摘要 |
A plural mode printing system utilizing a cut sheet print engine for printin g conventional cut sheet print substrates, in which page print images are gene rated and transferred to the cut sheets at an image transfer station. This plural mode printing system selectively provides printing onto either the cut sheets or onto an u ncutcontinuous web printing substrate, in the same cut s heet print engine. An independently moveable continuous web printing substrate supply module is se lectively operatively docked with the cut sheet print engine. That web printing module has a web feeding and image transfer assistance system for feeding the continuous web uncut into the cut sheet printing engine for transferring the page print ima ges onto the web instead of onto cut sheets when the print engine is operatively docked w ith the web printing substrate module. The web printing module does not itself need to print. Rather, it can feed an extended loop of the continuous web into the cut shee t print engine image transfer station. The web module may provide either simplex pri nting or duplex printing onto both sides of the web with a duplexing system for feedi ng the web into the print engine for image transfer twice, with web inversion in betwee n. The web modules are also preferably interchangeable with an optional cut sheetsupply module.
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