Longitudinal continuous-drying multi-medium continuous ink-jet printing method, device and equipment and medium

Abstract

The invention belongs to the technical field of printing, solves the problem that quality and efficiency cannot be taken into consideration when multiple media are pretreated and then subjected to ink-jet printing, and provides a longitudinal continuous-drying multi-media continuous printing method, device and equipment and a medium, and the method comprises the steps that a preset mechanism is controlled to print the pretreated current media in a stepping mode according to a first stepping value, judging whether image printing of the current medium can be completed after next stepping, and if not, controlling a preset mechanism to step according to the first stepping value; if yes, the preset mechanism is controlled to step according to the second step value, the to-be-jetted medium is preprocessed according to the preset requirement, and a first signal is generated after preprocessing is completed; controlling the preset mechanism to step according to the first signal and the third step value, and performing first ink-jet printing on the next medium; and after the first time of ink-jet printing of the next medium is completed, the preset mechanism is controlled to step according to the first step value, ink-jet printing is carried out on the next medium, and the printing quality and efficiency are both considered through sectional stepping.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to the field of inkjet printing technology, and in particular to a method, device and equipment for continuous inkjet printing of multiple media in longitudinal continuous exposure, and a storage medium. BACKGROUND

[0002] With the development of society, the traditional printing method has been unable to meet the increasingly diversified printing needs. In order to meet the printing needs of customers, the media is pretreated before inkjet printing, and after the pretreatment is completed, the media is inkjet printed. The pretreatment in the prior art includes: covering printing of base ink, gilding, printing, and cleaning of the surface of the media. In order to ensure the printing efficiency and the printing quality, in the prior art, the pretreatment device is generally arranged at both ends of the inkjet head scanning and inkjet moving of the inkjet equipment before the inkjet head scans and prints the media, and the media needs a certain time after the pretreatment is completed before the inkjet printing, which leads to low printing efficiency or poor printing quality, and the printing efficiency and the printing quality cannot be met at the same time. SUMMARY

[0003] Therefore, the embodiments of the present application provide a method, device and equipment for continuous inkjet printing of multiple media in longitudinal continuous exposure, and a storage medium, to solve the problem that the printing quality and the printing efficiency cannot be considered in the prior art when the media is pretreated before inkjet printing.

[0004] In a first aspect, the embodiments of the present application provide a method for continuous printing of multiple media in longitudinal continuous exposure, the method comprising: arranging multiple media in the Y-axis direction, and spacing each adjacent two media by a preset interval:

[0005] controlling the preset mechanism in the printing equipment to step according to a first step value to print the current media after pretreatment, and determining whether the image printing of the current media can be completed after the next step, if not, controlling the preset mechanism to step according to the first step value;

[0006] if yes, controlling the preset mechanism to step according to a second step value, pretreating the media to be inkjet printed according to a preset requirement, and generating a first signal after the pretreatment is completed;

[0007] controlling the equipment to step and move according to the first signal and a third step value, and performing first inkjet printing on the next media;

[0008] after the first inkjet printing of the next media is completed, controlling the preset mechanism to step according to the first step value, and performing inkjet printing on the next media.

[0009] Preferably, before controlling the preset mechanism in the printing device to step according to the first step value to print the pre-processed current medium, and determining whether the image printing of the current medium can be completed after the next step, if not, the method further includes:

[0010] Obtain the height value of the medium in the Y-axis direction;

[0011] Obtain the original number of relative movements between the media and the carriage in the Y-axis direction required to complete the printing of the media image, as well as the first step value of each step movement;

[0012] The second step value is obtained based on the height value, the original number of steps, and the first step value.

[0013] Preferably, the step of controlling the preset mechanism in the printing device to print the pre-processed current medium according to the first step value, and determining whether the image printing of the current medium can be completed after the next step, if not, then controlling the preset mechanism to step according to the first step value includes:

[0014] The number of steps in which the monitoring medium and the trolley move relative to each other in the Y-axis direction;

[0015] Based on the number of steps and the original number of steps, determine whether the next step can complete the image printing of the medium;

[0016] If it is determined that the process cannot be completed, the preset mechanism will continue to be controlled to perform inkjet printing based on the first step value.

[0017] Preferably, the preprocessing is as follows:

[0018] The first pattern is used to control the flatbed printing unit to print on the medium to be inkjet.

[0019] Preferably, the step of controlling the device to move stepwise according to the first signal and the third step value to perform the first inkjet printing on the next medium includes:

[0020] According to the third step value, the preset mechanism is controlled to move the pre-processed medium to below the nozzle.

[0021] The second pattern controls the printhead to perform inkjet printing on the pre-processed next medium.

[0022] Preferably, the step of controlling the preset mechanism to step according to the second step value, pre-processing the medium to be inkjetted according to preset requirements, and generating a first signal after the pre-processing is completed includes:

[0023] The preset mechanism is controlled to step according to the second step value to generate a second signal;

[0024] The second signal controls the flatbed printing unit to print the first pattern onto the inkjet medium.

[0025] Preferably, the step of controlling the preset mechanism to step according to the second step value, pre-processing the medium to be inkjet according to preset requirements, and generating a first signal after the pre-processing is completed, further includes:

[0026] After controlling the preset mechanism to step according to the second step distance, a pause command is generated;

[0027] The preset mechanism is controlled to stop stepping according to the pause command;

[0028] The step of controlling the preset mechanism to step according to the first signal and the third step value to perform the first inkjet printing on the next medium includes:

[0029] After the first signal is acquired

[0030] The second pattern controls the printhead to perform inkjet printing on the pre-processed next medium.

[0031] Secondly, embodiments of the present invention provide a longitudinal continuous printing apparatus for multiple media, the apparatus comprising multiple media arranged in the Y-axis direction, with a preset spacing between adjacent media:

[0032] The judgment module is used to control the preset mechanism in the printing device to print the pre-processed current medium according to the first step value, and to determine whether the image printing of the current medium can be completed after the next step. If not, the preset mechanism is controlled to step according to the first step value.

[0033] The preprocessing module is used to control the preset mechanism to step according to the second step value, and to preprocess the medium to be inkjet according to preset requirements and generate the first signal after the preprocessing is completed;

[0034] The third step module is used to control the device to move step by step according to the first signal and the third step value, and to perform the first inkjet printing on the next medium.

[0035] The printing module is used to perform inkjet printing on the next medium after completing the first inkjet printing of the next medium and controlling the preset mechanism to step according to the first step value.

[0036] Thirdly, embodiments of the present invention provide a printing device, including: at least one processor, at least one memory, and computer program instructions stored in the memory, which, when executed by the processor, implement the method of the first aspect described above.

[0037] Fourthly, embodiments of the present invention provide a storage medium storing computer program instructions, which, when executed by a processor, implement the method of the first aspect described above.

[0038] In summary, the beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows:

[0039] The present invention provides a method, apparatus, device, and storage medium for continuous inkjet printing of multiple media in a longitudinal continuous printing process. By setting multiple media in the Y-axis direction with a preset interval between each pair of adjacent media, the inkjet printing is controlled by a first step value, the stepping of the current media is controlled according to a second step value, and the stepping of a preset mechanism is controlled according to a third step value. This results in a cross-printing process from the current media to the next media on the printing platform. By performing segmented stepping control, the carriage and the media move relative to each other along the Y-axis direction, thereby achieving control of continuous inkjet printing of multiple media. This significantly reduces non-printing time such as media replacement, making the entire printing process more compact and effectively improving printing efficiency.

[0040] Simultaneously, by determining whether the image printing of the current medium can be completed after the next step, timely preprocessing of the medium to be inkjet is achieved, avoiding unreasonable time intervals between preprocessing and inkjet printing that would affect inkjet printing efficiency, or time intervals that are too short or too long that would affect print quality. After completing the preprocessing of the medium, a first signal representing the completion of preprocessing is obtained, and the preset mechanism is controlled to step according to the first signal and the third step value, controlling the cross-width printing between the current medium and the next medium, ensuring continuous inkjet printing between the current medium and the next medium, and realizing continuous printing of multiple media. Attached Figure Description

[0041] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention, the drawings used in the embodiments of the present invention will be briefly introduced below. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort, and these are all within the protection scope of the present invention.

[0042] Figure 1 This is a flowchart illustrating the longitudinal continuous printing method for multiple media provided in Example 1.

[0043] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of longitudinally continuous exposure of multiple media in Example 1.

[0044] Figure 3 This is a flowchart illustrating the longitudinal continuous printing method for multiple media provided in Example 1.

[0045] Figure 4 This is a flowchart illustrating the longitudinal continuous printing method for multiple media provided in Example 1.

[0046] Figure 5 This is a flowchart illustrating the longitudinal continuous printing method for multiple media provided in Example 1.

[0047] Figure 6 This is a flowchart illustrating the longitudinal continuous printing method for multiple media provided in Example 1.

[0048] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the longitudinal continuous printing of multiple media in Example 1.

[0049] Figure 8 This is a flowchart illustrating the longitudinal continuous printing method for multiple media provided in Example 2.

[0050] Figure 9 This is a flowchart illustrating the longitudinal continuous printing method for multiple media provided in Example 2.

[0051] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the longitudinal continuous printing device for multiple media in Embodiment 3 of the present invention.

[0052] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the printing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0053] The features and exemplary embodiments of various aspects of the present invention will now be described in detail. To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the present invention clearer, the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only configured to explain the present invention and are not configured to limit the present invention. For those skilled in the art, the present invention can be practiced without some of these specific details. The following description of the embodiments is merely intended to provide a better understanding of the present invention by illustrating examples of the invention.

[0054] It should be noted that, in this document, relational terms such as "first" and "second" are used merely to distinguish one entity or operation from another, and do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Furthermore, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or apparatus. Without further limitations, an element defined by the phrase "comprising..." does not exclude the presence of additional identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that includes said element.

[0055] Example 1

[0056] Please see Figure 1 This invention provides a method for continuous printing of multiple media in a longitudinal continuous printing process. The method includes: setting multiple media in the Y-axis direction, with a preset spacing between each pair of adjacent media.

[0057] S1: Based on the first step value, control the preset mechanism in the printing device to step and print the pre-processed current medium. Determine whether the image printing of the current medium can be completed after the next step. If not, control the preset mechanism to step according to the first step value.

[0058] like Figure 2 As shown, the preset mechanism stepping in the printing device includes: the printhead remaining stationary in the Y-axis direction; the preset mechanism is a conveyor belt; the medium is placed on the surface of the conveyor belt; the conveyor belt moves stepping in the Y-axis direction, causing the medium to move stepping in the Y-axis direction; and, during inkjet printing, the medium is placed on the printing platform, and the crossbeam carrying the printhead is controlled to move stepping above the medium for inkjet printing; that is, in the Y-axis direction, the medium is controlled to first be pre-treated by a pre-treatment device before being moved to the printing platform of the inkjet device for inkjet printing; the longitudinal continuous printing of multiple media is the continuous printing of multiple media in the Y-axis direction.

[0059] The first step value for each medium is determined based on the printhead's printing precision and the required precision of the printed image to be printed on that medium. Based on the preset first step value, the preset mechanism in the printing device is controlled to step forward, performing inkjet printing on the medium. During the printing process of the current medium, the inkjet printing progress of the current medium is monitored in real time to determine whether the next step based on the first step value can complete the printing of the entire image on the current medium. If the determination result indicates that it cannot be completed, it means that the remaining printing area on the current medium exceeds the area range corresponding to the first step value. In this case, the Y-axis movement is controlled according to the first step value until the determination result indicates that the next step can complete the inkjet printing of the entire image.

[0060] like Figure 2 As shown, the printing system of this invention features a unique layout design along the Y-axis. The media first undergoes necessary pre-treatment operations (such as base ink overlay printing, hot stamping, printing, or surface cleaning) via a pre-treatment device located at the front end of the Y-axis movement direction. After pre-treatment, the media moves backward along the Y-axis under the control system's command, entering the working range of the inkjet equipment. The inkjet equipment is equipped with a precise stepper drive system that accurately controls the printhead's movement along the Y-axis according to a preset first step value, ensuring precise alignment between the printhead and the pre-treated media before inkjet printing begins.

[0061] S2: If possible, control the preset mechanism to step according to the second step value, preprocess the medium to be inkjet according to the preset requirements, and generate the first signal after the preprocessing is completed;

[0062] If it is determined that the inkjet printing of the current medium can be completed after the next step is made according to the first step value, after the inkjet printing of the current pass is completed, the carriage and the medium are controlled to move relative to each other along the Y-axis according to the second step value, and the remaining printing area of ​​the current medium is moved under the printhead for inkjet printing. At the same time, after the pre-processing operation of a medium is completed, the first signal representing the completion of pre-processing is generated and output.

[0063] Wherein, the second step value is less than or equal to the first step value.

[0064] After the preset mechanism steps according to the second step value, pre-processing is performed on the media to be inkjet printed according to the pre-processing requirements. By determining the time it takes for the current media to complete the printing of the entire image in continuous printing, the media to be inkjet printed is pre-processed in a timely manner. This ensures that the pre-processing of multiple media and the inkjet printing after pre-processing can be carried out continuously and in a timely manner. It avoids the problem of poor print quality caused by the surface property changes of the media due to long waiting time after pre-processing or insufficient pre-processing time due to short waiting time. This ensures that the ink combines with the media in a state that meets the preset requirements after pre-processing, thereby improving print quality.

[0065] S3: Control the device to move step by step according to the first signal and the third step value, and perform the first inkjet printing on the next medium;

[0066] The timing of the span between the current medium and the next medium is confirmed based on the first signal, and the preset mechanism is controlled to step according to the third step value to realize the span between the current medium that has completed inkjet printing and the next medium that has completed preprocessing and is about to be inkjet printed.

[0067] After stepping the third step value, the printhead is precisely aligned with the next medium, and the first step inkjet printing is performed on the next medium. This ensures that the printhead can just cover the starting printing area of ​​the next medium after it moves, and the next medium officially enters the inkjet printing stage.

[0068] Therefore, by acquiring the first signal indicating that preprocessing is complete and controlling the preset mechanism to step accordingly, the present invention enables the printhead to perform the first step inkjet printing on the next medium, ensuring a close connection between preprocessing and inkjet printing in continuous printing of multiple media, avoiding changes in surface properties caused by long waiting time after preprocessing, and effectively guaranteeing print quality.

[0069] S4: After completing the first inkjet printing of the next medium, the preset mechanism is controlled to step according to the first step value, and then inkjet printing is performed on the next medium.

[0070] Specifically, after completing the span printing according to the third step value, the carriage and the medium are controlled to move relative to each other along the Y-axis according to the first step value to move the medium to the inkjet range of the inkjet device for printing; when there are multiple media that need to be pre-processed before inkjet printing, the above steps S1-S4 are repeated until printing is completed.

[0071] The longitudinal continuous inkjet printing method for multiple media provided in Embodiment 1 of the present invention sets multiple media in the Y-axis direction, with a preset distance between adjacent media. It controls the inkjet printing of the media based on the first step value, controls the step when the current media is about to complete inkjet printing based on the second step value, and controls the cross-printing of the current media to the next media based on the third step value. By performing segmented step control, it realizes the control of continuous inkjet printing of multiple media, which significantly reduces non-printing time such as media replacement, makes the entire printing process more compact, and effectively improves printing efficiency.

[0072] Simultaneously, by determining whether the image printing of the current medium can be completed after the next step, timely preprocessing of the medium to be inkjet is achieved, avoiding unreasonable time intervals between preprocessing and inkjet printing that would affect inkjet printing efficiency, or time intervals that are too short or too long that would affect print quality. After completing the preprocessing of the medium, a first signal representing the completion of preprocessing is obtained, and the stepping is controlled according to the first signal and the third step value to control the cross-width printing between the current medium and the next medium, ensuring continuous inkjet printing between the current medium and the next medium, and realizing continuous printing of multiple media.

[0073] In one embodiment, such as Figure 3 As shown, S1: Based on the first step value, the preset mechanism in the printing device is controlled to step and print the pre-processed current medium. It is then determined whether the image printing of the current medium can be completed after the next step. If not, before controlling the preset mechanism to step according to the first step value, the process further includes:

[0074] S101: Obtain the height value of the medium in the Y-axis direction;

[0075] S102: To obtain the original number of steps required for the media to move relative to the carriage in the Y-axis direction and the first step value for each step, the image printing of the completed media is required.

[0076] S103: Obtain the second step value based on the height value, the original number of steps, and the first step value.

[0077] Specifically, the height value is the dimension data of the medium in the Y-axis direction, and the original step count is the number of steps the carriage moves relative to the medium during inkjet printing. The original step count is obtained based on the height value and the first step value.

[0078] Let the height be H, the initial number of steps be a, the first step value be h1, and the second step value be h2 as: Ha*h1=h2.

[0079] After controlling the stepping according to the second stepping value h2, the printhead prints ink on the remaining area of ​​the medium, thus completing the printing of the entire image of a medium.

[0080] In one embodiment, such as Figure 4 As shown, S1: The printing device is controlled to step on a preset mechanism according to the first step value to print the pre-processed current medium. It is then determined whether the image printing of the current medium can be completed after the next step. If not, the preset mechanism is controlled to step on according to the first step value. The method further includes:

[0081] S11: The number of steps in which the monitoring medium and the trolley move relative to each other in the Y-axis direction;

[0082] S12: Determine whether the next step can complete the image printing of the medium based on the number of steps and the original number of steps;

[0083] S13: If it is determined that the process cannot be completed, the preset mechanism will continue to be controlled to perform inkjet printing according to the first step value.

[0084] Specifically, during inkjet printing of a medium, the number of steps in the relative movement of the carriage with the printhead and the medium in the Y-axis direction is monitored and recorded. Each step is incremented by one, and the number of steps is recorded as a1. When a-a1=1, it is determined that the next step can complete the image printing of the medium.

[0085] In one embodiment, such as Figure 5 As shown, S2: If possible, control the preset mechanism to step according to the second step value, preprocess the medium to be inkjet according to preset requirements, and generate a first signal after the preprocessing is completed, including:

[0086] S211: After controlling the preset mechanism to step according to the second step value, a second signal is generated;

[0087] S212: Preprocess the medium to be inkjet according to the second signal.

[0088] Preferably, after the step movement according to the second step value is completed, a second signal representing the completion of the second step value movement is generated, and the medium is preprocessed according to preset requirements.

[0089] By generating the second signal, the message that the entire image has been printed on the current medium is obtained in a timely manner. At the same time, the position information of the current medium in the Y-axis direction is confirmed, which has a positioning effect on the current medium. Meanwhile, based on the preset distance between the current medium and the next medium, the position information of the next medium is obtained in a timely manner, which also has a positioning effect on the next medium that is about to be printed across the entire image.

[0090] In one embodiment, such as Figure 6 As shown, S2: If possible, control the preset mechanism to step according to the second step value, preprocess the medium to be inkjet according to preset requirements, and generate a first signal after the preprocessing is completed, and further includes:

[0091] S213: Control the preset mechanism to generate a pause command based on the second step distance;

[0092] S214: Control the preset mechanism to stop stepping according to the pause command;

[0093] S3: The step of controlling the preset mechanism to step according to the first signal and the third step value, and performing the first inkjet printing on the next medium, includes:

[0094] S311: After acquiring the first signal, control the device to move step by step according to the third step value, and perform the first step inkjet printing on the next medium.

[0095] When printing the last pass of inkjet on the current medium, the medium to be printed is also being pre-processed. In order to achieve a harmonious process between pre-processing and inkjet printing, inkjet printing and stepping movement need to be paused when the last pass of printing on the current medium is completed. After the pre-processing of a medium is completed, the first signal is generated to start the motor controlling the stepping in the Y-axis direction and to control the printhead to prepare for inkjet printing. According to the third step value, the carriage and the medium are controlled to move relative to each other in the Y-axis direction before inkjet printing is performed on the next medium.

[0096] In one embodiment, the third step value = the first step value - the second step value.

[0097] In one embodiment, the third step value is equal to the preset spacing between two adjacent media.

[0098] In one embodiment, the third step value = the preset spacing between two adjacent media + the first step value.

[0099] In one embodiment, when the time interval between preprocessing and inkjet printing is preferably the time it takes for a medium to complete inkjet printing, then: (e.g.) Figure 7 As shown, when the stepping movement is controlled according to the second step value to perform the last 1-pass printing on the current medium, preprocessing is performed on another medium adjacent to the current medium that needs inkjet processing. After the preprocessing of this medium is completed, the stepping movement is performed according to the third step value to perform the first inkjet printing on the next medium. After the first inkjet printing is completed, the stepping movement is controlled according to the first step value corresponding to the next medium to... Figure 7 The next medium gradually moves to the inkjet printing area (the next medium becomes the current medium), and the inkjet medium in the pre-processing area moves to the next medium after pre-processing. Figure 7 The position of the next medium in the middle enables continuous printing of multiple media in the vertical direction.

[0100] Example 2

[0101] Traditional printing technology enables large-scale, standardized printing production, while inkjet printing offers greater flexibility. However, to meet customers' needs for large-scale production and personalized printing, both traditional printing and digital inkjet technologies have limitations. While traditional printing is suitable for mass production, changing patterns is costly and time-consuming, making it unsuitable for small-batch, multi-variety production. Digital inkjet printing, while flexible and efficient, has relatively high costs for large-scale production. Therefore, based on the technical solution of Embodiment 1, this invention provides a method for continuous printing of multiple media in a longitudinal continuous printing process, comprising: the preprocessing being:

[0102] The first pattern is used to control the flatbed printing unit to print on the medium to be inkjet.

[0103] Specifically, in order to meet the customer's printing needs, a flat screen printing unit and an inkjet printing nozzle are respectively set from front to back in the Y-axis movement direction. The flat screen printing unit is used to pre-process the medium for the first pattern printing. The medium that has completed the first pattern printing pre-processing is transported to the bottom of the printhead for inkjet printing through stepping movement in the Y-axis direction.

[0104] The flatbed printing unit enables large-scale, standardized printing of fixed patterns on media. By combining flatbed printing with digital inkjet printing, it meets the dual needs of large-scale standardized production and personalized customization, while reducing costs, improving production flexibility and response speed. It effectively solves the limitations of single technology applications, color restrictions, and problems such as production efficiency and resource utilization, providing the printing industry with a more advanced, efficient and flexible production solution.

[0105] In one embodiment, such as Figure 8 As shown, S3: controlling the device to move stepwise according to the first signal and the third step value, and performing the first inkjet printing on the next medium includes:

[0106] S31: According to the third step value, control the preset mechanism to move the pre-processed medium to below the nozzle;

[0107] S32: Control the printhead to perform inkjet printing on the next medium that has completed preprocessing according to the second pattern.

[0108] Specifically, based on the first step value, the Y-axis movement is controlled to inkjet print the second pattern on the current medium after the first pattern printing is completed. It is determined whether the image printing of the current medium can be completed after the next step. If it is determined that it cannot be completed, the Y-axis movement is controlled according to the first step value. If it is determined that it can be completed, the Y-axis movement is controlled according to the second step value, and the medium without preprocessing is printed according to the first pattern. A first signal representing the completion of the first pattern printing is obtained, and the Y-axis movement is controlled according to the first signal and the third step value to perform the first step inkjet printing of the second pattern on the next medium, which is a medium that has completed preprocessing.

[0109] Based on the first step value, control the step movement in the Y-axis direction to perform inkjet printing on the next medium after the first step inkjet printing is completed, and repeat the above process until printing is complete.

[0110] The first pattern is a fixed pattern, and the second pattern is a customized pattern. This embodiment combines flatbed printing with digital inkjet printing. Even if the design is changed temporarily during the production process or an urgent order is received, the printing can be quickly adjusted and completed, which greatly improves the response speed and adaptability of the production system.

[0111] Meanwhile, by setting multiple media in the Y-axis direction with a preset spacing between adjacent media, the first step value controls the media to print the second pattern by inkjet printing. The second step value controls the stepping when the current media needs to complete inkjet printing, and the third step value controls the cross-printing of the current media to the next media. By performing segmented stepping control of the stepping movement in the Y-axis direction, continuous inkjet printing of multiple media can be controlled, which significantly reduces non-printing time such as media replacement, making the entire printing process more compact and effectively improving printing efficiency.

[0112] By determining whether the entire image of the current medium can be printed after the next step, the medium to be printed with the first pattern is processed in a timely manner. This avoids unreasonable time intervals between the first pattern printing process and inkjet printing, which could affect the efficiency of inkjet printing, or the time interval between preprocessing and inkjet printing being too short or too long, which could affect the print quality. After the first pattern printing process of the medium is completed, a first signal representing the completion of preprocessing is obtained, and the Y-axis is moved according to the first signal and the third step value. This controls the cross-width printing between the current medium and the next medium and performs inkjet printing of the second pattern on the next medium, ensuring continuous inkjet printing between the current medium and the next medium, and realizing continuous printing of multiple media under the combination of two printing technologies.

[0113] In one embodiment, such as Figure 9As shown, S2: If possible, control the preset mechanism to step according to the second step value, preprocess the medium to be inkjet according to preset requirements, and generate a first signal after the preprocessing is completed, including:

[0114] S221: After controlling the preset mechanism to step according to the second step value, a second signal is generated;

[0115] S222: Control the flatbed printing unit to print the first pattern on the inkjet medium according to the second signal.

[0116] Preferably, after the digital printing unit completes the stepping movement in the Y-axis direction according to the second step value, it generates a second signal representing the completion of the second stepping movement and sends the second signal to the flatbed printing unit. After receiving the second signal, the flatbed printing unit prints on the medium according to the first pattern.

[0117] By generating the second signal, the message that the entire image has been printed on the current medium is obtained in a timely manner. At the same time, the position information of the current medium in the Y-axis direction is confirmed, which has a positioning effect on the current medium. Meanwhile, based on the preset distance between the current medium and the next medium, the position information of the next medium is obtained in a timely manner, which also has a positioning effect on the next medium that is about to be printed across the entire image.

[0118] In one embodiment, step S2: if possible, controlling the preset mechanism to step according to the second step value, pre-processing the medium to be inkjet according to preset requirements, and generating a first signal after the pre-processing is completed, further includes:

[0119] After controlling the preset mechanism to step according to the second step distance, a pause command is generated;

[0120] The preset mechanism is controlled to stop stepping according to the pause command;

[0121] S3: The step of controlling the preset mechanism to step according to the first signal and the third step value, and performing the first inkjet printing on the next medium, includes:

[0122] After acquiring the first signal, the printhead is controlled according to the second pattern to perform inkjet printing on the next medium that has completed preprocessing.

[0123] Specifically, after the preset mechanism is stepped by the second step distance control, if the preprocessing is not completed, the stepping movement of the preset mechanism is paused to allow a certain processing time for the preprocessing. When the first pattern of the medium is printed, the stepping of the preset mechanism is started according to the first signal, and the printhead is controlled to perform inkjet printing on the preprocessed medium according to the second pattern.

[0124] Example 3

[0125] Please see Figure 10 This invention provides a longitudinal continuous printing apparatus for multiple media sheets, the apparatus comprising: multiple media sheets arranged in the Y-axis direction, with a preset spacing between adjacent media sheets;

[0126] The judgment module 1 is used to control the preset mechanism in the printing device to print the pre-processed current medium according to the first step value, and to determine whether the image printing of the current medium can be completed after the next step. If not, the preset mechanism is controlled to step according to the first step value.

[0127] Preprocessing module 2 is used to control the preset mechanism to step according to the second step value, and to preprocess the medium to be inkjet according to preset requirements and generate the first signal after the preprocessing is completed;

[0128] The third step module 3 is used to control the device to move step by step according to the first signal and the third step value, and to perform the first inkjet printing on the next medium.

[0129] The printing module 4 is used to perform inkjet printing on the next medium after completing the first inkjet printing of the next medium and controlling the preset mechanism to step according to the first step value.

[0130] The judgment module 1 includes: acquiring the height value of the medium in the Y-axis direction; acquiring the original number of relative movements between the medium and the carriage in the Y-axis direction required to complete the image printing of the medium, and the first step value of each step movement; and acquiring the second step value based on the height value, the original number of steps, and the first step value.

[0131] The judgment module 1 further includes: monitoring the number of steps in which the medium and the carriage move relative to each other in the Y-axis direction; judging whether the next step can complete the image printing of the medium based on the number of steps and the original number of steps; if it is judged that it cannot be completed, then controlling the preset mechanism to step and perform inkjet printing based on the first step value.

[0132] The preprocessing module 2 includes: controlling the preset mechanism to step according to the second step value to generate a second signal; and preprocessing the medium to be inkjet according to the second signal.

[0133] The preprocessing module 2 is further configured to control the preset mechanism to generate a pause command based on the second step distance; and to control the preset mechanism to stop stepping based on the pause command.

[0134] The third step module 3 is used to control the device to move step by step according to the third step value after acquiring the first signal, and to perform the first step inkjet printing on the next medium.

[0135] When the preprocessing is as follows: the flat screen printing unit is controlled to print the medium to be inkjet according to the first pattern, the third stepping module 3 is also used to control the preset mechanism stepping according to the third stepping value to move the preprocessed medium to below the printhead; and to control the printhead to inkjet print the next medium that has completed the preprocessing according to the second pattern.

[0136] The preprocessing module 2 is further configured to control the preset mechanism to step according to the second step value and generate a second signal; and to control the flat screen printing unit to print the first pattern on the medium to be inkjet according to the second signal.

[0137] In addition, combined Figure 1 The longitudinal continuous printing method for multiple media in an embodiment of the present invention described herein can be implemented by a printing device. Figure 11 A schematic diagram of the hardware structure of the printing device provided in an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0138] Printing equipment may include a processor and a memory storing computer program instructions.

[0139] Specifically, the processor may include a central processing unit (CPU), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or one or more integrated circuits that can be configured to implement embodiments of the present invention.

[0140] The memory may include a large-capacity storage device for data or instructions. For example, and not limitingly, the memory may include a hard disk drive (HDD), a floppy disk drive, flash memory, an optical disk drive, a magneto-optical disk drive, magnetic tape, or a Universal Serial Bus (USB) drive, or a combination of two or more of these. Where appropriate, the memory may include removable or non-removable (or fixed) media. Where appropriate, the memory may be internal or external to a data processing device. In a particular embodiment, the memory is a non-volatile solid-state memory. In a particular embodiment, the memory includes a read-only memory (ROM). Where appropriate, the ROM may be a mask-programmed ROM, a programmable ROM (PROM), an erasable PROM (EPROM), an electrically erasable PROM (EEPROM), an electrically rewritable ROM (EAROM), or flash memory, or a combination of two or more of these.

[0141] The processor reads and executes computer program instructions stored in the memory to implement any of the longitudinal continuous printing methods for multiple media in the above embodiments.

[0142] In one example, the printing device may also include a communication interface and a bus. For example, Figure 11 As shown, the processor, memory, and communication interface are connected via a bus and communicate with each other.

[0143] The communication interface is mainly used to enable communication between various modules, devices, units and / or equipment in the embodiments of the present invention.

[0144] A bus, including hardware, software, or both, couples components of a device together. For example, and not limitingly, a bus may include an Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP) or other graphics bus, an Enhanced Industry Standard Architecture (EISA) bus, a Front Side Bus (FSB), HyperTransport (HT) interconnect, an Industry Standard Architecture (ISA) bus, an Infinite Bandwidth Interconnect, a Low Pin Count (LPC) bus, a memory bus, a Microchannel Architecture (MCA) bus, a Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) bus, a PCI-Express (PCI-X) bus, a Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (SATA) bus, a Video Electronics Standards Association Local (VLB) bus, or other suitable buses, or combinations of two or more of these. Where appropriate, a bus may include one or more buses. While specific buses are described and illustrated in embodiments of the invention, the invention contemplates any suitable bus or interconnect.

[0145] Furthermore, in conjunction with the continuous printing method for multiple media in the longitudinal continuous printing process described in the above embodiments, this invention can be implemented using a computer-readable storage medium. This computer-readable storage medium stores computer program instructions; when these computer program instructions are executed by a processor, they implement any of the continuous printing methods for multiple media in the longitudinal continuous printing process described in the above embodiments.

[0146] In summary, the method, apparatus, equipment, and storage medium for continuous printing of multiple media in the longitudinal continuous printing direction provided by the embodiments of the present invention, by setting multiple media in the Y-axis direction with a preset spacing between adjacent media, controlling the media to perform inkjet printing in combination with the first step value, controlling the step when the current media is about to complete inkjet printing according to the second step value, and controlling the cross-printing of the current media to the next media according to the third step value, the continuous inkjet printing of multiple media is achieved by performing segmented step control of the relative movement of the carriage and the media in the Y-axis direction, which significantly reduces non-printing time such as media replacement, makes the entire printing process more compact, and effectively improves printing efficiency;

[0147] Simultaneously, by determining whether the image printing of the current medium can be completed after the next step, timely preprocessing of the medium to be inkjet is achieved, avoiding unreasonable time intervals between preprocessing and inkjet printing that would affect inkjet printing efficiency, or time intervals that are too short or too long that would affect print quality. After completing the preprocessing of the medium, a first signal representing the completion of preprocessing is obtained, and the device is controlled to move step by step according to the first signal and the third step value, controlling the cross-width printing between the current medium and the next medium, ensuring continuous inkjet printing between the current medium and the next medium, and realizing continuous printing of multiple media.

[0148] It should be clarified that the present invention is not limited to the specific configurations and processes described above and shown in the figures. For the sake of brevity, detailed descriptions of known methods are omitted here. In the above embodiments, several specific steps are described and shown as examples. However, the method process of the present invention is not limited to the specific steps described and shown. Those skilled in the art can make various changes, modifications, and additions, or change the order of steps, after understanding the spirit of the present invention.

[0149] The functional blocks shown in the above-described structural diagram can be implemented as hardware, software, firmware, or a combination thereof. When implemented in hardware, they can be, for example, electronic circuits, application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), appropriate firmware, plug-ins, function cards, etc. When implemented in software, the elements of this invention are programs or code segments used to perform the required tasks. The programs or code segments can be stored on a machine-readable medium or transmitted over a transmission medium or communication link via data signals carried in a carrier wave. "Machine-readable medium" can include any medium capable of storing or transmitting information. Examples of machine-readable media include electronic circuits, semiconductor memory devices, ROM, flash memory, erasable ROM (EROM), floppy disks, CD-ROMs, optical disks, hard disks, fiber optic media, radio frequency (RF) links, etc. Code segments can be downloaded via computer networks such as the Internet, intranets, etc.

[0150] It should also be noted that the exemplary embodiments mentioned in this invention describe methods or systems based on a series of steps or apparatus. However, this invention is not limited to the order of the steps described above; that is, the steps can be performed in the order mentioned in the embodiments, or in a different order, or several steps can be performed simultaneously.

[0151] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of the present invention. Those skilled in the art will clearly understand that, for the sake of convenience and brevity, the specific working processes of the systems, modules, and units described above can be referred to the corresponding processes in the foregoing method embodiments, and will not be repeated here. It should be understood that the protection scope of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any person skilled in the art can easily conceive of various equivalent modifications or substitutions within the technical scope disclosed in the present invention, and these modifications or substitutions should all be covered within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for continuous printing of multiple media in a longitudinal continuous printing process, characterized in that, The method includes: setting multiple media in the Y-axis direction, with a preset spacing between each pair of adjacent media. The printing device is controlled to print the pre-processed current medium according to the first step value. It is then determined whether the image printing of the current medium can be completed after the next step. If not, the preset mechanism is controlled to step according to the first step value. If possible, the preset mechanism is controlled to step according to the second step value, and the medium to be inkjet is pre-processed according to the preset requirements and a first signal is generated after the pre-processing is completed; Based on the first signal and the third step value, the control device moves stepwise to perform the first inkjet printing on the next medium; After completing the first inkjet printing of the next medium, the preset mechanism is controlled to step according to the first step value, and then inkjet printing is performed on the next medium.

2. The method for continuous printing of multiple media in a longitudinal continuous printing process according to claim 1, characterized in that, The step of controlling the preset mechanism in the printing device to step according to the first step value to print the pre-processed current medium, and determining whether the image printing of the current medium can be completed after the next step, if not, before controlling the preset mechanism to step according to the first step value, further includes: Obtain the height value of the medium in the Y-axis direction; Obtain the original number of relative movements between the media and the carriage in the Y-axis direction required to complete the printing of the media image, as well as the first step value of each step movement; The second step value is obtained based on the height value, the original number of steps, and the first step value.

3. The method for continuous printing of multiple media in a longitudinal continuous printing process according to claim 2, characterized in that, The step of controlling the preset mechanism in the printing device to step according to the first step value to print the pre-processed current medium, and determining whether the image printing of the current medium can be completed after the next step, if not, controlling the preset mechanism to step according to the first step value, includes: The number of steps in which the monitoring medium and the trolley move relative to each other in the Y-axis direction; Based on the number of steps and the original number of steps, determine whether the next step can complete the image printing of the medium; If it is determined that the process cannot be completed, the preset mechanism will continue to be controlled to perform inkjet printing based on the first step value.

4. The method for continuous printing of multiple media in a longitudinal continuous printing process according to claim 1, characterized in that, The preprocessing is as follows: The first pattern is used to control the flatbed printing unit to print on the medium to be inkjet.

5. The method for continuous printing of multiple media in a longitudinal continuous printing process according to claim 4, characterized in that, The step-by-step movement of the device based on the first signal and the third step value, and the first inkjet printing of the next medium, includes: According to the third step value, the preset mechanism is controlled to move the pre-processed medium to below the nozzle. The second pattern controls the printhead to perform inkjet printing on the pre-processed next medium.

6. The method for continuous printing of multiple media in a longitudinal continuous printing process according to claim 5, characterized in that, If possible, the preset mechanism is controlled to step according to the second step value, and the medium to be inkjet is pre-processed according to preset requirements and a first signal is generated after the pre-processing is completed, including: The preset mechanism is controlled to step according to the second step value to generate a second signal; The second signal controls the flatbed printing unit to print the first pattern onto the inkjet medium.

7. The method for continuous printing of multiple media in a longitudinal continuous printing process according to any one of claims 4-6, characterized in that, If possible, the preset mechanism is controlled to step according to the second step value, and the medium to be inkjet is pre-processed according to preset requirements and a first signal is generated after the pre-processing is completed, and the process further includes: After controlling the preset mechanism to step according to the second step distance, a pause command is generated; The preset mechanism is controlled to stop stepping according to the pause command; The step of controlling the preset mechanism to step according to the first signal and the third step value to perform the first inkjet printing on the next medium includes: After acquiring the first signal, the printhead is controlled according to the second pattern to perform inkjet printing on the next medium that has completed preprocessing.

8. A longitudinal continuous printing apparatus for multiple media, characterized in that, The device includes: multiple media arranged in the Y-axis direction, with a preset spacing between adjacent media: The judgment module is used to control the preset mechanism in the printing device to print the pre-processed current medium according to the first step value, and to determine whether the image printing of the current medium can be completed after the next step. If not, the preset mechanism is controlled to step according to the first step value. The preprocessing module is used to control the preset mechanism to step according to the second step value, and to preprocess the medium to be inkjet according to preset requirements and generate the first signal after the preprocessing is completed; The third step module is used to control the device to move step by step according to the first signal and the third step value, and to perform the first inkjet printing on the next medium. The printing module is used to perform inkjet printing on the next medium after completing the first inkjet printing of the next medium and controlling the preset mechanism to step according to the first step value.

9. A printing device, characterized in that, include: At least one processor, at least one memory, and computer program instructions stored in the memory, which, when executed by the processor, implement the method as described in any one of claims 1-7.

10. A storage medium storing computer program instructions thereon, characterized in that, The method as described in any one of claims 1-7 is implemented when the computer program instructions are executed by the processor.

Images