Graphic Printing Machine for a Card-Type Storage Medium, Method for Printing Said Storage Media and Storage Media

Abstract

A graphic printing machine and method for a card-type storage medium employs a jet printing head and a controller to perform ink jet printing on the medium. The invention is useful for printing plastic or cardboard or paper cards.

1 . A machine for graphic printing on at least one card medium, comprising: at least one ink-jet head; a computer-aided vision device having at least one video camera for dynamic discrimination between areas on a surface of the card medium in which printing is to be performed and areas in which printing is not to be performed; and means for controlling the head to implement ink-jet printing on the areas of the card medium in which printing is to be performed, in accordance with information provided by said video camera 
     
     
         2 . A machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the card medium is made of plastic, and the inks used are capable of being cross-linked by radiation. 
     
     
         3 . A machine according to  claim 1 , wherein said card medium is made of cardboard or paper, and the inks used are aqueous, phase-change or solvent-based. 
     
     
         4 . A machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the card medium comprises a storage card, and said machine further includes a reader that reads information contained in the card, and communicates this information to the control means. 
     
     
         5 . A machine according to  claim 4 , wherein the information read by the reader comprises information to be printed on the storage card by means of the machine. 
     
     
         6 . A machine according to  claim 1 , further including a support element for receiving a plurality of cards to be printed and transporting said cards past the head of the machine for continuous printing. 
     
     
         7 . A machine according to  claim 6 , wherein the support element comprises a flat conveyor. 
     
     
         8 . A machine according to  claim 6  wherein the support element comprises a drum. 
     
     
         9 . A machine according to  claim 6 , wherein the support element is perforated, and includes a suction device to hold the cards while it is moving. 
     
     
         10 . A machine according to  claim 6 , comprising a number of print heads aligned along the direction of movement of the support element and facing said support element, at least one of which is a colour print head for printing images of the photographic or coloured type. 
     
     
         11 . A machine according to  claim 10 , wherein another one of said print heads is a monochrome head for marking the card medium. 
     
     
         12 . A machine according to  claim 1 , further including a system for turning over the cards for double-sided printing. 
     
     
         13 . A machine according to  claim 1 , further including means for converting the ink into gel during printing by wavelength modulation, at a distance from the card. 
     
     
         14 . A machine according to  claim 13 , wherein said means for converting the ink into gel comprise an optical fibre placed after each print head, connected to a light radiation source that emits UVC radiation. 
     
     
         15 . A machine according to  claim 1 , further including means for cross-linking the ink at the end of printing. 
     
     
         16 . A machine according to  claim 15 , wherein said cross-linking is performed by means of an ultraviolet lamp. 
     
     
         17 . A machine according to  claim 1 , further including means for printing finishing material such as varnish, by ink jet, in accordance with geometric and/or positioning parameters of the card to be printed. 
     
     
         18 . A machine according to  claim 1 , wherein said control means controls the print head to print in accordance with geometric and/or positioning parameters extracted beforehand from each card to be printed. 
     
     
         19 . A machine for graphic printing on at least one storage card, comprising: at least one ink-jet head; a computer-aided vision device having at least one video camera for dynamic measurement of geometric and/or positioning parameters of the storage card; a reader that reads information contained in the card that is to be printed on the storage card by means of the machine; and means for controlling the head to implement ink-jet printing on the card medium in accordance with the geometric and/or positioning parameters provided by said video camera and the information read by the reader. 
     
     
         20 . A machine for graphic printing on at least one storage card, comprising: at least one ink-jet head; a computer-aided version device having a sensor for dynamically detecting the position of at least one feature of the storage card; and a controller that determines at least one area in which printing is not to be performed on the basis of said detected position, and controls said ink-jet head to print graphics on said storage card away from said determined area. 
     
     
         21 . The machine of  claim 20 , wherein said feature comprises an element in the storage card over which printing is not to be performed. 
     
     
         22 . The machine of  claim 20 , wherein said feature comprises the external dimensions of the storage card. 
     
     
         23 . The machine of  claim 20 , wherein said sensor comprises a video camera. 
     
     
         24 . A machine for graphic printing on a printable medium comprising:
 at least one ink-jet head;   a computer-aided vision device having a sensor for dynamically detecting the position of at least one feature of the medium; and   a controller that determines at least one area in which printing is not to be performed on the basis of said detected position, and controls said ink-jet head to print graphics on said medium away from said determined area.   
     
     
         25 . The machine of  claim 24 , wherein said feature comprises the external dimensions of the medium, and said determined area lies outside the external dimensions of the medium. 
     
     
         26 . The machine of  claim 24  wherein said feature comprises an element on the surface of the medium, and said determined area corresponds to the area of the element. 
     
     
         27 . A method for printing on a printable medium, comprising the steps of:
 dynamically detecting at least one feature of the medium, and   controlling the positioning and/or the quality of the printing on the medium, by means of said detected feature.   
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein said feature comprises the dimensions of the medium. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein said feature comprises the position of the medium. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein said feature comprises a non-printable area of the medium. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein said non-printable area corresponds to the area of an element on the surface of the medium. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein said feature comprises colorimetric attributes of printing on the medium, and said controlling step comprises colorimetric adiustment of printing inks. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein said controlling step comprises adiustment of operating parameters of print heads. 
     
     
         34 . A method for printing on a printable medium, comprising the steps of :
 detecting, by means of a computer-aided vision device, at least one feature of the medium, and   adjusting printer settings or printing parameters in response to such detection.   
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein said feature comprises the dimensions of the medium. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein said feature comprises the position of the medium. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein said feature comprises a non-printable area of the medium. 
     
     
         38 . A machine for printing onto a printable medium, comprising
 at least one ink jet head;   means for controlling the head so as to effect ink-jet printing on the medium, and   a computer-aided vision device having at least one sensor for inspecting the printing on the medium and transmitting information to the control means to cause the control means to automatically modify at least one ink jet printing parameter if a fault is detected.   
     
     
         39 . The machine of  claim 38 , wherein said printing parameter is an operating parameter of the ink-jet head. 
     
     
         40 . The machine of  claim 38 , wherein said printing parameter is a colorimetric value of printing ink. 
     
     
         41 . A machine for printing on a printable medium, comprising:
 at least one ink-jet head;   measurement means having at least one sensor for dynamic discrimination between areas on a surface of the medium in which printing is to be performed and areas in which printing is not to be performed; and   means for controlling the head to implement ink-jet printing on the areas of the medium in which printing is to be performed, in accordance with information provided by said sensor.   
     
     
         42 . A machine for printing on a printable medium, comprising:
 at least one ink-jet head;   a computer-aided vision device having at least one sensor for dynamic discrimination between areas on a surface of the medium in which printing is to be performed and areas in which printing is not to be performed; and   means for controlling the head to implement ink-jet printing on the areas of the medium in which printing is to be performed, in accordance with information provided by said sensor.   
     
     
         43 . A machine for printing on a printable medium, comprising:
 at least one ink-jet head;   measurement means having at least sensor for dynamically detecting the position of at least one feature of the medium; and   a controller that determines at least one area in which printing is not to be performed on the basis of said detected position, and controls said ink-jet head to print graphics on said medium away from said determined area.   
     
     
         44 . A machine for printing on a printable medium, comprising:
 at least one ink-jet head;   a computer-aided vision device having a sensor for dynamically detecting at least one feature of the medium; and   a controller that determines at least one area in which printing is not to be performed on the basis of said detected position, and controls said ink-jet head to print graphics on said medium away from said determined area.   
     
     
         45 . The machine of  claim 44 , wherein said feature comprises the external dimensions of the medium. 
     
     
         46 . The machine of  claim 44 , wherein said feature comprises at least one of the size and position of an element on the surface of the medium. 
     
     
         47 . A machine for printing onto a printable medium, comprising:
 at least one ink let head;   means for dynamically measuring geometrical shape and/or positioning parameters related to the medium; and   means for controlling the head so as to effect ink jet printing on the medium in accordance with information measured by the dynamic measuring means.   
     
     
         48 . A method for printing on a printable medium, comprising the steps of:
 dynamically detecting the position of at least one feature of the medium by means of a computer-aided vision device having a sensor;   determining at least one area in which printing is not to be performed on the basis of said detected position; and   controlling an ink-jet head to print graphics on said medium away from said determined area.   
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 48 , wherein said feature comprises the external dimensions of the medium, and said determined area lies outside the external dimensions of the medium. 
     
     
         50 . The machine of  claim 48  wherein said feature comprises an element on the surface of the medium, and said determined area corresponds to the area of the element. 
     
     
         51 . A method for printing on a printable medium, comprising the steps of:
 dynamically discriminating between areas on a surface of the medium in which printing is to be performed and areas in which printing is not to be performed by means of a computer-aided vision device having at least one sensor; and   controlling an ink-jet head to implement ink-jet printing on the areas of the medium in which printing is to be performed, in accordance with information provided by said sensor.   
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 51 , wherein said area in which printing is not to be performed lies outside the external dimensions of the medium. 
     
     
         53 . The machine of  claim 51  wherein said area in which printing is not to be performed corresponds to the area of an element on the surface of the medium. 
     
     
         54 . A method for printing on a printable medium, comprising the steps of:
 dynamically measuring geometrical shape and/or positioning parameters related to the medium; and   controlling an ink-jet printing head so as to effect ink jet printing on the medium in accordance with the dynamically measured information.   
     
     
         55 . A printed medium that is produced by a process that includes the following steps:
 dynamically discriminating between areas on a surface of the medium in which printing is to be performed and areas in which printing is not to be performed by means of a computer-aided vision device having at least one sensor; and   controlling an ink-jet head to implement ink-jet printing on the areas of the medium in which printing is to be performed, in accordance with information provided by said sensor.   
     
     
         56 . The printed medium of  claim 55 , wherein said area in which printing is not to be performed lies outside the external dimensions of the medium. 
     
     
         57 . The printed medium of  claim 56 , wherein the printing extends to the margins of the medium. 
     
     
         58 . The printed medium of  claim 57 , wherein the printing has a density greater than 400 dpi. 
     
     
         59 . The printed medium of  claim 58 , wherein the printing density is equal to or greater than 600 dpi. 
     
     
         60 . The printed medium of  claim 56 , wherein the material that is ink-jet printed on the medium includes a finishing material, and the ink-jet printing of said finishing material is controlled to produce a level surface. 
     
     
         61 . The printed medium of  claim 55 , wherein said area in which printing is not to be performed corresponds to the area of an element on the surface of the medium.