Abstract: This disclosure relates to an ink composition (e.g., a hot melt ink composition or a radiation curable ink composition) that has a relatively low conductivity. This disclosure also relates to a continuous printing process using such a composition and a product containing such a composition.

Abstract: The invention relates to a reservoir for a pigment ink for a continuous inkjet printer comprising: at least a convergent shaped part, converging towards a portion that comprises an ink flow orifice, the tangent to a wall of said convergent shaped part forming an angle from the horizontal equal to more than about 30° and less than 90°, when the reservoir is in its usage position, a recirculation circuit to transferring some of the ink from said convergent shaped part, and bring it back into the reservoir, through at least one transferred liquid outlet means located above the maximum ink level in the reservoir, a circuit to drawing off ink and transferring the ink thus drawn off to a print head.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including medium-encoded computer program products, for thermal transfer printing include, in at least one aspect, a printing apparatus includes: a band capable of holding hot melt ink thereon; rollers configured and arranged to hold and transport the band with respect to a substrate; a printhead configured and arranged to thermally transfer a portion of the ink from the band to the substrate to print on the substrate; and a heating device configured and arranged to heat the band to cause ink on the band to re-melt, flow and replace at least some of the portion of the ink transferred to the substrate previously before arriving at the printhead again for a next print.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and an arrangement for controlling a print output from a print device on an information carrier. The arrangement comprises a processing unit and a memory unit, and the method comprises: generating a print job data with respect to a type of print device, the information carrier and data in the memory unit, analyzing the generated print job data for approval with respect to a number of predetermined parameters.

Abstract: A system directs a laser beam to mark a material with an alphanumeric code. Character and quality information corresponding to a mark to apply to the material with the laser beam can be received, a font definition that specifies character segments can be obtained, a set of multiple spaced locations can be generated from the character segments in accordance with the character and quality information, and the material can be marked with the laser beam by directing the laser beam to dwell at the locations and move between the locations without deactivating the laser beam.

Abstract: An ink composition for continuous deflected ink jet printing, which is liquid at ambient temperature, comprising: a solvent comprising, preferably consisting of, one or more organic solvent compound(s), and optionally water; a binder, comprising a saturated copolyester resin and a terpene-phenol resin; a compound having an ethylenically unsaturated double bond and a silicon chain; optionally, one or more dye(s) and/or pigment(s). A method for marking a substrate, support or object by spraying this ink composition on a surface of this substrate, support or object. A substrate, support or object, notably a polyolefin bottle or stopper, cap, for example made of polyethylene, provided with a marking obtained by drying, and/or absorption in the substrate, support or object, of this ink composition.

Abstract: A method and printing controller for industrial printing with the use of a plurality of print-heads for a single printing assignment are described. Printing instructions for a single printing assignment are obtained. Different portions of the single printing assignment, and associated portions of the printing instructions, are assigned among respective print-heads of a plurality of print-heads.

Abstract: Example embodiments presented herein are directed towards a universal printing controller, and corresponding method, for universal printing control. A universal printing controller is presented herein which may provide instructions and/or control functionality to printers of various print technologies. Based on a particular print-head type, the universal controller may choose a print technology format from a variety of different print technology formats. The universal printing controller may also provide print instructions for printing an image description based on the chosen print technology format.

Abstract: A method for printing an authentication pattern wherein, using a multi-deflection continuous inkjet printer, the pattern is printed on a substrate and only contains a small number of black pixels per raster. The resolution in the travel direction X of the substrate and in direction Y of the rasters is thereby largely improved compared with printing in dot-matrix mode.

Abstract: This disclosure includes a hot melt ink composition that includes at least one wax having a freezing point of from about 20° C. to about 45° C. and a melting point of at least about 35° C., and at least one colorant. The composition includes at least about 50 wt % of the at least one wax. This disclosure also relates to a printing process using such a composition and a product containing such a composition.

Abstract: This specification describes connectors for tubes, pipes and poles, such as can be used in laser marking systems. In one aspect, an apparatus includes a body having a hole formed to receive a tube to connect an interior of the tube with an interior of the body, the tube having a circular groove formed in an exterior surface of the tube; and a clamp including a tab sized to fit within the circular groove of the tube; wherein the clamp is configured and arranged to attach to the body in a first state and in a second state, the first state being where the tube is held to the body axially by the tab and is freely rotatable, and the second state being where the tube is held in a fixed position relative to the body.

Abstract: A motor control system includes a motor having an associated rotary position encoder, and a controller for controlling the operation of the motor, wherein the motor is switchable between a position control mode and a torque control mode.

Abstract: A system directs a laser beam to mark a material with an alphanumeric code. Character and quality information corresponding to a mark to apply to the material with the laser beam can be received, a font definition that specifies character segments can be obtained, a set of multiple spaced locations can be generated from the character segments in accordance with the character and quality information, and the material can be marked with the laser beam by directing the laser beam to dwell at the locations and move between the locations without deactivating the laser beam.

Abstract: Solvent-based inkjet ink formulations including a solvent, a surfactant, and a colorant are provided. The inks have many desirable attributes such as extended decap time.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including medium-encoded computer program products, for thermal transfer printing include, in at least one aspect, a printing apparatus includes: a band capable of holding hot melt ink thereon; rollers configured and arranged to hold and transport the band with respect to a substrate; a printhead configured and arranged to thermally transfer a portion of the ink from the band to the substrate to print on the substrate; and a heating device configured and arranged to heat the band to cause ink on the band to re-melt, flow and replace at least some of the portion of the ink transferred to the substrate previously before arriving at the printhead again for a next print.

Abstract: Solvent-based inkjet ink formulations including an organic solvent, a resin, a surfactant, and a colorant are provided. The inks have many desirable attributes such as extended decap time.

Abstract: A method for printing an authentication pattern wherein, using a multi-deflection continuous inkjet printer, the pattern is printed on a substrate and only contains a small number of black pixels per raster. The resolution in the travel direction X of the substrate and in direction Y of the rasters is thereby largely improved compared with printing in dot-matrix mode, which makes reproduction of the pattern difficult for an infringer not having means to determine the electric charge to be applied to each of the droplets of a train of droplets needed to print each raster of the pattern.

Abstract: A method of printing including testing the status of a printhead (12) having a plurality of printing elements (14) each of which is operable to transfer a marking medium from a web (16) to a substrate (18), wherein the method includes testing the status of each printing element (14), and providing a preview of an image (30) to be printed and, in the event that the print quality of the image is inadequate owing to the position of one or more damaged printing elements (14a, 14b) relative to the image (30) to be printed, adjusting the position of a component (30a, 30b) of the image (30) relative to the printhead (12) to improve the print quality.

Abstract: A tape drive for transferring tape between a first spool and a second spool, the tape comprising at least one marker indicative of a property of the tape, the tape drive having: two spool supports, each of which is suitable for supporting a spool of tape, and a tape control system which includes: two motors and a controller for controlling the operation of the motors, each motor driving a respective one of the spool supports, and a detector that is operable, in use, to detect the presence of one or more markers on a portion of a tape, the tape control system being operable to identify a property of the tape according to the detected marker or markers.

Abstract: A supply cable of a printing head of a continuous inkjet printer, including means for supplying fluids to the head, means forming a bidirectional digital serial link in order to transmit digital data between the head and the means for driving the printer, and low voltage power supply means, as well as a circuit for a printing head of a continuous jet printer and a method for transmitting data to the printing head.