Abstract:
A method for imprinting objects, including providing a printing machine configured to deliver at least one object to be imprinted to a printing apparatus using a retaining apparatus or an inscription carrier. A data processing system is provided and includes at least one print pattern stored in at least one database. The data processing system is connected to the printing machine and configured to control the printing machine. A liquid is applied so as to generate the at least one print pattern on a surface of the at least one object using the printing apparatus. The at least one object is then exposed to a radiation so as to dry and cure the liquid and then the retaining apparatus or the inscription carrier is conveyed to an output station. The retaining apparatus and inscription carrier are stackable in the output station.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO PRIOR APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a U.S. National Phase application under 35 U.S.C. §371 of International Application No. PCT/EP2007/000109, filed on Jan. 9, 2007 and claims benefit to German Patent Application No. DE 10 2006 003 056.7, filed on Jan. 20, 2006. The International Application was published in German on Aug. 9, 2007 as WO 2007/087957 under PCT Article 21 (2). 
     FIELD 
     The present invention refers in general to the field of imprinting objects, and relates in particular to a method for imprinting objects. A further aspect of the present invention is an apparatus for imprinting objects. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Imprintable objects can be made from various materials, for example plastic, ceramic, glass, wood, metal. 
     The imprinting of plastic parts, or of their surfaces, can be accomplished by the application of a variety of printing technologies. Known methods are the conventional printing methods such as, for example, the offset, pad, or silk screen methods. 
     Printing machines, in particular inkjet printers, are known for the printing of individual print patterns, especially for smaller part volumes. Inkjet printers are characterized by the selective application of liquid, in particular a jet of ink, onto a recording material, the inkjet printer being a matrix printer in which, by the targeted ejection or deflection of small ink droplets, a print pattern is generated on a surface; conventional inkjet printers are not suitable for imprinting plastic parts. 
     The plastic parts are, for example, electronics housings or housing covers for interface technologies, and labels, so-called self-adhesive or clip-in identification strips, identification cards, cable ties, slide-in signs, signage panels, terminal strip identifiers, designation sleeves, or other shaped parts for the identification or marking of, for example, modular terminal blocks, printed terminal blocks of all types, and converters, to name only a few. 
     The labels or signs are detachable secured, depending on their shape, on a variety of inscription carriers, labels or signs of film-like configuration being detachably adhered onto ribbon-shaped inscription carriers. Plastic signs or labels in particularly configured shapes are arranged in retaining apparatuses, in particular in frame-like inscription carriers, and attached thereto, for example, with defined break points. The retaining apparatuses thus contain shaped parts that, because of their conformation, are unsuitable or too small to be separately inscribed in a printer. They are therefore joined to a carrier element, the carrier element having a format that can be conveyed by the printer or the transport device. 
     The existing art describes the imprinting of objects, in particular of plastic parts, by silk screen and pad printing. EP 0 991 063 B1, in which the imprinting of optical data media with UV-curable ink is described, may be recited here as a representative of many examples. The disadvantage is that these printing methods are suitable only for the imprinting of print patterns that are always the same, and not for the objects previously mentioned. The aforesaid printing methods all operating with special printing tools that are not only complex and expensive, but also inflexible as regards adaptation of a print pattern to different predefined print patterns. 
     Pen plotters are also known from the existing art. A pen plotter is designed for print patterns on paper, generally DIN A3 to A0. In special cases, detachable labels adhesively bonded onto flat inscription carriers can also be imprinted. The pen plotter uses for this purpose an ink pen that is mounted on a carriage. The carriage slides along a bar that either can be displaced over the entire width of the paper, or is installed fixedly. The disadvantage of pen plotters is that they are slow when imprinting objects, and cumbersome to handle. The solvent-containing ink that is used additionally results in disruptions in the inscribing process, for example because pens have dried out. Pen plotters are therefore seldom used in the commercial sector. 
     GB 2235 163 A describes a plotter for imprinting plastic cassettes, in which plotter imprinting is accomplished by way of a thermal method with a heatable plotter pen and a carbon ribbon. The disadvantage here is that this method can be applied only to plastic, and furthermore that only a low resolution and printing speed can be implemented. The low printing speed results from the fact that the plotter pen must travel to each letter individually, in the manner of a plotter. 
     Printing machines that adapt commercially available inkjet printers are also known. These inkjet printers utilize water-based ink. With this printing method, the inscription carrier is heated, after the printing operation is complete, so greatly that the aqueous component of the ink is evaporated. EP 0 619 849 B1 describes an inkjet recording device that is equipped with a combined heating apparatus and blower unit for drying the printed-on ink with hot air. A disadvantage is that the inscription carriers must be heated to a temperature above 100 degrees Celsius in order for the water component contained in the ink to evaporate. The inscription materials are very highly stressed by the heat, and can distort or change shape. The adhesion of aqueous inks onto plastic surfaces is also insufficient. In order to protect the objects from excessive heating during imprinting, DE 43 42 643 C2 describes a method that fixes the printed-on ink with a low-heating radiation, the ink being fixed by a photochemical reaction. Fixing is accomplished by the use of a UV radiation source, eliminating the print-delaying waiting phase with thermal fixing. A UV radiation source downstream from the printing process is used for this purpose. There is a physically close association between the ink application unit and the UV radiation source: this has a disadvantageous effect on the ink application unit because of the heat generated by the UV radiation source. The heat that is generated acts unimpededly in all directions, and it is not possible to imprint various objects with this inkjet printer. 
     To prevent unimpeded propagation of the heat that results from radiation sources, DE 200 22 158 U1 describes a drying unit that is usable with an infrared radiation source. This involves a separate drying unit, equipped with a passive cooling agent, that is placed downstream from inkjet printers. The disadvantage of this drying unit is that it is usable only as a standalone unit for sheet paper drying, at a distance of approximately 20 to 30 cm from the inkjet printer. The drying of other imprinted objects is not possible. 
     In a further embodiment, DE 198 23 195 C2 describes a method and an apparatus for imprinting plastic workpiece surfaces. The method and apparatus are specifically designed only for the imprinting of profiled strips, the latter&#39;s surface being pretreated with a plasma process for better adhesion of the ink. Treatment of the surface with UV radiation for faster drying and curing of the ink does not occur. The inkjet printer is also not suitable for imprinting the objects mentioned above. 
     DE 101 15 065 describes a method and an apparatus for imprinting cassettes or specimen slides for histological preparations and/or glass specimen slides for microscopic thin sections, in which a computer device is provided for controlling the printing device, and the printing device comprises an inkjet printer for imprinting the cassettes and/or specimen slides. The ink is predried via a hot-air drying system, and completely dried via a flash device. The processing speed in the printing device is, however, greatly limited by the hot-air drying system. The hot-air and flash device is not integrated into inkjet printers. The inkjet printer used in the printing device is moreover a conventional inkjet printer that is equipped with a stationary ink tank on the printer frame to supply the print head. Examples of stationary ink tanks are described in the documents DE 199 23 291 B4 and DE 199 16 219 C2. Stationary ink tanks have the disadvantage that they are equipped with complex individual technical parts in order to generate a negative pressure in the print head or at the nozzle device. Such embodiments of ink tanks are too complicated in terms of their design and construction, and thus too expensive to manufacture. 
     A further problem with achieving a high-contrast printed image is that of ensuring a negative pressure of a few millibars that is present at the nozzle device of the printing apparatus. As known from the existing art, the negative pressure can be ensured by an ink tank equipped with an ink absorber. An ink tank of this kind is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,771,295, such embodiments of ink tanks being arranged physically above the nozzle device in the printing machine. The absorber used in the ink tanks, which is manufactured in a complex process, possesses an essential disadvantage. The absorber is made up of a foam block that has only limited resistance with respect to solvent-containing ink. Because the objects to be imprinted are made of various materials, however, only solvent-containing inks are suitable for the printing method. 
     In order to mark plastic materials it is therefore necessary to use printing ink that, when printed, is particularly effective on a wide selection of plastic materials by way of an inkjet printer as described in EP 0 419 442 B1, these inks possessing a defined curing, fixing, or hardening phase that becomes effective upon exposure of the ink to UV radiation. When UV-curable inks of this kind, as described in DE 69909 3322 T2, are used, it is necessary, in order to avoid printing defects, to equip the inkjet printer with an ink removal apparatus, as described in DE 10 2004 058 084 A1, that removes the residual ink from an inkjet printing head. The ink removal apparatuses known from the existing art encompass only wiping elements that skim over the nozzles of the inkjet printing head. An optimized ink removal configuration, which also enables cleaning of the nozzle device by means of a pump, is therefore required. 
     SUMMARY 
     An aspect of the present invention is to provide a method and an apparatus for imprinting objects that address the aforesaid disadvantages of the known arrangements, and to enable objects made of various materials, in particular plastic parts, to be imprinted. Because of the variety of different objects to be imprinted with rapidly changing print patterns, they should be inscribed in a largely thermally low-impact manner with a high-contrast printed image, and a high throughput per unit time of retaining apparatuses or inscription carriers should be achieved; delivery of the retaining apparatuses or inscription carriers of a print job from the supply stack in the printing machine to the printing apparatus, and from there to collected discharge in the printing machine after imprinting of the objects or their surfaces, is to occur automatically on a straight-line path. 
     In an embodiment, the present invention provides a method for imprinting objects, including providing a printing machine configured to deliver at least one object to be imprinted to a printing apparatus using a retaining apparatus or an inscription carrier. A data processing system is provided and includes at least one print pattern stored in at least one database. The data processing system is connected to the printing machine and configured to control the printing machine. A liquid is applied so as to generate the at least one print pattern on a surface of the at least one object using the printing apparatus. The at least one object is exposed to a radiation after the applying step so as to dry and cure the liquid and then the retaining apparatus or the inscription carrier is conveyed to an output station. The retaining apparatus and inscription carrier are stackable in the output station. The at least one print pattern is predefined using the data processing system. 
     In another embodiment, the present invention provides an apparatus for imprinting objects and having a printing machine, the printing machine including a transport apparatus configured to transport a retaining apparatus or an inscription carrier. A printing apparatus is configured to imprint a print pattern on at least one object using a jet of liquid. A radiation source is configured to dry and cure the print pattern. A replaceable liquid container is configured to supply the printing apparatus with a liquid. A replaceable cleaning apparatus is configured to clean a nozzle device of the printing apparatus. An input station and an output station are configured to receive the retaining apparatus or the inscription carrier. A carriage is configured to receive the printing apparatus, the radiation source, and the liquid container, the carriage being movable back and forth. A data processing system is configured to control the printing machine. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       An exemplifying embodiment of the invention is depicted schematically in the drawings, and will be described in further detail below. In the drawings: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the apparatus according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  schematically depicts, in section, a liquid supply unit having a cleaning device; 
         FIG. 3  is a cross section through the printing machine according to the present invention; and 
         FIG. 4  is a longitudinal section through the printing machine according to the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     In order to obtain a method, equipped with these features of the present invention, for imprinting objects of different sizes and different materials, in particular plastic parts for interface technology and products thereof on retaining apparatuses, and/or for imprinting signs, labels, etc. on inscription carriers, it is provided according to the present invention to make available a data processing system that on the one hand contains a plurality of print patterns stored in databases in order to meet the need for print patterns requiring rapid changing, and to make available a printing apparatus with which flexible changing of the print pattern is allowed even during printing operation, and which on the other hand is suitable for controlling the printing machine. In the second method step, a printing machine is made available that is connected via interfaces to the data processing system. In the context of the printing machine, the objects or plastic parts to be imprinted are placed, with the aid of a retaining apparatus or with a inscription carrier, into the insertion tray of the input station, and conveyed to the printing apparatus with a transport device. Once the objects are in the printing position of the printing machine, those surfaces of the objects that are to be printed are inscribed by means of the computer-controlled printing apparatus with at least one of the print patterns predefined by the data processing system. In a further method step, after the printing operation or after the application of one or more print patterns, the objects are illuminated by a radiation source that is arranged next to the printing apparatus on the same carriage and is controlled by the data processing system. In other words, the objects are exposed to a radiation by means of which the liquid applied by the printing apparatus is dried and cured without appreciably heating the objects, the retaining apparatus, or the inscription carrier. An advantageous effect is achieved by way of a tuned wavelength of the radiation of the radiation source, which abruptly heats the liquid constituents of the liquid and evaporates then in fractions of a second. After complete drying and curing of the applied liquid, the retaining apparatus or inscription carrier is conveyed with the aid of the transport device to the output tray of the output station, the retaining apparatuses and inscription carriers being stackable in the output tray of the output station. In a further embodiment of the invention, the data processing system can comprise a computer and the printing machine can comprise an inkjet printer, such that the print patterns can be formed by an inkjet printer and are UV-curable. 
     The apparatus according to the present invention for imprinting objects, in particular plastics, includes, a data processing system for controlling a printing machine. The printing machine includes a transport apparatus for transporting the retaining apparatus or the inscription carriers; a printing apparatus for imprinting the objects, in particular plastic parts; a radiation source for drying and curing the print pattern generated by a jet of liquid; a replaceable liquid container for supplying the printing apparatus with liquid; a replaceable cleaning apparatus for cleaning the nozzle device; and an input and output station for the retaining apparatus or the inscription carriers; the printing apparatus, the radiation source, and the liquid container are arranged, according to the present invention, on a common carriage that is movable back and forth. 
     The carriage is mounted on various crossmembers that are joined to the printer frame inside the housing. The housing of the printing machine is configured such that the input station for receiving the retaining apparatus or the inscription carriers is arranged in elevated fashion with respect to the output station, producing between the input and the output station an inclined plane that also forms the printing plane or is parallel to the printing plane. The inclined plane is formed by the supports belonging to the housing, the supports having a shape that corresponds to a wedge. As a result of the wedge shape of the supports, the printing machine assumes a position tilted with respect to the horizontal plane, so that the printing plane is also located on an inclined plane. The input and output stations are located at the ends of the inclined plane, the input station being arranged at the highest point and the output station at the lowest point. The printing apparatus is arranged approximately halfway between the input and output station. The printing apparatus sits perpendicular to the printing plane, and the liquid container for supplying the printing apparatus with liquid is located downslope behind the printing apparatus toward the output station. The printing apparatus and the liquid container are at a short distance from the inclined printing plane, and are arranged with respect to one another in such a way that the liquid container, with its liquid level, is in a lowered position with respect to the nozzle device of the printing apparatus, so that the liquid level in the liquid container generates a negative pressure in the nozzle device of the printing apparatus via the principle of communicating tubes. 
     The liquid container is detachably connected on the entrance side, with interposition of a valve, to a device, in particular an air compressor, for generating a positive pressure in the liquid container, and on the exit side to the printing apparatus, with the result that the liquid container becomes interchangeable and thus yields an easily replaceable tank. The detachable connection on the exit side to the liquid container comprises a supply line that is coupled on the input side to the printing apparatus. The printing apparatus possesses an outlet opening on the exit side; a measuring apparatus, in particular a liquid level sensor, whose exit or exit opening can be selectably opened or closed by way of an attached valve, is connected directly to the outlet opening. The function of the liquid supply unit is described in further detail in  FIG. 2 . 
     The invention for imprinting objects is further notable for the aspect that after the objects are imprinted, the printing apparatus travels to the parked position, located in the linewise direction, at which a cleaning station is located. On the way to the parked position, the nozzle device of the printing apparatus skims over a wiping device, in particular a wiper blade, of the cleaning apparatus, which contains a storage space for absorbing the liquid wiped off from the nozzle device. Once the printing apparatus is in the parked position of the cleaning station, the nozzle device is located opposite the funnel opening contained in the cleaning apparatus, the cleaning apparatus of the cleaning station being arranged below the inclined printing plane and encompassing a replaceable cleaning container. The cleaning container serves on the one hand to receive the liquid residues that occur upon removal from the nozzle device, and on the other hand to receive the liquid resulting from the nozzle device cleaning operation. The cleaning apparatus therefore contains a replaceable cleaning container having an opening for receiving the liquid, having a storage space for the liquid, having a wiping device, and having at least one opening next to the wiping device. The cleaning operation is explained further in  FIG. 2 . 
     The printing machine is also notable, according to the present invention, for the aspect that in addition to the printing apparatus present on the carriage, a radiation source is provided that irradiates the print pattern applied onto the objects, after the printing operation, with radiation, in particular light; for drying and curing, the light contains a wavelength that is tuned to the liquid and that cures the liquid print patterns without greatly warming or heating the objects. According to the present invention, greater heating of the objects by the elements downstream from the radiation source may be eliminated or greatly reduced. For that purpose, when the printing apparatus is in the parked position, the radiation emergence side of the radiation source is located above the inclined printing planes at a defined distance from the surface of the objects to be irradiated; and a shaft, in particular a light shaft, is located below the inclined printing planes. A cutout is contained in the pan of the housing at the end of the shaft. The cutout serves for mounting of an energy absorber, in particular a light absorber, extending into the shaft. An outwardly directed cooling element is mounted on the light absorber. In other words, when the printing apparatus is in the parked position, the radiation emergence side of the radiation source is located opposite a shaft having an integrated energy absorber that converts the irradiated energy, by multiple reflection at ribs arranged obliquely with respect to the radiation direction, into thermal energy, and discharges it via the cooling element to the outside air. 
     The cooling element is located outside the housing between the two supports of the printing machine, and protrudes out of the basally oriented pan arranged obliquely with respect to the horizontal plane. 
     The printing machine is furthermore equipped with a transport and pull-off device in order to guide the retaining apparatus or inscription carriers, with the uninscribed objects contained therein and located in the elevated input station, on the inclined printing plane to the printing position. The retaining apparatus or inscription carrier can also be stored as a stack in the input tray, from which it is conveyed via a pull-off device of the transport device which positions it, appropriately for inscription, in the printing position and then transports it into an output field, adjoining the lower part of the inclined printing plane, of the output station of the printing machine. In the output tray, the retaining apparatus or inscription carriers having the inscribed objects of a print job are stacked. In other words, the uninscribed objects arranged in the retaining apparatus or the inscription carrier are stackable in the input tray of the printing machine, on the higher portion of the printing planes arranged obliquely with respect to the horizontal installation planes; conveyed individually by a pull-off device to the transport device; and from this printing position, and after inscription, conveyed by the transport device into the output tray of the printing machine below the oblique printing plane, and there stacked. Transport of the retaining apparatus or of the inscription carriers in the printing machine occurs in a straight line from the supply stack in the input tray to discharge in the output tray. 
     The perspective view of  FIG. 1  shows the apparatus according to the present invention, apparatus  1  preferably comprising a data processing system  2  embodied as a computer  3 , and a printing machine  4 , in particular an inkjet printer  5 , whose device controller  26  is connected via a data line  6  and an interface to data processing system  2  and communicates therewith via said line. Inkjet printer  5  is encased in a housing  7 . The housing encompasses a pan  8 , a hood  9 , and a cover  10 , cover  10  containing the operating and indicating elements  11 . Below pan  8 , two supports  12  are arranged parallel to one another at a specific distance, and orthogonally to the carriage guide in printing machine  4 . Supports  12  are embodied in a wedge shape, with the result that printing machine  4  assumes a tilted position perpendicular to the inscription direction. The tilt according to the present invention of printing machine  4  corresponds approximately to an angle from 20 degrees to 60 degrees, advantageously 40 degrees, and is achieved by the obliquity of wedge shape  13  of supports  12 . Because of the advantageous inclination of printing machine  4 , input station  15  for retaining apparatus  21  or inscription carriers  22  is located above, or elevated with respect to, output station  18 , the two stations  15 ,  18  being connected to one another by a plane  23 . As a result of the wedge-shaped supports  12 , plane  23  corresponds to an inclined plane  23  on which retaining apparatus  21  or inscription carriers  22  are conveyed by a transport device (see  FIG. 3 ) from input station  15  via printing and exposure station (see  FIG. 3  and  FIG. 4 ) to output station  18 . For the reception of retaining apparatuses  21  or inscription carriers  22 , input station  15  contains an input tray  16  in which apparatuses  21  and carriers  22  having the uninscribed objects  14  can be stacked. Input tray  16  is furthermore equipped with a displaceable side stop  17  by means of which different dimensions of apparatus  21  and carriers  22  are stackable in input tray  16 . Output station  18  possesses, in output tray  19 , an end stop  20  against which apparatus  21  and carrier  22  having the inscribed objects  14  come to rest. Output tray  19  is configured in such a way that, as in input tray  16 , apparatuses  21  and carriers  22  can be stacked on inclined plane  23 . A cooling element  24  that is visible in  FIG. 3  and  FIG. 4  is located below pan  8 , arranged between the two supports  12 . 
       FIG. 2  is a schematic sectioned depiction of a liquid supply unit  30  according to the present invention having a cleaning apparatus  60 , liquid supply unit  30  encompassing a method and an apparatus that are suitable for measuring a fill level  54  of a liquid  37 , for controlling a device  32 , for generating a positive pressure in a liquid container  31 , and for discharging a liquid  37  for cleaning a nozzle device  45 . Liquid supply unit  30  substantially comprises a replaceable liquid container  31  that is connected via a detachable valve  38  to a unit  32 , in particular an air compressor  33 , via a supply line  34 , and connected to a detachable liquid line  35  for conveying liquid  37  out of liquid container  31  to a printing apparatus  40  that is constituted by a closed housing  41 , an inflow opening  42 , a reservoir  43 , a print head  44  having nozzle device  45 , and an outlet opening  47 , such that a measuring apparatus  50 , in particular a liquid level sensor  51 , having an inlet opening  52  that opens into a chamber  53  for measuring liquid level  54 , having an outlet opening  55 , and having a valve  56  installed on outlet opening  55 , is connected to outlet opening  47 . 
     The function of liquid supply unit  30  in combination with cleaning apparatus  60  will be explained below with reference to typical functions. 
     In order to fill printing apparatus  40  with liquid  37 , a positive pressure is generated with air compressor  33 , via valve  38  that is open to air compressor  33 , in the air space above liquid level  36  in liquid container  31 . Liquid  37  is thereby pushed through liquid line  35  toward printing apparatus  40 , with the result that reservoir  43  of printing apparatus  40  is flooded and then rises in outlet opening  47 , in which context chamber  53  of liquid level sensor  51 , connected via outlet opening  47 , fills up. When a reference level is reached in sensor  51 , the latter sends a signal to device controller  26 , which shuts off air compressor  33  and closes valve  56  above liquid level sensor  51 , and switches valve  38  between liquid container  31  and air compressor  33  over to external venting  39 . The same atmospheric pressure is therefore always present on liquid level  36  in liquid container  31  and on nozzle device  45  of printing apparatus  40 . Because of the capillary action of nozzles  46  in nozzle device  45 , no liquid  37  drips out of the latter if liquid level  36  is lowered, or is located lower down, by an amount  29  (on the order of a few millimeters) with respect to nozzle device  45 . 
     In the context of the cleaning operation, printing apparatus  40  is in parked position  48  directly opposite cleaning station  61 , which latter substantially comprises cleaning apparatus  60 , a replaceable cleaning container  62 , a wiping device  63 , and a drive unit  68 ; cleaning container  62  contains an opening  65  for the reception of liquid  37  occurring during the cleaning operation. In parked position  48 , print head  44  with its nozzle device  45  is located directly opposite opening  65 . Valve  56  above sensor  51  is closed, and valve  38  above liquid container  31 , to air compressor  33 , is open. Air compressor  33  generates in liquid container  31  a positive pressure that causes liquid  37  contained in reservoir  43  of printing apparatus  40  to emerge from nozzle  45  and drip into opening  65  of cleaning apparatus  60 . Drive unit  68  then moves cleaning apparatus  60  toward print head  44 . As a result of the linear stroke of cleaning apparatus  60 , wiping device  63  is moved to the height of nozzle device  45 , and as a result of the motion of carriage  76  in the linewise direction, print head  44  skims over wiper blade  64  contained in wiping device  63 , and removes the liquid residues present on nozzle  46  or on the nozzles. The wiped-off liquid runs off, through small openings  66  that are arranged next to wiper blade  64 , into storage space  67  of cleaning container  62 . 
       FIG. 3  is a cross section through printing machine  4  according to the present invention in inclined form and with complete embodiment of an inkjet printer  5 , and  FIG. 4  depicts in longitudinal section an embodiment of printing machine  4 . 
     Inkjet printer  5  comprises the elements of a printing machine housing  7 , a printer frame  70 , a carriage  76  having a drive unit  79 , a liquid supply unit  30  made up of a printing apparatus  40 , liquid container  31 , liquid lever sensor  51 , and an air compressor  33 , a cleaning apparatus  60  made up of cleaning container  62 , a wiping device  63 , and a drive unit  68 , a radiation source  86  having energy absorber  87  and cooling element  24 , a transport device  90  and pull-off device  91  having transport rollers  92 ,  93  and idler rollers  94 ,  95 , a retaining apparatus  21 , and an inscription carrier  22 . 
     Inkjet printer  5  contains a housing  7  having supports  12  arranged thereon in wedge shape  13  that produce the inclination of printing machine  4 , as well as a printer frame  70  with which side walls  71 ,  72  of housing  7  are held at a distance by a crossmember  75  and angled crossmembers  73 ,  74 . Also installed in housing  7  of inkjet printer  5  is a carriage  76  having a drive unit  79  that is mounted internally on crossmembers  73 ,  74 ,  75 . Carriage  76  is guided parallel to printing-line direction  84  by carriage guide  77  having guide axis  78 , and driven by drive unit  79  via a belt  80  that is deflected via a roller  81 . In addition, a printing apparatus  40  and a liquid container  31  connected thereto via a liquid line  35  are arranged on carriage  76  mounted in housing  7 . The two elements  40 ,  31  are guided at a short distance  98 ,  99  above printing plane  83 , printing plane  83  being tilted with respect to horizontal plane  82  to the extent that the replaceable liquid container  31 , with its liquid level  36 , is in a lowered position with respect to nozzle device  45  of printing apparatus  44 . Because of the tilt of printing plane  83  and of plane  23  over which objects  14  to be inscribed are guided and, in the context of printing, transported to output station  18 , it is possible to position the replaceable liquid container  31  with its topmost housing edge below nozzles  46 , and to arrange it at a short distance, in printing-line direction  84 , from printing apparatus  44 . 
     With non-tilted guidance of objects  14  to be inscribed, conversely, liquid container  31  can be arranged lower than the printing apparatus only if the distance on the bar between the ink tank and the printing apparatus corresponds at least to the width of objects  14  to be inscribed. In that case objects  14 , viewed in printing-line direction  84 , would be transported in the context of a printing operation between liquid container  31  and printing apparatus  44  to output station  18 . 
     The inclined plane thus makes possible a particularly narrow configuration of the printer. 
     Liquid container  31 , is connected, with further interposition of a valve  38 , to an air compressor  33  that provides for the generation of positive pressure in liquid container  31 . Installed at outlet opening  47  of printing apparatus  40  is a liquid level sensor  51  to whose exit  55  a valve  56  is connected. Located opposite nozzle device  45  arranged on print head  44 , below the inclined printing plane  83 , is a cleaning apparatus  60  made up of a cleaning container  62  for the reception of cleaning liquid  37 , a wiping device  63  having a wiper blade  64  for removing liquid residues on nozzle device  45 , and a drive unit  68  that raises and lowers cleaning apparatus  60  in a vertical direction with respect to nozzle device  45 . Located next to printing device  40  on the common bar  76  in printing-line direction  84  is a radiation source  86  that illuminates objects  14  with a radiation after the printing operation, and dries and cures print patterns  85 . To avoid unnecessary switching on and off of radiation source  86 , radiation source  86  remains switched on during the operation of printer  4 ,  5  even when printing apparatus  40  is in parked position  48 . With printing apparatus  40  in parked position  48 , radiation source  86  is located opposite a shaft  27  that is arranged below printing plane  83 . Mounted at the end of shaft  27 , in a cutout  28  of the housing wall, is an energy absorber  87  at whose oblique ribs  25  the radiation is repeatedly reflected and converted into heat. Adjoining energy absorber  87  is a cooling element  24  for transporting heat away to the outside air; cooling element  24  protrudes, between the two supports, out of the basally oriented pan  8 , arranged obliquely with respect to horizontal plane  82 , of housing  7 . Printing machine  4  is further equipped with a transport device  90  and pull-off device  91  for transporting objects  14  to be imprinted. Objects  14  to be imprinted can be arranged in a retaining apparatus  21  or in an inscription carrier  22 ; retaining apparatus  21  or inscription carrier  22  lie, individually or as supply stack  88 , in input tray  16  of the elevated input station  15 , and are braced against angled stop  96  so as not to slide down, since input station  15  is located on the elevated portion of the inclined printing plane  83 . The respectively bottommost retaining apparatus  21  or bottommost inscription carrier is pulled out of supply stack  88  in input tray  16  by a pull-off device  91 , and discharged to transport device  90  made up of a transport wheel  92  and an idler roller  94 . Transport device  90  conveys retaining apparatus  21  or inscription carrier  22  in accurately positioned fashion into printing position  89  and, after inscription with print pattern  85 , conveys it with transport wheel  93  and idler roller  95  into output tray  19  of output station  18  for discharge  89 , discharge area  89  being suitable for stacking retaining apparatus  21  or inscription carriers  22 . Output tray  19  is located on the low portion of inclined printing plane  83 , retaining apparatus  21  or the inscription carrier being prevented by an angled stop  97  from sliding out of the output tray. 
     List of Reference Characters 
     
         
         
           
               1  Apparatus 
               2  Data processing system 
               3  Computer 
               4  Printing machine 
               5  Inkjet printer 
               6  Data line 
               7  Housing 
               8  Pan 
               9  Hood 
               10  Cover 
               11  Operating and indicating elements 
               12  Supports 
               13  Wedge (inclined plane) 
               14  Objects 
               15  Input station 
               16  Input tray 
               17  Side stop 
               18  Output station 
               19  Output tray 
               20  End stop 
               21  Retaining apparatus 
               22  Inscription carrier 
               23  Inclined plane 
               24  Cooling element 
               25  Cooling ribs 
               26  Device controller 
               27  Shaft 
               28  Cutout 
               29  Dimension 
               30  Liquid supply unit 
               31  Liquid container 
               32  Device 
               33  Air compressor 
               34  Supply line 
               35  Liquid line 
               36  Liquid level 
               37  Liquid 
               38  Valve 
               39  Outside air 
               40  Printing apparatus 
               41  Housing 
               42  Inflow opening 
               43  Reservoir 
               44  Print head 
               45  Nozzle device 
               46  Nozzle 
               47  Outlet opening 
               48  Parked position 
               49  unassigned 
               50  Measuring apparatus 
               51  Liquid level sensor 
               52  Inlet opening 
               53  Chamber 
               54  Liquid level 
               55  Outlet opening 
               56  Valve 
               57  unassigned 
               58  Outside air 
               59  unassigned 
               60  Cleaning apparatus 
               61  Cleaning station 
               62  Cleaning container 
               63  Wiping device 
               64  Wiper blade 
               65  Opening 
               66  Small opening 
               67  Storage space 
               68  Drive unit 
               69  unassigned 
               70  Printer frame 
               71  Left side wall 
               72  Right side wall 
               73  Angled crossmember 
               74  Angled crossmember 
               75  Crossmember 
               76  Carriage 
               77  Carriage guide 
               78  Guide axis 
               79  Drive unit 
               80  Belt 
               81  Roller 
               82  Horizontal plane 
               83  Printing plane 
               84  Printing-line direction 
               85  Print pattern 
               86  Radiation source 
               87  Energy absorber 
               88  Radiation direction 
               89  Printing position 
               90  Transport device 
               91  Pull-off device 
               92  Transport wheel I 
               93  Transport wheel II 
               94  Idler roller I 
               95  Idler roller II 
               96  Angled stop, upper 
               97  Angled stop, lower 
               98  Short distance from  31   
               99  Short distance from  40