Rotary digital printing system
First Claim
1. A rotary digital printing system, comprising:
- a print zone, which comprises a plurality of independent print stations, each print station comprising a respective print head, and read head;
a plurality of fixtures, each fixture comprising an item support member and being configured to support an item that is to receive printed information, and comprising an encoder ring that can be read by the read head of a given print station to determine a circumferential position and rotational speed of the fixture in question;
a rotational belt drive for frictionally coupling with said fixtures and for rotating each fixture positioned in a print station such that the surface of the item support member and an item disposed thereon is rotated past the print head for printing; and
a conveyance module for transporting the fixtures to said print stations;
wherein the system is configured so as to convey, using said conveyance module, the plurality of fixtures through the print zone, stopping at one or more of the print stations, and wherein the belt drive is configured to be releasably coupled to the fixtures, such that the rotational drive decouples from the fixtures in advance of translational movement of the fixtures by the conveyance module, and such that the rotational drive couples with the fixtures for rotational movement after they have been moved to the print stations by the conveyance module.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A rotary digital printing system is disclosed, which includes: a print zone, including several independent print stations, each station including a respective print head, curing system, and read head; a number of fixtures, each fixture being configured to support an item that is to receive printed information, and including an encoder ring that can be read by a given print station'"'"'s read head to determine a circumferential position and rotational speed of the fixture in question; a rotational drive for rotating each fixture positioned in a print station such that the surface of the item support member and an item disposed thereon is rotated past the print head and curing system for printing and curing; a conveyance module for transporting the fixtures to said print stations. The system is configured so as to convey, using the conveyance module, the plurality of fixtures through the print zone, stopping at one or more of the print stations.
9 Citations
14 Claims
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1. A rotary digital printing system, comprising:
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a print zone, which comprises a plurality of independent print stations, each print station comprising a respective print head, and read head; a plurality of fixtures, each fixture comprising an item support member and being configured to support an item that is to receive printed information, and comprising an encoder ring that can be read by the read head of a given print station to determine a circumferential position and rotational speed of the fixture in question; a rotational belt drive for frictionally coupling with said fixtures and for rotating each fixture positioned in a print station such that the surface of the item support member and an item disposed thereon is rotated past the print head for printing; and a conveyance module for transporting the fixtures to said print stations; wherein the system is configured so as to convey, using said conveyance module, the plurality of fixtures through the print zone, stopping at one or more of the print stations, and wherein the belt drive is configured to be releasably coupled to the fixtures, such that the rotational drive decouples from the fixtures in advance of translational movement of the fixtures by the conveyance module, and such that the rotational drive couples with the fixtures for rotational movement after they have been moved to the print stations by the conveyance module. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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Specification