The Procter & Gamble Company
Method and apparatus for digitally printing absorbent article components

Abstract:

The methods and apparatuses relate to digitally printing a substrate using first and second printheads. The first printhead includes a first printhead width and the second printhead includes a second printhead width. The first printhead overlaps with the second printhead such that the first printhead width overlaps with the second printhead width in a cross direction. The overlapping first and second printheads form a first print zone, an overlapping print zone, and a second print zone. The first printhead may deposit droplets onto the substrate in the first print zone and/or the overlapping zone. The second printhead may deposit droplets onto the substrate in the overlapping print zone and/or the second print zone. The droplets deposited in the overlapping print zone may unite to illustrate multiple colors and/or may remain ununited. By using overlapping printheads, various colors may be illustrated and the width of the substrate may be printed on.