Patent ID: 6932526

Claim:
An ink image producing machine comprising: (a) imaging means, including at least one ink jet print head and an image receiving station for producing an ink image on a heated substrate; (b) a substrate handling assembly including holding means for holding a supply of substrates, transport feeding means for transporting and feeding substrates in a substrate direction towards said image receiving station, and speed control means for moving said each substrate being fed at a first speed through said first heating assembly and at a second and different speed through said second heating assembly; (c) a first substrate heating assembly located upstream of said image receiving station for initially heating each substrate being fed and transported from said holding means; and (d) a second substrate heating assembly located downstream of said first substrate heating assembly and upstream of said image receiving station, relative to said substrate feeding direction, for controllably re-heating said each substrate, initially heated by said first substrate heating assembly, to a desired ink image receiving temperature.