BACKGROUND

[0001] Some printers include a cutting device which can cut a print medium before, during or after a printing operation. The cutting device may include a cutting blade supported on a carriage to move across a print zone. By movement of the carriage across the print zone and/or movement of the print medium along a media advance path through the print zone, the cutting blade may cut in one or two linear directions, such as the X and Y directions.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0002] The following description references the drawings, wherein

Fig. l is a block diagram schematically illustrating a cutting device according to an example, in a side view thereof;

Fig. 2 is a block diagram schematically illustrating a cutting device according to an example, in a top view thereof;

Fig. 3 is a block diagram schematically illustrating an upper part of a cutting device, according to an example, in a side view thereof;

Fig. 3A is a block diagram schematically illustrating the upper part of the cutting device according to Fig. 3, in a top view thereof;

Fig. 4 is a block diagram schematically illustrating a lower part of a cutting device, according to an example, in a side view thereof;

Fig. 4A is a block diagram schematically illustrating the lower part of the cutting device, according to Fig. 4, in a top view thereof;

Fig. 5 is a block diagram schematically illustrating a lower part of a cutting device, according to another example, in a side view thereof

Fig. 6 schematically shows a perspective view of a cutting device according to an example, as seen from above;

Fig. 7 schematically shows a perspective view of a cutting device according to an example, as seen from below;

Fig. 8 schematically shows another perspective view of a cutting device according to an example, as seen from above; Fig. 9 schematically shows still another perspective view of a cutting device according to an ex- ample, as seen from above;

Fig. 10 schematically shows another perspective view of a cutting device according to an example, as seen from below;

Fig. 11 schematically shows a side view of a cutting device according to an example;

Fig. 12 is a flow diagram of a media cutting method according to an example.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0003] Fig. l and Fig. 2 are block diagrams schematically illustrating a cutting device according to an example, in a side view and in a top view thereof.

[0004] In the example of Fig. l and 2, the cutting device comprises an upper support 10 and a lower support 20 which respectively are located above and below a media plane 30. The upper support 10 can be arranged at a carriage 40 which is movable along a slide bar 42, in a scanning direction, also designated as X direction. The lower support 20 can be arranged at a base station (not shown in fig ures 1 and 2) at the side of and below a cutting zone, as described below. The upper and lower sup ports 10, 20 are respective parts of upper and lower halves of the cutting device.

[0005] A medium 50 can be located in the media plane 30 and can advance below the upper support 10 and the carriage 40 in a media advance direction, also designated as Y direction.

[0006] A contact-free coupling device can be provided at the upper and lower supports 10, 20 to en gage and disengage the upper support and the lower support. As explained in further detail below, the upper support 10 can be considered a master support and the lower support 20 can be consid- ered a slave support wherein, when the upper and lower supports are engaged, the lower/slave sup port 20 follows movement of the upper/master support 10. In a variant, the upper support could be a slave support and the lower support could be a master support so that, when the upper and lower supports are engaged, the upper/slave support follows the lower/master support. As explained with reference to the following drawings, the cutting device further comprises a master cutting blade ar- ranged in the master support. In this example, the master cutting blade is an upper cutting blade ar ranged in the upper support 10. In a variant, the master cutting blade could be a lower cutting blade arranged in the lower support.

[0007] In an example, the cutting device can be provided in a printer and the carriage 40 can be a printer carriage carrying print heads (not shown) and the upper support 20. The printer may, for example, be a large format inkjet printer. In this example, the cutting zone can correspond to, over lap with or be adjacent to a print zone, and the scanning direction X can correspond to a printing direction X of print heads located in the carriage 40. The medium 50 located in the media plane 30 can be a print medium, such as a single sheet or a continuous web of print medium fed to the print zone from an input tray, a drawer or roll of paper, for example. The medium may be paper or a foil, for example.

[0008] In this example, the upper cutting blade and upper support are attached to and move with the printer carriage 40 so that the cutting blade can move in the X direction. Additionally, as ex plained below, the cutting blade can be pivoted to adjust a cutting direction relative to the medium.

[0009] The upper support 10 can be coupled with the lower support 20 via a contact-free coupling device, with the medium sandwiched there between. When the contact free coupling device is acti vated, the upper support 10 can engage with the lower support 20 or can“pick up” the lower support 20 and can“drag” the lower support 10 to a cutting position and along a cutting line, with the me dium still sandwiched there between.

[00010] In one example of a cutting sequence, illustrated in fig. 12, the upper support 10 is moved to a pick-up position where the lower support 20 is stored, at too. This pick up position can be at the side of the print zone, below a position over which the medium passes, as schematically il lustrated in fig. 1. The upper and lower supports 10, 20 can be engaged via the contact free coupling device, at 110, and the upper support 10 can be moved to a cutting position, at 120. The upper sup port 10 can be moved by moving the carriage 40, for example. Additionally, the medium 50 can be moved below the carriage 40 to eventually position the upper support 10 relative to the medium 50 in the X and Y directions. Because the lower and upper supports are engaged, the lower support 20 will follow the movement of the upper support 10. When at the cutting position, the upper cutting blade arranged in the upper support 10 can be engaged with a lower cutting blade or with a lower support surface provided in the lower support 20, at 130. The upper support 10 then is moved rela tively to the medium 50, e.g. by moving the carriage and/or the medium, with the lower support 20 following the movement of the upper support 10, at 140. Accordingly, the media is cut between the upper cutting blade and the lower cutting blade or lower support surface.

[00011] In an example, the contact free coupling device comprises at least one magnet. For example, an electromagnet can be provided on the upper support, with a corresponding magnet or ferromagnetic element at the lower support, forming a magnet pair, with media to be cut sand wiched between the magnet pair. When the magnet pair is activated the upper support can pick up the lower support and can guide the lower support to the cutting position. A further magnet pair may be provided to engage the upper and lower cutting blades or the upper cutting blade and the lower support surface by moving them towards each other through magnetic force. The further mag net also can make the lower cutting blade follow any rotational movement of the upper cutting blade. Accordingly, the magnet pairs can make the lower support follow any movement of the upper support and upper cutting blade to cut the medium. To release the lower support, the magnets are deactivated.

[00012] Figures 3 and 3A illustrate further details of an upper half of the cutting device in cluding the upper support 10, according to an example. The upper support 10 may comprise an up per frame 11 schematically illustrated as a box which can be attached to the carriage 40. The upper frame 11 supports an upper cutting blade 12 which can rotate around the first axis R, parallel to the media plane 30, and which can be pivoted around a second axis P, perpendicular to the media plane 30. In the example, the upper cutting blade 12 is a circular rotary blade. The rotational movement of the upper cutting blade 12 around the first axis R is caused by a movement of the upper support 10 relative to the medium in the media plane when the cutting blade 12 contacts the medium and roles on the surface of the medium. The pivoting movement of the upper cutting blade 12 around the sec ond axis P is caused by a pivoting bracket 14 coupling the upper cutting blade 12 to a rotary actuator 16, with a cam mechanism 18 between the rotary actuator 16 and the pivoting bracket 14. The upper cutting blade is pivoted to align the upper cutting blade to a cutting direction relative to the medium in the media plane 30.

[00013] The rotary actuator 16 may comprise an electric motor, such as a BLDC (brushless direct-current) motor or a servomotor, which may be connected to the upper frame 11. An output shaft 16’ of the rotary actuator may be coupled with the cam mechanism 18, the cam mechanism 18 comprising a cam lobe which contacts an arm 14a of the pivoting bracket 14. Rotation of the output shaft 16a is transferred to the cam lobe which pivots the pivoting bracket 14 and hence the upper cutting blade 12 around the second axis P. The pivoting bracket 14, in this example, is U-shaped with upper and lower horizontal arms 14a, 14b connected by a vertical bridge portion 14c. The bridge por tion 14c is linked to the upper frame 11 by a bearing shaft i4d collinear with the second axis P. Rota- tional movement of the cam lobe causes the upper horizontal arm 14a to be deflected and hence to pivot wherein the pivoting movement is transferred to a corresponding pivoting movement of the upper cutting blade 12 via the bridge portion 14c and the lower horizontal arm 14b.

[00014] A bearing shaft i4d may be connected to the upper frame 11 and may include a spring mechanism, such as an internal or external spring, to pull the pivoting bracket 14 and hence the up- per cutting blade 12 upwards and away from the media plane 30. A spring force of the spring mecha nism can be overcome by a downwards force applied to the pivoting bracket 14 to push the pivoting bracket 14 and hence the upper cutting blade 12 towards and into contact with a medium to be cut and located in the media plane 30.

[00015] In the example, two magnets 32, 34 are arranged at a bottom side of the upper frame 11, facing towards the media plane 30. The magnets 32, 34 maybe arranged at two neighboring cor ners or at two diagonally opposite corners or at any other suitably spaced positions at the bottom side of the upper frame 11. Instead of two magnets 32, 34, one magnet or more than two magnets may be provided at the upper support 10. The magnets 32, 34 may be electromagnets to be activated by a control device. In a variant, the magnets may be permanent magnets that can be shifted in the vertical direction to move the magnets towards the media plane 30 and away from the media plane 30.

[00016] Further, in the example, an additional magnet 36 is arranged at a bottom side of the pivoting bracket 14, at a position collinear with the second axis P. The additional magnet 36 maybe an electromagnet to be activated by the control device. In a variant, the magnet may be a permanent magnet that can be shifted in the vertical direction to move the magnet towards the media plane 30 and away from the media plane 30.

[00017] Fig. 4 and 4A illustrate further details of a lower half of the cutting device including the lower support 20, according to an example. The lower support 20 includes a lower frame 24 not fixedly attached to the cutting device or an associated printer carriage or the like and which, when not in use, can be stored in a base station. The lower frame 24 of this example supports a lower cut ting blade 22 which can rotate around a second rotation axis R_l, parallel to the media plane 30, and which can be pivoted around the pivoting axis P, perpendicular to the media plane 30. In the example, the lower cutting blade 22 also is a circular rotary blade.

[00018] Two ferromagnetic bodies 32I, 34I are arranged at a top side of the lower support 20, more specifically the lower frame 24 thereof, facing towards the media plane 30. The ferromagnetic bodies 32I, 34I may be arranged at two neighboring corners or at two diagonally opposite corners of the lower frame 24 or at any other positions corresponding to the position of the magnets 32U and 34U provided at the upper frame 11 . Instead of two ferromagnetic bodies 32I, 34I, one ferromagnetic body or more than two ferromagnetic bodies may be provided also at the lower support 20. The fer romagnetic bodies 32I, 34I may be permanent magnets or may comprise non-magnetized ferromag netic material which interacts with the magnets 32U, 34U provided at the upper support 10. When the magnets 32U, 34U at the upper support 10 are activated or are shifted in the vertical direction to move towards the media plane 30, they will engage with the ferromagnetic bodies 321, 34I at the lower support 20 and pull the lower support 20 towards the upper support 10, with the medium 50 there between.

[00019] The cutting blade 22 is coupled with the lower frame 24 by pivoting shaft 25 which in turn is coupled with a pivoting arm 26. The pivoting shaft 25 allows aligning the lower cutting blade 22 to a cutting direction relative to the medium in the media plane 30. The pivoting arm assists in transferring the pivoting movement of the upper cutting blade 12 to the lower cutting blade 22.

[00020] To this end, in the example, an additional ferromagnetic body 36I is arranged at a top side of the pivoting arm 26, at a position collinear with the second axis P when the upper and lower supports 10, 10 are engaged. The ferromagnetic body 36I maybe a permanent magnet or may com prise non-magnetized ferromagnetic material which interacts with the magnets 36U provided at the upper support 10. When the magnet 36U at the upper support 10 is activated or is shifted in the ver- tical direction to move towards the media plane 30, it will engage with the magnet 36I, at the lower support 20 and pull the upper cutting blade 12 and the lower cutting blade 22 towards each other, with the medium 50 there between.

[00021] The magnet pairs transmit the translational movement of the upper support 10 to the lower support 20 and the pivoting movement of the upper cutting blade 12 to the lower cutting blade 20. Further details of the upper and lower frames 11, 24 and associated mechanics are described be- low.

[00022] The magnet pairs 32U, 321, 34U, 34I, and 36U, 36I can be part of a contact-free cou pling device and can interact to pull the upper frame 11 and the lower frame 24 towards each other and to pull the upper cutting blade 12 and the lower cutting blade 22 towards each other. With the cutting blades 12, 22 are engaged, the magnet pairs can make the lower frame 24 follow the move ment of the upper frame 11 and make the lower cutting blade 20 to follow the movement of the up per cutting blade 12.

[00023] In order to allow the respective facing surfaces of the magnet pairs to smoothly slide over the surface of the medium 50 with a minimum of resistance, the facing surfaces of the magnet pairs maybe coated with a low resistance materials, such as Polytetrafluorethylen (PTFE, also known as Teflon). [00024] Fig. 5 shows an alternative to the lower support 20 according to another example,, not including a cutting blade, but providing a lower support frame 28 having a support surface or coun ter surface 28a which can be engaged with the upper cutting blade 12. Lower magnets or ferromag- netic bodies 32G, 34G can be attached to or integrated with the lower support frame 28. The slower magnets or ferromagnetic bodies32l’, 34G can be paired with the upper magnets 32U, 34U in the up per support 10 to pull and hold the lower support frame 28 with its support surface 28a against the upper frame 11, for cutting the medium between the support surface 28a and the upper cutting blade 12. The upper cutting blade can be designed and controlled as explained with respect to fig ures 3, 3A.

[00025] In a variant, the rotary actuator could be omitted and the upper cutting blade and the lower cutting blade, if any, could respectively be connected to the upper and lower frames 11, 24 via pivoting shafts, similar to pivoting shaft 25, which allow a self adjusting pivoting movement of the cutting blades to follow a cutting direction relative to the medium located in the media plane 30.

[00026] Fig. 6 and 7 schematically show perspective views of a cutting device according to an example, as seen from above and below.

[00027] Fig. 6 schematically shows an upper half of the cutting device including the upper support 10 attached to the carriage 40 which is movable along the slide bar 42, in the scanning di rection, X. Fig. 7 schematically shows a lower half of the cutting device including the lower support 20 and a base station 44 at the side of and below a cutting zone. Figures 6 and 7 further show a me dium 50 which extends between the upper and lower halves of the cutting device and which, in the example shown, is a continuous web of a print medium which is fed in the media advance direction, Y, from an input roller 52 to an output 54, below carriage 40. The medium 50 may be tightened or biased between the input roller 52 and the output roller 54, e.g. by rotating the output roller at a speed slightly higher than the speed of the input roller, so as to provide a smooth cutting surface be low the carriage 40. Instead of a continuous web, the medium also may be as a single sheet of me dium that is fed from an input tray or a drawer, or a roll of paper, for example. The medium may be from paper, carton, textile or foil, for example.

[00028] Whereas not shown in the drawings, the carriage 40 may be a printer carriage addi tionally carrying at least one print head, e.g. four, MCYK, ink inkjet print heads. A printing fluid may be dispensed from the print heads which may be any fluid that can be dispensed by an inkjet-type printer or other inkjet-type dispenser and may include inks, varnishes, and/or post or pre-treatment agents, for example. [00029] A print zone and/or cutting zone may be defined in the entire area or part of the area which can be traversed by the carriage 40. In the views of figures 6 and 7, the width of the print zone and/or cutting zone may correspond to the width of the medium 50 in the X direction. The base sta tion 44 can be located at the side of the cutting zone at such a position where it is overlapped by the medium 50. The lower half of the cutting device, including the lower support 20 can be located ei- ther in or at the base station 44 or at a position where it is aligned with the upper half of the cutting device, including the upper support 10, as explained above.

[00030] Fig. 8 and 9 schematically show the upper half of the cutting device according to an example, in further detail. The same reference numbers are used to designate the same or corre sponding features as referenced above with respect to figures 3 and 3A. The figures illustrate the up per frame 11 which is attached to the carriage 40 and supports the rotary actuator 16 and the pivoting bracket 14. In the example of figures 8 and 9, the pivoting bracket 14 is shown to be attached to a side of the carriage 40, via the bearing shaft l4d, but it could as well be attached to the upper frame 11. In this regard, the sidewall of the carriage 40 may be considered to be part of the upper frame 11. Fig. 9 illustrates how rotational movement of the rotary actuator 16 is transferred to pivoting bracket 14 via cam lobe 18, to pivot and direct cutting blade 12. Accordingly, if the carriage 40 moves along slide bar 42 in the printing direction, X, the cutting blade 12 roles across the surface of the medium 50 to cut the medium 50. If additionally, the medium is moved below the carriage in the media ad vance direction, Y, the cutting blade can cut virtually any arbitrary shapes. To provide a smooth cut ting line, the cutting blade 12 can be pivoted via the rotary actuator 16 and the pivoting bracket 14 to be directed in a desired cutting direction.

[00031] Fig. 8 further illustrates the upper magnets 32u, 34u, 36u, attached to the bottom sides of the upper frame 11 and the pivoting bracket 14.

[00032] Fig. 10 schematically shows the lower half of the cutting device in further detail. The same reference numbers are used to designate the same or corresponding features as referenced above with respect to figure 4 and 4A. The figure illustrates the lower frame 24 which is not fixedly attached to the carriage or another part of the cutting device and/or printer in which may be stored in base station 44. The lower frame 24 supports the lower cutting blade 22 in such a way that it can be pivoted by a pivoting arm 26. Fig. 10 further illustrates the lower magnets 321, 341, 361, attached to the bottom sides of the lower frame 24 and the pivoting arm 26. [00033] Fig. li schematically shows a side view of the cutting device of Fig. 8 to 10. The same reference numbers are used to designate the same or corresponding features as referenced above and reference is made to the description of these features. For improved clarity, the output roller 54 has been omitted in the drawing. The operation of the cutting device is explained with reference to fig.

11

[00034] When a cutting operation is to be initiated, the upper half of the cutting device, shown in figures 8 and 9, can be moved to a position above the base station 44 where the lower half of the cutting device is stored, by moving the carriage 40 along the slide bar 42. The upper half of the cut ting device can be positioned relative to the lower half of the cutting device, shown in fig. 10, so that the magnet pairs 32u, 321 and 34u, 341 are aligned. In one example, the upper parts 32u, 34u of the magnet pairs comprise electromagnets and the lower parts 321, 341 comprise ferroelectric bodies or counter parts. The electromagnets 32u, 34u are activated to pull the electric counter parts 321 341 up and towards the electromagnets 32u, 34u. Accordingly, by activating the upper electromagnets 32u, 34u, the upper frame 11 of the cutting device can engage with the lower frame 24 of the cutting de vice. At this stage, the upper and lower cutting blades 12, 22 are not engaged but are spaced from the medium 50, e.g. by respective spring mechanisms which may be provided at the bearing shaft 16A and pivoting arm 26. The magnet pair 36u, 361 is not activated.

[00035] At this stage, any movement of the upper half of the cutting device, e.g. by movement of carriage 40, will be translated to a movement of the lower half of the lower cutting device, so that the lower frame 24 follows the movement of the upper frame 11. Accordingly, the upper frame 24 can pull the lower frame 24 to a desired cutting position.

[00036] When a desired cutting position has been reached, the magnet pair 36u, 361 can be ac tivated. For example, if the upper part 36u comprises an electromagnet and the lower part 361 com prises a ferroelectric body or counter part, the magnet pair 36u, 361 can be activated by activating the electromagnet 36u. Accordingly, the upper and lower cutting blades 12, 22 are pulled towards each other and engage on opposite surfaces of medium 50. At this time, the upper and lower cutting blades 12, 22, can be used for cutting the medium when the cutting device, including the upper and lower frames 12, 24, is moved relative to the medium surface, by movement of the carriage 40 and by movement of the medium 50 in the X and Y directions. Additionally, for providing a clean cutting line, cutting blade 12 can be pivoted via rotary actuator 16 and pivoting bracket 14 to be aligned with the cutting direction, which may be at any angle relative to the X and Y directions. Pivoting move ment of upper cutting blade 12 can be transferred to a corresponding pivoting movement of lower cutting blade 22 via the magnet pair 36u, 361 and pivoting arm 26.

[00037] The design of the cutting device described achieves a very high cutting quality and is able to cut all types of different media and materials, including relatively thick media. Because two cutting blades interact, it has a high life span and low wear. Yet it is easy to manufacture because it can operate without a separate drive and fixture for the lower half of the cutting device.

[00038] As indicated above, in a variant, the lower half of the cutting device, instead of a lower cutting blade, also may include a support surface or counter surface which can be engaged with the upper cutting blade. Lower magnets or ferromagnetic bodies can be attached to or inte grated with the lower support frame. The lower magnets or ferromagnetic bodies can be paired with the upper magnets 32U, 34U in the upper support 10 to pull and hold the lower support frame with its support surface against the upper frame 11, for cutting the medium between the support surface and the upper cutting blade 12. The upper cutting blade 12 can be lowered onto the medium by a spring mechanism or by magnetic actuation, similar to the mechanism described above.

[00039] In a further variant, the rotary actuator could be omitted and the upper cutting blade and the lower cutting blade, if any, could respectively be connected to the upper and lower frames 11, 24 via pivoting shafts, similar to pivoting shaft 25, which allow a self adjusting pivoting move ment of the cutting blades to follow a cutting direction relative to the medium located in the media plane 30, as explained above.

[00040] The variant can be manufactured using less parts and is less complex in manufacture and control of the cutting movements.

[00041] Drive of the carriage 40, medium 50 and rotary actuator 16 may be controlled by a controller (not shown). The controller can be a microcontroller, ASIC, or other control device, in cluding control devices operating based on software, hardware, firmware or a combination thereof. It can include an integrated memory or communicate with an external memory or both. The same controller or separate controllers may be provided for controlling carriage movement, medium ad vance and the rotary actuator. Different parts of the controller maybe located internally or exter nally to a printer or separate cutting device, in a concentrated or distributed environment. [00042] In the example illustrated, the cutting device has been described to be part of a printer and the upper half of the cutting device has been described to be attached to a printer car riage 40. In a variant, the cutting device can be provided at its own dedicated carriage and/or it can be provided as a stand-alone device or in combination with other types of equipment.