Single pass inkjet printer for Z-fold (fanfold) materials

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12246533-B2
Application number	US-202318188383-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 22, 2023
Priority date	Mar 22, 2023
Publication date	Mar 11, 2025
Grant date	Mar 11, 2025

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention use inkjet printing, which is a non-contact printing system, to print continuously on Z-fold materials without image quality defect. The Z-fold material is created first and the material is then printed (decorated) afterward. Embodiments of the invention print on the flat sheet of Z-fold material prior to being cut, folded, glued, and otherwise formed into a box. Accordingly, a box produced using the invention can have a full coverage print, rather than being printed after box formation, where decoration is limited to one area/surface of the box.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A system, comprising:
a feeder configured to feed a continuous sheet;
a cutting machine configured to receive the sheet from the feeder and to cut said sheet to a predetermined length;
a single pass inkjet printer configured to receive the cut sheet from the cutting machine, said single pass inkjet printer configured to print an image on said cut sheet to decorate a box to be formed from said cut sheet; and
a box machine configured to receive said printed sheet from said single pass inkjet printer, said box machine configured for die cutting said printed sheet to an outline of a desired box when the box is flat and unfolded, folding said printed sheet into a desired box shape, and gluing said folded sheet to complete a box.

2. The system of claim 1 , said continuous sheet comprising a continuous web of Z-fold material.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the sheet length defines the circumference of a box to be produced by the printer and the sheet width defines the height of the box to be produced by the printer.

4. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a processor configured for receiving in real time instructions for controlling operation of the feeder, cutting machine, single pass inkjet printer, and box machine in a coordinated fashion and operating the system in an uninterrupted sequence to feed the continuous sheet along a printer path, cut the continuous sheet to a desired length, print an image on the cut sheet, and then die cut, fold, and glue the imaged sheet to form a box;
wherein production of the box is performed as a single set of continuous operations; and
wherein any desired number of boxes of any desired shape and bearing any desired design are formed on-demand.

5. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
said processor configured for resizing said images in real time to match a size of the box to be produced.

6. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
said processor configured for controlling the inkjet printer to print a selected image on each box, where said selected image is customized for the box contents.

7. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
said processor configured for adding targeted advertisements to the image printed on the box that are personalized to the box recipient and/or complementary to the box contents.

8. The system of claim 1 , said single pass inkjet printer further comprising:
a print bed configured for supporting said sheet during printing, said print bed securing said sheet thereto during printing by application of a strong vacuum to the sheet to firmly draw the sheet downward into a planar alignment with the print bed.

9. The system of claim 8 , further comprising:
a sheet height tracking facility configured for adjusting spacing of the single pass inkjet printer print heads from the sheet in real time to accommodate the lack of planarity of the sheet when said vacuum is not adequate to secure the sheet to the print bed to maintain acceptable sheet planarity during printing.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein upon detecting a bowed portion of the sheet, the sheet height tracking facility raises the print heads sufficiently to avoid collision of the sheet with the print heads.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein upon raising the print heads, the sheet lacking acceptable planarity is marked for discard.

12. The system of claim 9 , further comprising:
a mechanism configured for continuously raising and lowering the single pass inkjet printer print heads to track the sheet planarity.

13. A printer, comprising:
a single pass inkjet printer configured to receive cut sheets from a continuous web of Z-fold material, said single pass inkjet printer configured to print an image on said cut sheet to decorate a box to be formed from said cut sheet, wherein the cut sheet bows at a Z-fold crease; and
a print bed configured for supporting said sheet during printing, said print bed securing said sheet thereto during printing by application of a strong vacuum to the sheet to firmly draw the sheet downward into a planar alignment with the print bed at the Z-fold crease.

14. The printer of claim 13 , further comprising:
a sheet height tracking facility configured for adjusting spacing of the single pass inkjet printer print heads from the sheet in real time to accommodate the lack of planarity of the sheet when it is not possible to apply sufficient vacuum to the sheet via the print bed to maintain acceptable sheet planarity at the Z-fold crease.

15. The printer of claim 14 , wherein upon detecting a significantly bowed portion of the sheet, the sheet height tracking facility raises the print heads to avoid collision of the print heads with the sheet.

16. The printer of claim 15 , wherein upon raising the print heads, the sheet lacking acceptable planarity is marked for discard.

17. The printer of claim 14 , further comprising:
a mechanism configured for continuously raising and lowering the single pass inkjet printer print heads to track a lack of sheet planarity at the Z-fold crease.

18. A method, comprising:
a cutting machine receiving a continuous sheet from a feeder and cutting said sheet to a predetermined length;
a single pass inkjet printer receiving the cut sheet from the cutting machine, said single pass inkjet printer printing an image on said cut sheet to decorate a box to be formed from said cut sheet; and
a box machine receiving said printed sheet from said single pass inkjet printer, said box machine die cutting said printed sheet to an outline of a desired box when the box is flat and unfolded, folding said printed sheet into a box shape, and gluing said folded sheet to complete a box.

19. The method of claim 18 , said continuous sheet comprising a continuous web of Z-fold material.

20. The method of claim 18 , wherein the sheet length defines the circumference of a box to be produced by the printer and the sheet width defines the height of the box to be produced by the printer.

21. The method of claim 18 , further comprising:
a processor receiving in real time instructions for controlling operation of the feeder, cutting machine, single pass inkjet printer, and box machine in a coordinated fashion and operating the system in an uninterrupted sequence to feed the continuous sheet along a printer path, cut the continuous sheet to a desired length, print an image on the cut sheet, and then die cut, fold, and glue the imaged sheet to form a box;
wherein production of the box is performed as a single set of continuous operations; and
wherein any desired number of boxes of any desired shape and bearing any desired design are formed on-demand.

22. The method of claim 18 , further comprising:
said processor resizing said images in real time to match a size of the box to be produced.

23. The method of claim 18 , further comprising:
said processor controlling the inkjet printer to print a selected image on each box, where said selected image is customized for the box contents.

24. The method of claim 18 , further comprising:
said processor adding targeted advertisements to the image printed on the box that are personalized to the box recipient and consistent with the box contents.

25. The method of claim 18 , said single pass inkjet printer further comprising:
providing a print bed for supporting said sheet during printing, said print bed securing said sheet thereto during printing by applic

Assignees

• Electronics For Imaging Inc

Inventors

• Escudero Gonzalez Juan
• Logue Elizabeth

Classifications

• B31B2100/00

  Rigid or semi-rigid containers made by folding single-piece sheets, blanks or webs · CPC title

• B31B50/142

  using presses or dies · CPC title

• B31B50/16

  Cutting webs · CPC title

• B31B50/10

  Feeding or positioning webs · CPC title

• B31B50/006

  Controlling; Regulating; Measuring; Improving safety · CPC title