Printing – Processes – Position or alignment
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-03
2001-11-13
Colilla, Daniel J. (Department: 2854)
Printing
Processes
Position or alignment
C428S192000, C101S483000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06314885
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to imposition proofing and printing stock for imposition proofing.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
High volume printing of books, brochures, and other multi-page documents typically involves imposition. Imposition is the process of laying out the pages of a document such that they are in numerical order after a larger printed sheet, known as a signature, has been folded into multiples of four pages that make up a section of the document. Before printing the signatures with high-volume, double-sided printers, it is common practice to print a set of proofs using an imposition proofing printer.
Imposition proofing printers are typically relatively large, single-sided, tractor-fed, ink-jet printers. These printers first print one side of a signature on a large sheet of tractor-fed paper. An operator then turns the paper over and threads it back onto the printer's tractor feed mechanism so that the printer can print the other side.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In one general aspect, the invention features a deposited ink drop imposition proofing print sheet that includes a first rectangular deposited ink drop printable face having a periphery defined by an ordered series of first, second, third, and fourth edges of the imposition proofing print sheet, the first face having properties resulting from a deposited ink drop print-enhancing treatment and a second rectangular deposited ink drop printable face opposite the first face. The second face also has a periphery defined by the first, second, third, and fourth edges of the imposition proofing print sheet and has properties resulting from a deposited ink drop print-enhancing treatment. The sheet defines a first registration opening located closer to the first sheet edge than to the third sheet edge and closer to the second sheet edge than to the fourth sheet edge. The sheet also defines a second registration opening located closer to the first sheet edge than to the third sheet edge and closer to the fourth sheet edge than to the second sheet edge. An inner edge of the first registration opening is nominally separated from an inner edge of the second registration opening by at least 36 inches. The first registration opening can be nominally 0.5 inches wide and 0.25 inches deep, with the second registration opening being nominally 0.25 inches wide and 0.25 inches deep, and with an inner edge of the first registration opening being nominally separated from an inner edge of the second registration opening by 38.5 inches.
In preferred embodiments, the width of the second registration opening can be greater than the width of the first registration opening, in a direction parallel to the first edge of the imposition proofing sheet. The width of the second registration opening can exceed the width of the first registration opening by about the range of dimensional change with humidity of the sheet between the first and second registration openings in a direction parallel to the first edge of the imposition proofing sheet. The sheet can define the first registration and second registration openings as openings that begin at the first sheet edge. The first and third edges can be at least 42 inches in length, with the second and third edges being at least 30 inches in length and with the first and second registration openings being peripheral to a 42 inch×30 inch printable area of the sheet. The first and second registration openings can be rectangular, and the first and second faces can be coated with the deposited ink drop print-enhancing composition. The faces can include a deposited ink drop print-enhancing composition to achieve the properties, such as by including a coating of the deposited ink drop print-enhancing composition. An inner edge of the first registration opening can be nominally separated from an inner edge of the second registration opening by at least 36 inches. All of the inner edges of the first opening can even be separated by at least 38.5 inches from all of the inner edges of the second opening.
In another general aspect, the invention features an imposition proofing printer that includes at least one feed roller located along a printing substrate feed path and having an axis of rotation, at least one pinch roller located along the printing substrate feed path and having an axis of rotation parallel to the axis of rotation of the feed roller, and a disengagement mechanism linked to one or more of the feed roller and the friction feed drum. A first retractable registration pin has an alignment surface located along the printing substrate feed path, and a second retractable registration pin has an alignment surface located along the printing substrate feed path and being spaced from the first retractable registration pin in at least a direction parallel to the axis of rotation of the feed roller. In preferred embodiments, the imposition proofing printer can further include a mechanism linking the first and second retractable stops and the disengagement linkage. The substrate feed path can be at least 30 inches wide.
In a further general aspect, the invention features an imposition printing method that includes the steps of disengaging rollers from a print substrate feed path, deploying a pair of registration stops in the print substrate feed path, aligning a print substrate in the print substrate feed path by engaging openings in the print substrate with respective ones of the pair of stops, engaging the rollers with the print substrate, and retracting the registration stops from the print substrate feed path. In preferred embodiments, the steps of disengaging and deploying can take place in unison, with the steps of engaging and retracting deploying take place in unison. The step of aligning can align a print substrate with registration openings of different widths, and the width of a second of the registration openings can exceeds a width of a first of the registration openings by about the range of dimensional change with humidity of the printing substrate between the first and second registration openings.
In another general aspect, the invention features a method of making a deposited ink drop imposition printing sheet. This method includes providing a rectangular imposition proofing sheet including a first printable face having periphery defined by an ordered series of first, second, third, and fourth edges of the imposition proofing print sheet, and a second rectangular deposited ink drop printable face opposite the first face and also having a periphery being defined by the first, second, third, and fourth edges of the imposition proofing print sheet, and cutting registration means for receiving a pair of rectangular spaced-apart stops along the first edge of the imposition proofing sheet. An inner edge of the first registration opening is nominally separated from an inner edge of the second registration opening by at least 36 inches. The first registration opening can be nominally 0.5 inches wide and 0.25 inches deep, with the second registration opening being nominally 0.25 inches wide and 0.25 inches deep, and with an inner edge of the first registration opening being nominally separated from an inner edge of the second registration opening by 38.5 inches.
In preferred embodiments, the step of cutting can be applied to a maximum of ten sheets. The step of cutting can define a pair of registration openings of different widths. The width of a second of the registration openings can exceed a width of a first of the registration openings by about the range of dimensional change with humidity of the printing substrate between the first and second registration openings.
Embodiments according to the invention may be advantageous in that they simplify the loading of imposition sheets in an imposition proofing printer while retaining a high level of precision at different humidity levels. The shape and position of the registration openings can permit the user to quickly and reliably align a sheet in a printer's feed path, and linking of stop deployment and roller
Bullock Robert
Tobin Jeff
Colilla Daniel J.
Elbing Kristofer E.
Iris Graphics Inc.
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