Color proofer with registering means

A printing apparatus is described for two-sided colour proofing with improved registering of front- and back-side images. Improved registering is performed by: web feeding device with de-curling system tumbler unit for turning the receiving medium alignment sensing and correction system.

What is claimed is:

1. A printing apparatus comprising

a print unit having a print head for printing an image on a receiving medium;

medium supply means for feeding said receiving medium to said print unit

a medium alignment system having

at least one alignment sensor for determining the alignment of said receiving medium in said print unit;

an alignment correction system for correcting said alignment;

a tumbler unit coupled to said print unit, for reversing said receiving medium, comprising pinch rollers each for forming a nip with a corresponding drive roller;

wherein said tumbler unit further has means for changing the orientation of said nip thereby reversing said receiving medium.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said alignment correction system comprises at least two drive roller for independently driving said receiving medium.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said alignment correction system is located inside said tumbler unit.

4. The apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said corresponding drive rollers serve as drive rollers for said alignment correction system.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said pinch rollers are on a rotatable platform and the tumbler unit has means for locking the rotatable platform at different positions.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5 further comprising locking means for coupling said rotatable platform to at least one of said drive rollers providing synchronous rotation of said rotatable platform with said drive roller.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said medium supply means is a device for feeding a medium from a roll, said device comprising a de-curling roller.

8. Method for printing images on a front and back side of a receiving medium comprising the steps of:

feeding the receiving medium to a print unit having a print head;

printing a first image on said front-side using said print head;

feeding the receiving medium between pinch rollers and corresponding drive rollers inside a tumbler unit, each pinch roller and corresponding drive roller forming a nip;

reversing said receiving medium in said tumbler unit by changing the orientation of said nip;

re-feeding said receiving medium to said print unit;

sensing the alignment of said receiving medium by at least one alignment sensor;

correcting said alignment of said receiver medium prior to printing said image on said back-side;

printing a second image on the back-side using said print head.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the re-feeding of the receiving medium is done in a stepwise manner removing receiving medium buckle during backward stepping.