Abstract: An inkjet printer and a method for controlling an inkjet printer are disclosed. The inkjet printer is provided with an endless transport belt for transporting a medium to be printed; at least one roller for driving the transport belt and at least one additional roller for driving and/or suspending the transport belt; a detection system configured to detect a deformation of the transport belt including at least an in-plane bending deformation of at least a stretch of the transport belt and to generate at least one deformation signal indicating the detected deformation; an actuator assembly configured to change a position and/or orientation of at least one of the rollers of the inkjet printer; and a controller configured to control the actuator assembly based on the at least one deformation signal.

Abstract: A low cost and low air resistance belt support structure for an endless belt conveyor of an inkjet printer can be achieved with the belt support structure being provided over a suction chamber. The belt support structure includes a plurality of longitudinal, narrow support beams positioned spaced apart from one another and parallel to one another in a transport direction of the belt to define a flat support plane for the belt. The support beams provides a relatively small contact area with the belt, which results in low friction The support beams further allow for a relatively large open area between them to achieve a low air resistance.

Abstract: The invention relates to a print system comprising at least two page-wide arrays of ink jet print heads, positioned in a frame over a conveyor belt for transporting a substrate underneath the arrays, three sensors for reading markers on the conveyor belt and a control unit that is configured to derive control signals from encoder signals of the three sensors. Two sensors are directly connected to the frame and a third sensor is connected to one of the said two sensors by an element with virtually no thermal expansion, extending in transport direction. The control signals, comprising signals for controlling a transport speed of the conveyor belt and line pulses for the at least two print heads, are derived in such a way that an amount of thermal expansion of the frame is determined and an absolute print resolution is maintained.

Abstract: An inkjet printer and a method for controlling an inkjet printer are disclosed. The inkjet printer is provided with an endless transport belt for transporting a medium to be printed; at least one roller for driving the transport belt and at least one additional roller for driving and/or suspending the transport belt; a detection system configured to detect a deformation of the transport belt including at least an in-plane bending deformation of at least a stretch of the transport belt and to generate at least one deformation signal indicating the detected deformation; an actuator assembly configured to change a position and/or orientation of at least one of the rollers of the inkjet printer; and a controller configured to control the actuator assembly based on the at least one deformation signal.

Abstract: A sheet conveying system comprising a first conveyor and a second conveyor arranged downstream of the first conveyor in a transport direction for taking-over a sheet from the first conveyor, the first conveyor having a belt that is driven to move over a stationary attraction mechanism, the attraction mechanism being arranged to exert, onto a sheet conveyed on the first conveyor, an attraction force that is proportional to an area of coverage of the sheet on the attraction mechanism, characterized in that the attraction mechanism is arranged to attract the sheet with a larger force per area in a downstream zone of the first conveyor than in an upstream zone thereof.

Abstract: A system including an ink bottle closure including a first closure member configured to be fixed to an ink bottle, the first closure member including a seal, arranged to be located over an outlet opening in a neck of the bottle and a second closure member attached to the first closure member and movable relative to the first closure member between a closed position, in which the second closure member covers the seal, and an open position in which the seal is exposed to be pierced or ruptured for dispensing ink from the bottle through the outlet opening, wherein the second closure member is movable in translation, relative to the first closure member between the closed position and the open position in a direction substantially perpendicular to a central or longitudinal axis of the bottle and a dispensing device for opening an ink bottle closure, including an adapter having a receiving area for receiving the ink bottle closure of an ink re-fill bottle with the bottle in an inverted orientation, a mechanism for

Abstract: A method is provided for forming an image on a recording medium in a printer, the printer comprising a print head assembly for applying a curable ink on a recording medium to form the image, a transport path arranged for moving the recording medium in a transport direction along the print head assembly and a curing system; said curing system comprising a curing source, which curing source is arranged extending over the transport path in the transverse direction; the method comprising the steps of: moving the recording medium through the transport path in a step-wise movement in the transport direction along the print head assembly and the curing system; applying the curable ink on the recording medium by the print head assembly to form the image; and curing the curable ink, which is applied on the recording medium, by the curing source in a curing zone on the recording medium, the curing zone extending over the transport path in a transverse direction, the transverse direction being substantially perpendicula

Abstract: A sheet transfer device for transferring a sheet between two sheet processing devices comprising a switch for directing sheets from a first transport path coming from the first sheet processing device onto a two-way transport path or for directing sheets from the two-way transport path onto a second transport path for feeding sheets to the second sheet processing device. A transport pinch is provided along the two way transport path for reversing a sheet on the two-way transport path. When in use, the two-way transport path extends downward in a vertically extending free-hanging chamber wherein the sheet engaged by the transport pinch is allowed to hang freely under the influence of gravity. Thereby, a compact device is formed which is able to adjust the sheet to a suitable orientation for the second processing device. The device further prevents forces from the first processing device to disrupt the sheet's orientation in the second processing device.

Abstract: A system including an ink bottle closure including a first closure member configured to be fixed to an ink bottle, the first closure member including a seal, arranged to be located over an outlet opening in a neck of the bottle and a second closure member attached to the first closure member and movable relative to the first closure member between a closed position, in which the second closure member covers the seal, and an open position in which the seal is exposed to be pierced or ruptured for dispensing ink from the bottle through the outlet opening, wherein the second closure member is movable in translation, relative to the first closure member between the closed position and the open position in a direction substantially perpendicular to a central or longitudinal axis of the bottle and a dispensing device for opening an ink bottle closure, including an adapter having a receiving area for receiving the ink bottle closure of an ink re-fill bottle with the bottle in an inverted orientation, a mechanism for

Abstract: A sheet conveying system comprising a first conveyor and a second conveyor arranged downstream of the first conveyor in a transport direction for taking-over a sheet from the first conveyor, the first conveyor having a belt that is driven to move over a stationary attraction mechanism, the attraction mechanism being arranged to exert, onto a sheet conveyed on the first conveyor, an attraction force that is proportional to an area of coverage of the sheet on the attraction mechanism, characterized in that the attraction mechanism is arranged to attract the sheet with a larger force per area in a downstream zone of the first conveyor than in an upstream zone thereof.

Abstract: A method is provided for forming an image on a recording medium in a printer, the printer comprising a print head assembly for applying a curable ink on a recording medium to form the image, a transport path arranged for moving the recording medium in a transport direction along the print head assembly and a curing system; said curing system comprising a curing source, which curing source is arranged extending over the transport path in the transverse direction; the method comprising the steps of: moving the recording medium through the transport path in a step-wise movement in the transport direction along the print head assembly and the curing system; applying the curable ink on the recording medium by the print head assembly to form the image; and curing the curable ink, which is applied on the recording medium, by the curing source in a curing zone on the recording medium, the curing zone extending over the transport path in a transverse direction, the transverse direction being substantially perpendicula

Abstract: An ink handling system for an ink jet printer includes a local ink reservoir associated with a print head assembly of the printer, a fill state sensor arranged to detect a fill state of the local ink reservoir, a pump arranged to supply ink into the local ink reservoir, and a pump controller for controlling an operation of the pump, including controlling an on/off state of the pump, on the basis of a detection result of the fill state sensor.

Abstract: A sheet transfer device for transferring a sheet between two sheet processing devices comprising a switch for directing sheets from a first transport path coming from the first sheet processing device onto a two-way transport path or for directing sheets from the two-way transport path onto a second transport path for feeding sheets to the second sheet processing device. A transport pinch is provided along the two way transport path for reversing a sheet on the two-way transport path. When in use, the two-way transport path extends downward in a vertically extending free-hanging chamber wherein the sheet engaged by the transport pinch is allowed to hang freely under the influence of gravity. Thereby, a compact device is formed which is able to adjust the sheet to a suitable orientation for the second processing device. The device further prevents forces from the first processing device to disrupt the sheet's orientation in the second processing device.

Abstract: A sheet conveyor is provided for transporting a sheet. The sheet conveyor includes a supplying conveyor, a receiving conveyor and a sheet guidance unit. The receiving conveyor includes a support surface arranged for supporting the sheet on a contact side of the sheet and an attraction unit arranged for attracting the sheet to the support surface. The supplying conveyor includes a transport belt being arranged for advancing the sheet in a transport direction along a transport path towards the support surface of the receiving conveyor; the sheet having two side edge portions relative to the transport path. The sheet guidance unit is arranged at a downstream end of the transport path for guiding the sheet towards the receiving conveyor, wherein said sheet guidance unit includes a lifting element arranged for lifting both side edge portions of the sheet away from the support surface while a middle portion of the sheet in between both side edge portions is guided towards the support surface.

Abstract: An ink handling system for an ink jet printer includes a local ink reservoir associated with a print head assembly of the printer, a fill state sensor arranged to detect a fill state of the local ink reservoir, a pump arranged to supply ink into the local ink reservoir, and a pump controller for controlling an operation of the pump, including controlling an on/off state of the pump, on the basis of a detection result of the fill state sensor.

Abstract: An ink bottle closure for an ink re-fill bottle includes a first closure member configured to be fixed to an ink bottle, the first closure member including a seal, arranged to be located over an outlet opening of the bottle, and a second closure member attached to the first closure member and movable relative to the first closure member between a closed position, in which the second closure member covers the seal, and an open position in which the seal is exposed to be pierced or ruptured for dispensing ink from the bottle through the outlet opening. An ink bottle having an ink bottle closure and a dispensing device for opening an ink bottle closure are also disclosed.

Abstract: A sheet conveying system includes an upstream conveyor section having an endless first conveyor belt movable in a first conveying direction x and extending in a first lateral direction z, the first conveying direction x and the first lateral direction z defining a first conveying plane xz; and a downstream conveyor section having an endless second conveyor belt that adjoins the first conveyor belt and is movable in a second conveying direction x? and extends in a second lateral direction z?, the second conveying direction x? and the second lateral direction z? defining a second conveying plane x?z?. The conveyor sections are adapted to hold the sheets slip-free on the first and second conveyor belts. The second conveyor belt has a shear compliance in the second conveying plane x?z? that is larger than the shear compliance of the first conveyor belt in the first conveying plane xz.

Abstract: A sheet conveyor is provided for transporting a sheet. The sheet conveyor includes a supplying conveyor, a receiving conveyor and a sheet guidance unit. The receiving conveyor includes a support surface arranged for supporting the sheet on a contact side of the sheet and an attraction unit arranged for attracting the sheet to the support surface. The supplying conveyor includes a transport belt being arranged for advancing the sheet in a transport direction along a transport path towards the support surface of the receiving conveyor; the sheet having two side edge portions relative to the transport path. The sheet guidance unit is arranged at a downstream end of the transport path for guiding the sheet towards the receiving conveyor, wherein said sheet guidance unit includes a lifting element arranged for lifting both side edge portions of the sheet away from the support surface while a middle portion of the sheet in between both side edge portions is guided towards the support surface.

Abstract: Belt conveyor system comprising: an endless mesh belt, the belt having a mesh structure and having edge areas at the lateral sides, a drive mechanism drivable by a drive motor to rotate the belt, and a steering roller for steering the lateral position of the belt, wherein an edge area comprises a band running substantially parallel to the lateral sides, the band comprising an elastic filler being provided inside the mesh structure, the elastic filler being discernible from the mesh structure, and wherein the belt conveyor system further comprises a band position detector for detecting the lateral position of the band.

Abstract: Belt conveyor system comprising: an endless mesh belt, the belt having a mesh structure and having edge areas at the lateral sides, a drive mechanism drivable by a drive motor to rotate the belt, and a steering roller for steering the lateral position of the belt, wherein an edge area comprises a band running substantially parallel to the lateral sides, the band comprising an elastic filler being provided inside the mesh structure, the elastic filler being discernible from the mesh structure, and wherein the belt conveyor system further comprises a band position detector for detecting the lateral position of the band.