A digital printing signature production system S comprises: a plurality of digital printing devices D1, D2, D3, and D4, each of the plurality of digital printing devices D1, D2, D3, and D4 including a paper feeding unit 1 configured to supply a continuous paper and digital printing units 3 and 4 configured to perform printing on the continuous paper supplied from the paper feeding unit 1; a continuous paper guide unit L configured to cause printing-completed continuous papers W1, W2, W3, and W4 fed from the plurality of digital printing devices D1, D2, D3, and D4 and each having different content printed thereon to be overlapped such that width direction edges of the printing-completed continuous papers W1, W2, W3, and W4 are aligned, thereby forming a single continuous paper group Wg; and a single folding unit F configured such that the single continuous paper group Wg is guided into the single folding unit F to produce a signature.

The invention relates to a printer for printing a substrate, the printer comprising a holder rotatably receiving a roll on which the substrate is wound, a first transport means for engaging and transporting the substrate, which transport means extends substantially parallel to the roll, during which transport the substrate is unwound from the roll, and a second downstream transport means which also extends substantially parallel to the roll, wherein a guide element is disposed between the transport means, which element extends substantially parallel to the transport means and is so constructed that it feeds the substrate at an angle of between 0 and 180° from the first transport means to the second transport means, can at least partially rotate about an axis substantially perpendicular to the said direction in which the guide element extends, and allows movement of the substrate at the guide element in a direction parallel to the direction in which said element extends.

Many holes are formed in a platen that is so disposed as to confront a printing head. A suction fan disposed under the platen generates suction force through the holes formed in the platen to thereby bring a paper into close contact with a surface of the platen. On a back surface of the platen, disposed is an airflow restriction plate formed with openings that correspond to a part of the holes in the platen. Before a leading edge of the paper arrives at the platen, the airflow restriction plate closes the holes. In association with a conveyance of the paper, the airflow restriction plate moves in a paper conveyance direction on the back surface of the platen and, at the same time, opens the closed holes sequentially from upstream in the paper conveyance direction. This can restrict inflow of air into the holes located downstream, in the paper conveyance direction, of the leading edge of the paper.

Bei einem Verfahren zum Betreiben eines Drukkers, dem bspw. Endlospapier mittels eines antreibbaren Einzugskopfes über eine Zuführbahn in eine mit dem mindestens einem Druckkopf ausgestatteten Durchlaufbahn des Druckers führbar und abtrennbar ist sollen zu beschriftende Papierbahnen schnell und einfach gewechselt werden können wobei die exakte Beschriftung ebenso zu sichern ist wie das exakte Abtrennen. Dazu wird vorgeschlagen, beim Wechseln der Papierquelle nach dem Abtrennen des letzten ausgedruckten Papierabschnittes die eingeführte Papierbahn mit Ihrer Schneidkante bis zu einem Sensor zurückzuführen, beim Ansprechen des Sensors die Differenz aus der Sollbewegung des Antriebs und dem Istwert desselben zu bilden und abzuspeichern, die Papierbahn weiterhin in eine vorgegebene Parkposition zurückzuziehen und die für das weitere arbeiten des Druckers vorgesehene Papierbahn aus ihrer Parkposition vorzufahren, wobei der Sollwert jedes Sollschubs um die für diese Papierbahn gespeicherte Differenz zu korrigieren ist.

An imaging system comprising a source of light movable with respect to a writing element and projectable thereon to generate an image, a focusing means is provided for focusing a light source which generates a first beam of light of a wavelength selected to be actinic with respect to the writing element. At least a portion of the first beam of light is absorbed by the writing element. The apparatus comprises means to automatically supply donor sheets and receiver sheets independently to a writing platen or drum, and to selectively load and unload the donor sheets from superposition with the receiver sheet without disturbing the registration of the receiver sheet. Also included are components which contribute to the quality of the images generated, such as relatively inexpensive, low jitter transports and drives for the writing head and imaging drum.

An imaging system comprising a source of light movable with respect to a writing element and projectable thereon to generate an image, a focusing means is provided for focusing a light source which generates a first beam of light of a wavelength selected to be actinic with respect to the writing element. At least a portion of the first beam of light is absorbed by the writing element. The apparatus comprises means to automatically supply donor sheets and receiver sheets independently to a writing platen or drum, and to selectively load and unload the donor sheets from superposition with the receiver sheet without disturbing the registration of the receiver sheet. Also included are components which contribute to the quality of the images generated, such as relatively inexpensive, low jitter transports and drives for the writing head and imaging drum.

Es wird eine Vorrichtung zur abschnittsweisen Zu­führung von bahnförmigem Gut zu einer Bearbeitungs­station beschrieben, bei der mittels einer steuer­baren Antriebsvorrichtung wahlweise jeweils eine von mehreren in übereinanderliegenden, fächerförmig zur Bearbeitungsstation zusammenlaufenden Führungs­kanälen transportierten Bahnen (4) vorgeschoben, der vordere Abschnitt dieser Bahn nach der Bearbeitung von dieser abgetrennt und das nach dem Abtrennen vordere Ende der Bahn aus der Bearbeitungsstation zurückgezogen werden. Hierzu ist die steuerbare An­triebsvorrichtung wahlweise mit jeweils einer Bahn im Bereich des zugeordenten Führungskanals in Ein­griff bringbar für den vollständigen Vor- und Rück­transport dieser Bahn vor und nach einem Bearbeitungs­vorgang. Die Antriebsvorrichtung weist vorzugsweise umkehrbar antreibbare Walzen (9) auf, und zur Her­stellung eines Eingriffs zwischen einer Bahn und mindestens einer Walze sind vorzugsweise die Führungs­kanäle bildene Leitelemente (7,8) gegenüber den Walzen verschwenkbar. Als Bearbeitungsstation dient zweckmäßig eine Druckvorrichtung, in der beispiels­weise sich durch ihre Farbe unterscheidende Fahrkarten gedruckt werden sollen.