Patent ID: 7978349

Claim:
An apparatus for printing form data and variable data on suitable media in a continuous operation to produce a document having one or more sheets, comprising: a) a controller; b) a form database connected to said controller having data that establishes the form data printed on each document; c) a variable document database connected to said controller having data that establishes the variable data printed on each document; d) a web platform connected to said controller; wherein said web platform is configured to receive said suitable media; e) means for printing form data coupled to said web platform, wherein said means for printing said form data comprises: a plurality of form print modules coupled to said web platform with spacing between each said form print module that is independent of the length of the document, said form print modules can be positioned tightly together in order to add more modules or save space or spaced further apart to provide additional drying time for the ink; wherein each said form print module is connected to said controller and a position for each said form print module, relative to said web platform, is determined by said controller, wherein each said form print module has a plurality of fixed, ink jet print heads that together span the width of each of said sheets, and wherein each said form print module is configured to print a single color of ink; wherein said controller has access to said form database to direct said means for printing form data to print form data on said suitable media; and f) means for printing variable data coupled to said web platform, wherein said means for printing said variable data comprises: at least one variable data print module coupled to said web platform with a spacing between said variable data print module and each said form print module that is independent of the length of the form, said at least one variable data print module and said form print module can be positioned tightly together in order to add more modules or save space or spaced further apart to provide additional drying time for the ink; wherein said variable data print module is connected to said controller and a position for said variable print module, relative to said web platform, is determined by said controller, wherein said variable data print module has a plurality of fixed, ink jet print heads that together span the width of each of said sheets, wherein said variable data print module is configured to print a single-color of ink; wherein said controller processes the variable data from said variable document database to determine the number of sheets in a the document; wherein each said sheet has unique variable data; wherein said controller has access to said variable document database to direct said means for printing said variable data on said suitable media; wherein said printed form data and said printed variable data combine to form a sheet; and wherein said number of sheets are combined to form the document.