 25, further comprising at least one of a step of curing the wetting composition before performing the printing step and a step of curing the ink after performing the printing step.

26. The method of printing a surface according to claim 25, further comprising ironing the surface prior to performing the step of wetting the surface.