Patent ID: 6217167
Filing Date: 2001-04-17
Classification: B41J

Abstract:
Ink jet printing apparatus for forming a plurality of ink images on a receiver and for cutting the receiver to form separate prints of such ink images in response to one or more digital image files each including at least one digital image, comprising:a) at least one ink jet print head adapted to deliver ink to the receiver;b) means for providing at least two receiver webs;c) moving means for selectively moving one or more receiver webs along a first receiver path past the ink jet print head;d) control means responsive to one or more digital image files for actuating the ink jet print head to form ink images on the web(s) of receiver in a manner that minimizes receiver waste, the receiver waste being minimized by actuating the ink jet print head such that at least a first portion of a set of related images is printed on a first receiver web, with at least two images in the set of related images being printed adjacent to one another across the first receiver web in a scanning direction of the ink jet print head, and if printing of a remaining portion of the set of related images on the first receiver web will result in more than a desired amount of receiver waste, the remaining portion of the set of images is automatically printed on the second receiver web, the remaining portion including at least one image of a size which is the same as that of an image in the first portion printed on the first receiver web; ande) actuatable receiver cutting means responsive to the control means for cutting the receiver across the first receiver path.