Patent ID: 6491361
Filing Date: 2002-12-10
Classification: B23K,B41J

Abstract:
A method for substantially simultaneously printing and cutting pieces of ink jet printed media which have a pre-defined shape, said method comprising:passing ink ejection nozzles of an ink jet printer across a portion of a print surface so as to selectively eject droplets of ink onto a first set of pixel locations on said print surface; concurrently directing laser light onto a second set of pixel locations on said portion of said print surface so as to selectively form one or more holes in said piece of media at a second set of pixel locations; and repeating the steps of passing ink ejection nozzles and concurrently directing laser light such that a printed design is progressively formed on said media with sequential passes of said ink ejection nozzles and such that said holes join to produce a substantially continuous cut boundary circumscribing said pre-defined shape, whereby a printed product having said pre-defined shape is separated from the remainder of said media during the printing process.