A cutting device comprises an upper support and a lower support arranged above and below a media plane, and a contact-free coupling device to engage and disengage the upper support and the lower support, wherein one of the upper support and the lower support is a master support and the other one of the upper and lower supports is a slave support, and further comprises a master cutting blade arranged in the master support, wherein when the upper and lower supports are engaged, the slave support follows movement of the master support.

The present invention relates to a printing apparatus including: a conveyance roller; and a slitter unit configured to cut a printing medium, which is conveyed by the conveyance roller, wherein the slitter unit includes a cutting mechanism including an upper movable blade and a lower movable blade, each of which is in a round shape, and configured to cut the printing medium at a contact point of the upper movable blade and the lower movable blade, a driving unit configured to rotate the upper movable blade and the lower movable blade, and a control unit configured to control a driving amount of the driving unit, and wherein the control unit controls the driving amount of the driving unit such that a movement speed of the upper movable blade and the lower movable blade passing through the contact point becomes greater than a conveyance speed of the printing medium.

Provided are a manufacturing method for a foamable printed matter, a manufacturing method for a foam and a foaming inhibition ink. The manufacturing method for a printed matter is a manufacturing method for a foamable printed matter that foams to form an irregular pattern on its surface, the method including a printing step of inkjet-printing a foaming inhibition ink on a printing medium having a layer of a foamable resin composition containing a chemical foaming agent, under a temperature condition lower than a softening temperature of the foamable resin composition, the foaming inhibition ink containing: a foaming inhibitor that deteriorates a heat decomposing ability of the foamable resin composition; and a solvent that dissolves the foaming inhibitor when the foaming inhibitor is solid, is compatible with the foaming inhibitor when the foaming inhibitor is liquid, and is able to move the foaming inhibitor into the foamable resin composition.

Provided are a manufacturing method for a foamable printed matter, a manufacturing method for a foam and a foaming inhibition ink. The manufacturing method for a printed matter is a manufacturing method for a foamable printed matter that foams to form an irregular pattern on its surface, the method including a printing step of inkjet-printing a foaming inhibition ink on a printing medium having a layer of a foamable resin composition containing a chemical foaming agent, under a temperature condition lower than a softening temperature of the foamable resin composition, the foaming inhibition ink containing: a foaming inhibitor that deteriorates a heat decomposing ability of the foamable resin composition; and a solvent that dissolves the foaming inhibitor when the foaming inhibitor is solid, is compatible with the foaming inhibitor when the foaming inhibitor is liquid, and is able to move the foaming inhibitor into the foamable resin composition.

A printing apparatus includes: a conveyance unit; a print head; and a slitter disposed on a downstream relative to the print head and configured to cut the printing medium in a conveyance direction in accordance with the conveyance by the conveyance unit, wherein the slitter is configured to cut a leading edge portion of the printing medium in accordance with the conveyance of the printing medium, wherein, after the leading edge portion of the printing medium is cut by the slitter, the conveyance unit is configured to convey the printing medium in an opposite direction of the conveyance direction up to a printing start position, and wherein the print head is configured to start printing the image on the printing medium, which has been conveyed in the opposite direction of the conveyance direction up to the printing start position and of which the leading edge portion has been cut.

A printing apparatus includes: a conveyance unit; a print head; and a slitter disposed on a downstream relative to the print head and configured to cut the printing medium in a conveyance direction in accordance with the conveyance by the conveyance unit, wherein the slitter is configured to cut a leading edge portion of the printing medium in accordance with the conveyance of the printing medium, wherein, after the leading edge portion of the printing medium is cut by the slitter, the conveyance unit is configured to convey the printing medium in an opposite direction of the conveyance direction up to a printing start position, and wherein the print head is configured to start printing the image on the printing medium, which has been conveyed in the opposite direction of the conveyance direction up to the printing start position and of which the leading edge portion has been cut.

Disclosed is a cutter module to be used with a printing apparatus. The cutter module comprises a blade driving mechanism; and a rotary cutting blade driven by the blade driving mechanism. The blade driving mechanism comprises: a clutch mechanism selectively to enable the blade driving mechanism to drive the rotary cutting blade in a forward cutting direction or a backward direction. Also disclosed is a printing system comprising the cutter module and a method to be used with the cutter module.

Disclosed is a cutter module to be used with a printing apparatus. The cutter module comprises a blade driving mechanism; and a rotary cutting blade driven by the blade driving mechanism. The blade driving mechanism comprises: a clutch mechanism selectively to enable the blade driving mechanism to drive the rotary cutting blade in a forward cutting direction or a backward direction. Also disclosed is a printing system comprising the cutter module and a method to be used with the cutter module.

A cutting device comprises an upper support and a lower support arranged above and below a media plane, and a contact-free coupling device to engage and disengage the upper support and the lower support, wherein one of the upper support and the lower support is a master support and the other one of the upper and lower supports is a slave support, and further comprises a master cutting blade arranged in the master support, wherein when the upper and lower supports are engaged, the slave support follows movement of the master support.

A cutting device comprises an upper support and a lower support arranged above and below a media plane, and a contact-free coupling device to engage and disengage the upper support and the lower support, wherein one of the upper support and the lower support is a master support and the other one of the upper and lower supports is a slave support, and further comprises a master cutting blade arranged in the master support, wherein when the upper and lower supports are engaged, the slave support follows movement of the master support.