Mouvent Ag

Bobst Mex Sa

Walter Urech

Pierino Pierantozzi

Peter Brandenberger

Marcel Galliker

An inkjet printer comprises a transport mechanism () for transporting a substrate along a first axis, a print engine () comprising at least two inkjet print bars () arranged along the first axis, and a controller for controlling the ejection of ink by the at least two inkjet print bars. It further comprises at least two first encoders for the determination of at least two first positions of substrate locations along the first axis and a compensation module for processing the at least two determined first positions to generate at least one first individual compensation parameter for each of the at least two inkjet print bars (). The first compensation parameters are transmitted to the controller to influence the ejection of ink in such a way that effects due to variations of the at least two first positions of the substrate along the first axis are compensated. The effects of positioning errors that may affect different print bars () arranged along the longitudinal axis of the print engine () differently may be compensated using the encoders, individually for the different print bars ().

Inkjet printer

A print bar comprises a mounting assembly and a plurality of drop-on-demand inkjet print modules mounted to the mounting assembly. The modules comprise conduits for continuously circulating ink. Each of the modules comprises a drop-on-demand inkjet print head and a local element for controlling the ink pressure, assigned to the print head. The print bar further comprises control circuitry assigned to the print heads of the modules for controlling the local elements for controlling the ink pressure and ink release by the print head. An optimum printing result at high frequency may be obtained from every print head as the ink delivered to the print head is locally brought to a desired pressure. A modular buildup is achieved, which means that new printers may be easily designed and built from a comparably small number of components to be held available. Maintenance is similarly facilitated. Scalability is excellent.

Drop-on-demand inkjet print bar

A mounting assembly () for mounting a plurality of inkjet print modules in an adjoining relationship along a longitudinal direction of the mounting assembly () comprises a linear guide () extending in the longitudinal direction for supporting the plurality of modules such that the modules are movable along the linear guide (). It further comprises for each of the plurality of modules a carrier () for mounting an inkjet print head including an array of nozzles formed on a nozzle face, wherein the carriers () are supported on the linear guide () such that they are movable along the linear guide (), wherein in a mounted configuration of the inkjet print heads their nozzle face is arranged on a first side of the linear guide (). Each carrier () comprises a first adjustment mechanism for adjusting a distance of the carriers) of two adjoining modules of the plurality of modules, the first adjustment mechanism comprising a first control member having an operating section for mechanically cooperating with a tool for adjusting the distance. Each carrier () further comprises a second adjustment mechanism for adjusting an angle position of the inkjet print head mounted to the carrier () with respect to an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, the second adjustment mechanism comprising a second control member having an operating section for mechanically cooperating with a tool for adjusting the angle position. The operating sections of the control members of the first and of the second adjustment mechanism are accessible from the first side of the linear guide ().

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Seengen, Switzerland

Walter Urech