CUTTING ASSEMBLY FOR A MULTI-ROLL PRINTER

Abstract

Method for cutting media from a multi-roll printing system, comprising the steps of: selecting one of a first medium and a second medium, which first medium and second medium are output in parallel with respect to one another from the multi-roll printing system; transporting the selected medium to a cutting media transport path spaced apart from a further media transport path in a traverse direction perpendicular to a plane of the cutting media transport path; and cutting the selected medium positioned at the cutting media transport path.

The present invention further relates to a cutting assembly and a multi-roll printing system.

Claims

1. Method for cutting media from a multi-roll printing system, the method comprising the steps of: designating one of a first medium and a second medium as a to be cut medium, which first medium and second medium are output in parallel with respect to one another from the multi-roll printing system; transporting the designated medium to a cutting media transport path spaced apart from a further media transport path in a traverse direction perpendicular to a plane of the cutting media transport path, such that, when viewed in the traverse direction, the designated medium on the cutting media transport path is non-overlapping with a medium on the further media transport path; and cutting the designated medium positioned at the cutting media transport path.

2. Method according to claim 1, wherein the step of designating one of the first medium and the second medium further comprises a controller comparing first print job data for a first image to be printed on the first medium to second print job data for a second image to be printed on the second medium.

3. Method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of positioning a cutting device and the designated medium with respect to one another at the cutting media transport path for cutting the designated medium.

4. Method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of: if the cutting step comprises simultaneously cutting the first medium and the second medium, transporting the other of the first medium and the second medium to a similar level in the traverse direction as the cutting media transport path; and if the cutting step comprises consecutively cutting the first medium and the second medium, transporting the other of the first medium and the second medium to the further media transport path positioned spaced apart from the plane of the cutting media transport path in the traverse direction.

5. Method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of: after the step of cutting the designated medium, further transporting the first medium and the second medium in a transport direction; cutting the other one of the first medium and the second medium; and transporting the first medium and the second medium in a reverse direction opposite to the transport direction.

6. Method according to claim 1, wherein the step of transporting the media comprises transporting the second medium in tandem with the first medium.

7. Method according to claim 1, wherein the first medium and the second medium are supplied from respectively a first media roll and a second media roll, which first media roll and second media roll are provided on a roll support, and wherein the step of transporting the first medium and the second medium comprises rotating the roll support.

8. Cutting assembly for a multi-roll printing system, comprising a main media transport path for a plurality of media output by a multi-roll printing system; a switch device positioned downstream of the main media transport path and arranged for transporting one of the plurality of media to a cutting media transport path and for transporting another one of the plurality of media to a further media transport path, wherein the further media transport path is spaced apart from the cutting media transport path in a traverse direction perpendicular to a plane of the cutting media transport path, such that, when viewed in the traverse direction, a medium on the cutting media transport path is non-overlapping with a medium on the further media transport path; and a cutting device arranged for cutting the one of the plurality of media at the cutting media transport path.

9. Cutting assembly according to claim 8, wherein the switching device is further arranged for: when two media are designated for simultaneous cutting, positioning one of the two media on the cutting media transport path and positioning the other one of the two media at a similar level in the traverse direction as the cutting media transport path; and when two media are designated for consecutive cutting, positioning one of the two media at the cutting media transport path and positioning the other one of the two media on the further media transport path spaced apart from the cutting media transport path in the traverse direction.

10. Cutting assembly according to claim 8, further comprising a switch actuator for positioning the cutting device and the one of the plurality of media with respect to one another at the cutting media transport path for cutting the one of the plurality of media.

11. Cutting assembly according to claim 10, wherein the main media transport path, cutting media transport path, and the further media transport path each comprise at least two lanes for the at least two media, said lanes extending parallel to one another in the transport direction, and wherein the cutting assembly further comprises at least two transport switches, each of which is positioned at one of the parallel lanes, which at least two transport switches are actuatable by the switch actuator to selectively connect a lane on the main media transport path to a lane on the cutting media transport path or to a lane on the further media transport path.

12. Cutting assembly according to claim 8, further comprising a controller arranged for designating one of the plurality of media based on a comparison between first print job data for a first image to be printed on a first one of the plurality of media and second print job data for a second image to be printed on a second one of the plurality of media.

13. Cutting assembly according to claim 11, wherein the switch device comprises a plurality of guide elements, each of which is pivotable around a pivoting axis to position the guide element with respect to one of the cutting media transport path and the further media transport path.

14. Cutting assembly according to claim 8, comprising: a plurality of cutting media transport paths spaced apart from one another in the traverse direction perpendicular to a plane of the cutting media transport paths; a plurality of cutting devices, wherein a cutting device is positioned at each of the cutting media transport paths for cutting a medium on said cutting media transport path; a switch device downstream of main media transport path, the switch device comprising a plurality of guide elements, each of which is moveable to position the guide element with respect to one of the cutting media transport paths, such that a first medium is transported from the main media transport path to a first cutting media transport path while a second medium is medium is transported from the main media transport path to a second cutting media transport path.

15. Multi-roll printing system according to claim 14, further comprising a support roll for holding a plurality of media rolls for supplying the plurality of media and a roll actuator for rotating the support roll.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0043] The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given herein below and the accompanying drawings which are given by way of illustration only, and thus are not limitative of the present invention, and wherein:

[0044] FIG. 1A is a schematic top view of a multi-roll printing system according to the prior art;

[0045] FIG. 1B is a schematic side view of the multi-roll printing system in FIG. 1A;

[0046] FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of an embodiment of a multi-roll printing system according to the present invention;

[0047] FIG. 3 is a schematic side view of a further embodiment of a multi-roll printing system according to the present invention;

[0048] FIG. 4A-B are respectively a perspective view and a side view of a switch device of a cutting assembly according to the present invention;

[0049] FIG. 5 is an inkjet printing assembly for a multi-roll printing system in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3;

[0050] FIGS. 6A-I are schematic top views of a multi-roll printing system in FIG. 2 during various steps of a method according to the present invention; and

[0051] FIG. 7 is a diagram representing various steps of a method according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0052] The present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein the same reference numerals have been used to identify the same or similar elements throughout the several views.

[0053] FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B illustrate schematically a multi-roll printing system according to the prior art. A multi-roll printing system is arranged for the parallel processing or printing of at least two media provided from at least two media rolls. The media move in unison through the printing system by the rotation of a common support axis on which said at least two media rolls are provided. One example of a multi-roll printing system is a tandem printing system, wherein at least two media may be processed in tandem. It will be appreciated that the term tandem herein may further imply the synchronous processing of more than two rolls, e.g. three, four, etc. Two or more media M1, M2 are fed from rolls R1, R2 provided on a common rotation axis onto a main media transport path, along which an image formation unit is provided. The image formation unit deposits in tandem image Im1 on the medium M1 and image Im2 on medium M2. The length of the image Im2 in the transport direction is less than the length of the image Im1. A cutting device, indicated by the scissor-symbol, is arranged for cutting both media M1, M2 in a single cutting motion along the dotted line. To avoid damage to Im1, the cutting device cuts the media M1, M2 after completion of printing the image Im1 with the relative greatest length along the transport direction D. This results in an area of loss AoL on the medium M2, which area of loss AoL is removed from the second medium M2 in an additional, generally manual, cutting step on or by an additional cutting unit. Furthermore, the material of the area of loss AoL is deposed off, resulting in the loss of often relatively costly media.

[0054] FIG. 2 schematically illustrates a multi-roll printing system 1 according to the present invention. At least two separate media M1, M2 are supplied from rolls R1, R2 provided on a common roll support 5 rotatable around a common rotation axis. From the rolls R1, R2 the media M1, M2 are transported synchronously along the main media transport path MP to the inkjet printing assembly 2, which inkjet printing assembly 2 is shown in detail in FIG. 5. Downstream of the inkjet printing assembly 2, a switch device 10 is provided, comprising at least two guide elements or selector guides 11, 12, each of which directs one of media M1, M2 via one of the transport paths P1, P2 to one of the cutting positions C1, C2. The cutting positions C1, C2 are provided spaced apart from one another in a direction V perpendicular to the plane of the main transport path MP. Said direction V is preferably parallel to the vertical direction V, as shown in FIG. 3. A cutting device 30 is arranged for cutting each of the media M1, M2 at its respective cutting position C1, C2.

[0055] Since the media rolls R1, R2 are provided besides one another on the single roll support 5, shown as a single axis or rod in FIG. 2, these rolls R1, R2 rotate in tandem when the common roll support 5 is actuated by means of an actuator 6, such as an electric DC motor or a step motor. The media M1, M2 which are being spooled off from their respective rolls R1, R2, move at the same speed and in the same transport direction D along the main media transport path MP. In FIG. 2, the media rolls R1, R2 are provided below the inkjet printing assembly 2, such that the main or common media path MP comprises a curve or turn. To this end an additional roller or curved support surface may be implemented at said turn for guiding the media M1, M2. Additional rolls may be provided on the roll support 5 for simultaneously advancing and printing three or more media M1, M2. The plurality of rolls R1, R2 on the roll support 5 are rotated synchronously and preferably stepwise to allow the inkjet printing assembly 2 to iteratively print swaths of an image on the media M1, M2. The different media M1, M2 may be similar or deviate from one another in terms of media type, dimensions such as width, material, and/or pretreatment. Prior to printing, print job data is input to the controller 40 to determine the print process.

[0056] The main media transport path MP extends at least from the roll support 5 to the inkjet printing assembly 2, which is arranged for applying an image on a top surface of each of the media M1, M2. The inkjet assembly 2 is controlled by a controller 40, which transmits printing instructions to the inkjet printing assembly 2 based on a print job input to the controller 40 by an operator. The controller 40 performs the print job based on print job data defining said print job. The print job data may comprise information or data representing characteristics of the different media M1, M2, for example their lateral positions on the transport path(s), dimensions, media type, current position of the leading edge of each medium M1, M2, and/or data representing the respective images to be printed on each of the media M1, M2. The controller 40 provides at least first image data to the inkjet printing assembly 2 for printing a first image on the first medium M1 and second image data for printing a second image on the second medium M2. The first and second images are printed swath-wise on their respective medium M1, M2. Both images are printed in tandem as the media M1, M2 are transported over the main media transport path MP. In general, the dimensions of the first image on the first medium M1, specifically its length in the direction of the main transport path MP, will be different from the second image on the second medium M2.

[0057] Downstream of the inkjet printing assembly 2, the main media transport path MP branches out into a plurality of transport paths P1, P2. Each of these transport paths P1, P2 extends to a respective cutting position C1, C2. Since, the cutting positions C1, C2 are provided at different heights with respect to one another, the transport paths P1, P2 extend, at least partially, at different levels with respect to one another. The transport paths P1, P2 in FIG. 2 extend horizontally. In FIG. 2, the transport path P1 extends above the main media transport path MP while the second media transport path P2 extends below the first media transport path P1.

[0058] In FIG. 2, the first medium M1 is directed upwards to the first cutting position C1 via a first selector guide 11 or first switch guide 11. Likewise, a second selector guide 12 or a second switch guide 12 is arranged for guiding the second medium M2 via the second transport path P2 to the second cutting position C2 below the first cutting position C1. The selector guides 11, 12 may be static, but preferably the selector guides 11, 12 of the switch device 10 comprise a selector actuator 13, 14 for positioning selector guides 11, 12, with respect to one of the transport paths P1, P2. Each selector guide 11, 12 in FIG. 2 comprises a guide plate 11, 12 pivotable between a plurality of vertically spaced apart positions, each of which is located at a starting end of one of the plurality of transport paths P1, P2. The pivotable selector guides 11, 12 are then controlled by means of the controller 40 to direct a medium M1, M2 to a respective cutting position C1, C2 based on the print job data. In a basic example, the relative length or width of the image to be printed on a medium M1 compared to the other media M2 determines the selection of the transport path P1, P2 by the selector guide 11.

[0059] In FIG. 2, each of the transport paths P1, P2 comprises a cutter 31, 32 positioned for cutting a medium M1, M2 at the respective cutting position C1, C2. The cutters 31, 32 may be actuated independently from one another, such that one of the cutters 31, 32 may cut a respective one of the media M1, M2 without the other of the cutters 31, 32 cutting the respective other of the media M1, M2. The cutting device 30 comprises cutter 31, 32, for example a knife element, preferably a rotatable knife element. The cutting device 30 is arranged for moving the cutter 31, 32 in a cutting direction perpendicular to the transport direction D over the plane of the medium M1, M2 for cutting the medium M1, M2. To this end, the cutter 31 may be provided on a guide rail extending in the width direction W over and parallel to a medium M1, M2. In FIG. 2, the cutters 31, 32 are arranged to move horizontally and are supported by support rail 33. Preferably, the cutters 31, 32 are arranged to move across the width of the main media transport path MP. As such a cutter 31, 32 generally resides at a lateral side of the main media transport path MP. The cutter 31, 32 may be provided at a predetermined angle with respect to the plane of the medium M1, M2 to improve cutting. After cutting the cutter may be repositioned at its starting positioned in a return stroke, so no re-orientation of the angled cutter 31, 32 is required.

[0060] FIG. 3 schematically illustrates a side view of another embodiment of a printing system 1′ according to the present invention. The configuration of the embodiment in FIG. 3 is similar to the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, and only the differences will be discussed. In FIG. 3, the switch device 10′ comprises guide plates 11′, 12′ rigidly connected to a frame of the printing system 1′. Each guide plate 11′, 12′ is thereby permanently or securely connected to a respective one of the transport paths P1, P2. Downstream of the switch device 10′, each of the media M1, M2 extend parallel to one another on different height levels H1, H2 with respect to one another. Each transport path P1, P2 comprises a cutting position C1, C2. A cutting device 30′ is provided for cutting each of the media M1, M2 at its respective cutting position C1, C2 along the dashed lines indicated in FIG. 2. The cutter 31′ in FIG. 3 is moveable between different vertical levels H1, H2, each of which corresponds to one of the cutting positions C1, C2. A switch actuator in the form of a height adjustment actuator 33′ is provided for adjusting the height of the cutter 31′. To this end, the cutting device 30 may comprise a vertically extending guide rail 33′ for guiding the cutter 31′ in the height direction. The height or position of the cutter 31′ is controlled by the controller 40 based on the print job data. The controller 40 is arranged for positioning the cutter 31′ at a cutting position C1, C2 for cutting a medium M1, M2 at said cutting position C1, C2, preferably at the start of the print job and even more preferably based on a relative length of an image to be printed on a medium M1, M2. The embodiment of FIG. 2 may be combined with the embodiment of FIG. 3 to form a printing system according to the present invention with both a pivotable switch device 10 as in FIG. 2 and a vertically moveable cutter 31′ as in FIG. 3.

[0061] In a further embodiment shown in FIG. 4A-B, the switch device 10″ comprises a plurality of pivotable guide elements, such as guide plate elements or guide finger elements 15, each independently pivotable around a common pivoting axis PA. The guide elements 15 are positioned side by side along the width direction W (shown in FIG. 1), preferably over the width of the main media transport path MP. Each guide element 15 is provided with a guide element actuator 16 which allows it be pivoted independently of other guide elements 15. The controller 40 controls the number of guide elements 15 to be positioned at a specific pivoting position or height level, as illustrated in FIG. 4B. Each pivoting position corresponds to a specific transport path P1-P5. The number of guide elements 15, which is positioned by the controller 40 at a specific pivoting position, corresponds to a width of the respective medium M1, M2 to be transported along the respective transport path P1-P5. In this manner, the width of the switch guide 11, 12 in FIG. 2 is adjustable to match or be similar to the width of the medium M1, M2. The controller 40 pivots at least the guide elements 15 positioned inside a projection of the respective medium M1, M2 along the transport path P1-P5, MP or the transport direction D. The widths of the media M1, M2 may be detected via a sensor or be input to the controller 40 as part of the print job. The controller 40 adjusts the orientation of the guide fingers or plates 15 to support the respective medium M1, M2 along its full width as it is being transported over the switch device 10″. The cutting assembly 1 according to the present invention is thus arranged for processing any plurality of rolls R1, R2 of a wide variety of widths without intervention by an operator.

[0062] FIG. 5 shows an ink jet printing assembly 2. The ink jet printing assembly 2 comprises supporting means for supporting an image receiving member 22 being a part of the medium M1, M2. The supporting means 21 are shown in FIG. 5 as a platen 21, but alternatively, the supporting means may be a flat surface. The platen 21, as depicted in FIG. 5, is a rotatable drum 21, which is rotatable about its axis as indicated by arrow A. The supporting means 21 may be optionally provided with suction holes for holding the image receiving member 22 in a fixed position with respect to the supporting means 21. The ink jet printing assembly 2 comprises print heads 24a-24d, mounted on a scanning print carriage 25. The scanning print carriage 25 is guided by suitable guiding means 26, 27 to move in reciprocation in the main scanning direction B. Each print head 24a-24d comprises an orifice surface 29, which orifice surface 29 is provided with at least one orifice 28. The print heads 24a-24d are configured to eject droplets of marking material onto the image receiving member 22. The platen 21, the carriage 25 and the print heads 24a-24d are controlled by suitable controlling means 23a, 23b and 23c, respectively.

[0063] The image receiving member 22 may be a medium M1, M2 in web or in sheet form and may be composed of e.g. paper, cardboard, label stock, coated paper, plastic or textile. Alternatively, the image receiving member 22 may also be an intermediate member, endless or not. Examples of endless members, which may be moved cyclically, are a belt or a drum. The image receiving member 22 is moved in the sub-scanning direction A by the platen 21 along four print heads 24a-24d provided with a fluid marking material.

[0064] A scanning print carriage 25 carries the four print heads 24a-24d and may be moved in reciprocation in the main scanning direction B parallel to the platen 21, such as to enable scanning of the image receiving member 22 in the main scanning direction B. Only four print heads 24a-24d are depicted for demonstrating the invention. In practice an arbitrary number of print heads may be employed. In any case, at least one print head 24a-24d per color of marking material is placed on the scanning print carriage 25. For example, for a black-and-white printer, at least one print head 24a-24d, usually containing black marking material is present. Alternatively, a black-and-white printer may comprise a white marking material, which is to be applied on a black image-receiving member 22. For a full-color printer, containing multiple colors, at least one print head 24a-24d for each of the colors, usually black, cyan, magenta and yellow is present. Often, in a full-color printer, black marking material is used more frequently in comparison to differently colored marking material. Therefore, more print heads 24a-24d containing black marking material may be provided on the scanning print carriage 25 compare 2d to print heads 24a-24d containing marking material in any of the other colors. Alternatively, the print head 24a-24d containing black marking material may be larger than any of the print heads 24a-24d, containing a differently colored marking material.

[0065] The carriage 25 is guided by guiding means 26, 27. These guiding means 26, 27 may be rods as depicted in FIG. 5. The rods may be driven by suitable driving means (not shown). Alternatively, the carriage 25 may be guided by other guiding means, such as an arm being able to move the carriage 25. Another alternative is to move the image receiving material 22 in the main scanning direction B, parallel to the width direction W.

[0066] Each print head 24a-24d comprises an orifice surface 29 having at least one orifice 28, in fluid communication with a pressure chamber containing fluid marking material provided in the print head 24a-24d. On the orifice surface 29, a number of orifices 28 is arranged in a single linear array parallel to the sub-scanning direction A. Eight orifices 28 per print head 24a-24d are depicted in FIG. 5, however obviously in a practical embodiment several hundreds of orifices 28 may be provided per print head 24a-24d, optionally arranged in multiple arrays. As depicted in FIG. 5, the respective print heads 24a-24d are placed parallel to each other such that corresponding orifices 28 of the respective print heads 24a-24d are positioned in-line in the main scanning direction B. This means that a line of image dots in the main scanning direction B may be formed by selectively activating up to four orifices 28, each of them being part of a different print head 24a-24d. This parallel positioning of the print heads 24a-24d with corresponding in-line placement of the orifices 28 is advantageous to increase productivity and/or improve print quality. Alternatively multiple print heads 24a-24d may be placed on the print carriage adjacent to each other such that the orifices 28 of the respective print heads 24a-24d are positioned in a staggered configuration instead of in-line. For instance, this may be done to increase the print resolution or to enlarge the effective print area, which may be addressed in a single scan in the main scanning direction. The image dots are formed by ejecting droplets of marking material from the orifices 28.

[0067] Upon ejection of the marking material, some marking material may be spilled and stay on the orifice surface 29 of the print head 24a-24d. The ink present on the orifice surface 29, may negatively influence the ejection of droplets and the placement of these droplets on the image receiving member 22. Therefore, it may be advantageous to remove excess of ink from the orifice surface 29. The excess of ink may be removed for example by wiping with a wiper and/or by application of a suitable anti-wetting property of the surface, e.g. provided by a coating.

[0068] FIGS. 6A-I and 7 show the various steps of a method according to the present invention. In step i, the print job is initiated by inputting the print job data to the controller 40. The print job data comprises the information required for printing the respective images on the respective media M1, M2. The print job data comprises first print job data related to the first image to be printed on the first medium M1, and second print job data representing the second image to be printed on the second medium. From the first and second print job data the controller 40 may determine the dimensions and/or positions of the images on the media M1, M2, for example from the dimensions of the image, their desired positions on the media, and/or the current positions of the media along the transport path. Thereby, the positions of the cutting lines where the media are to be cut are determined.

[0069] Based on said print job data, the controller 40 designates or selects in step ii one of the plurality of media M1, M2 provided on the roll support 5. The controller 40 may further in this step select others of the plurality of media M1, M2 for example to determine a cutting order. The selection is preferably based on a comparison between the first and second print job data. For example by comparing the dimensions of each image to be printed on each respective medium M1, M2, specifically the length of each image in the transport direction D, the controller 40 designates or selects the medium M1 which is to be cut first, i.e. prior to the other media M2. In a basic example, the medium M1 to be printed with the image with the relatively shortest length is designated or selected. Further images may be designated or selected based on their relative image length. By repeated selection, a cutting order of the media M1, M2 may be determined.

[0070] In step iii, the controller 40 for each medium M1, M2 designated or selected in step i designates or selects or determines a cutting position C1, C2, whereto the designated or selected medium M1, M2 is to be transported. Thereby, the controller 40 associates each of the media M1, M2 with a cutting position C1, C2. In the example of FIG. 2, the controller 40 may actuate the selector guides 11, 12 of the switch device 10 into such positions that each of the designated or selected media M1, M2 is directed to their associated designated or selected cutting position C1, C2. A corresponding transport path P1, P2 is thus designated or selected by the controller 40 to transport each medium M1, M2 designated or selected in step ii to one of the cutting positions C1, C2. Alternatively, in the embodiment in FIG. 2, the cutter 31′ is positioned at the designated or selected cutting position C1, C2. For example, the cutter 31′ is positioned at the cutting position C1, C2 for the medium M1, M2 to be printed with the image with the shortest length, since this medium M1, M2 will first require cutting with respect to the other media M1, M2.

[0071] In step iv, the roll support 5 is actuated and the media M1, M2 are stepwise advanced along the transport path P. Since all rolls R1, R2 are provided on a single roll support 5, the media M1, M2 move synchronously towards the inkjet printing assembly 2, as shown in FIG. 6A. In between advancement steps, the inkjet printing assembly 2 prints consecutive swath of the images Im1, Im 2 on their respective media M1, M2, as determined by the print job data. The images Im1, Im2 are printed in tandem (i.e. in parallel swaths) on their respective media M1, M2, as shown in FIG. 6B.

[0072] In step v, which may be comprised in step iv, each of the designated or selected media M1, M2 is transported onto its designated or selected transport path P1, P2. Thereby each of the media M1, M2 is transported to a one of the cutting positions C1, C2. The cutting positions C1, C2 are positioned at different height levels H1, H2, such that downstream of the inkjet printing assembly 2 the individual transport paths P1, P2 for the different media M1, M2 diverge into different relative directions or levels H1, H2. Thus, based on the selection each medium M1, M2 is transported to a different height for cutting said medium M1, M2.

[0073] In step vi and FIG. 6D, printing of a first image Im1 on one of the media M1, M2 has been completed. This medium M1 is then cut by moving the cutter 31, 32, 31′ traverse to the transport direction D across the plane of said medium M1. The medium M1 is cut along a cutting line or region positioned on the medium M1 between a first image Im1 printed on it and the inkjet print assembly 2. Since the cutting position C1 of said medium M1 is vertically spaced apart from the other cutting positions C2 said medium M1 may be cut without cutting the other media M2, as shown in FIG. 6D. The region of said medium M1 printed with the first image Im1 may then be removed from its respective transport path P1, P2 and be processed for storage, packing and/or finishing, as shown in FIG. 6E.

[0074] In FIG. 6E and in step vii, printing and transporting of the media M1, M2 is continued after the cutting in step vi. The roll support 5 is actuated and the inkjet printing assembly 2 continues to print the second image on a further medium M2. Printing of the second image Im2 commenced in step iv, but the relative length of the second image Im2 exceeded that of the first image Im1. Since the media M1, M2 are advanced in tandem the cut medium M1 is advanced along with the further medium M2 being printed in FIG. 6E. Generally, in this step no image is printed on the medium M1 which was cut in step vi, such that upon completion of printing the second image Im2, a parallel region of the first medium M1 remains blank, as shown in FIG. 6F.

[0075] When the second image Im2 has been printed on the further medium M2, the further medium M2 in step viii is positioned at the other cutting position C2, such that the desired cutting region of the further medium M2 may be cut by the cutter 31, 31′, 32 at the other cutting position C2. The cutter 31, 31′, 32 may prior to or in this step be positioned at the other cutting position by means of the height adjustment actuator 33′. The cutter 31, 31′, 32 then moves traverse to the transport direction D across the further medium M2, releasing the region of the further medium M2 with the second image Im2 printed on it from the remained of the medium M2, as illustrated in FIG. 6G.

[0076] Since the length of the second image Im2 exceeded that of the first image Im1, the medium M1 cut in step vi extends beyond the new leading edge of the further medium M2 cut in step viii. In step ix, the roll support 5 is rotated in a reverse rotation direction opposite to the rotation direction applied in step iv, such that the media M1, M2 are transport upstream back towards the rolls R1, R2 in the reserve direction RD. The media M1, M2 are partially wound back onto the rolls R1, R2. Thereby, the leading edge of the medium M1 cut in step vi is positioned with respect to the inkjet printing assembly 2 for further printing on said medium M1, as illustrated in FIG. 61. The printing process may then commence for further printing on the media M1, M2.

[0077] An even further image may thus be printed on the media M1, M2 in step x without the loss of print media. For printing further images in step x, the steps i to ix may be repeated. Thus, the present invention provides a method of printing on a multi-roll printer in a cost-effective manner.

[0078] Although specific embodiments of the invention are illustrated and described herein, it will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that a variety of alternate and/or equivalent implementations exist. It should be appreciated that the exemplary embodiment or exemplary embodiments are examples only and are not intended to limit the scope, applicability, or configuration in any way. Rather, the foregoing summary and detailed description will provide those skilled in the art with a convenient road map for implementing at least one exemplary embodiment, it being understood that various changes may be made in the function and arrangement of elements described in an exemplary embodiment without departing from the scope as set forth in the appended claims and their legal equivalents. Generally, this application is intended to cover any adaptations or variations of the specific embodiments discussed herein.

[0079] It will also be appreciated that in this document the terms “comprise”, “comprising”, “include”, “including”, “contain”, “containing”, “have”, “having”, and any variations thereof, are intended to be understood in an inclusive (i.e. non-exclusive) sense, such that the process, method, device, apparatus or system described herein is not limited to those features or parts or elements or steps recited but may include other elements, features, parts or steps not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus. Furthermore, the terms “a” and “an” used herein are intended to be understood as meaning one or more unless explicitly stated otherwise. Moreover, the terms “first”, “second”, “third”, etc. are used merely as labels, and are not intended to impose numerical requirements on or to establish a certain ranking of importance of their objects.

[0080] The present invention being thus described, it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the present invention, and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are intended to be included within the scope of the following claims.