System, a vertical axis mechanism and a production method

1 . A system, comprising:

a tray configured for placing thereon a sample comprising at least a first flowable-matter substrate;

a printing assembly configured to print an image, made from an edible substance, on a second flowable-matter substrate layer formed on the first flowable-matter substrate of the sample;

an axis mechanism configured to control a distance between the sample and the printing assembly by moving the tray with the sample along a vertical axis;

a coupling mechanism, which is configured to couple between the axis mechanism and the tray, wherein the axis mechanism comprises multiple rear shafts configured to support the coupling mechanism while being moved along the vertical axis, wherein the multiple rear shafts are threaded through bores of the coupling mechanism, so that the coupling mechanism is configured to slide along the multiple rear shafts along the vertical axis, and wherein the sliding of the bores along the multiple rear shafts enables straight movement of the coupling mechanism and the tray along the vertical axis without vibrations that are prone to spill at least one of the first and second flowable-matter substrates or blur the image;

a cover, which is configured to cover the axis mechanism, the cover having a front surface that at least partially faces the sample and is configured to block a spillage of at least one of the first and second flowable-matter substrates from wetting the axis mechanism, wherein the cover has one or more additional surfaces, which do not face the sample, wherein at least one of the additional surfaces has a slit that extends along the vertical axis, wherein the coupling mechanism comprises a tenon, which is positioned within the slit and is configured to slide along the slit for moving the coupling mechanism along the vertical axis, wherein the tray comprises a top surface for supporting the sample, and wherein the tenon is positioned, along the vertical axis, at a height greater than that of the top surface of the tray; and

a base having a base surface, wherein in a loading and unloading position of the sample, the top surface of the tray and the base surface are flush with one another to enable the sample to be moved across an XY-plane onto or off the tray without collision.

2 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein the cover comprises (i) a first panel having the front surface, and (ii) a second panel positioned at a predefined distance from the first panel so as to form the slit between the first panel and the second panel.

3 . The system according to claim 2 , wherein the first panel comprises at least part of the one or more additional surfaces, which are bent relative to the front surface.

4 . The system according to claim 2 , wherein the first and second panels have a U-shape and are facing one another so as to form an inner volume containing at least the axis mechanism.

5 . The system according to claim 1 , and comprising a motion assembly, which is configured to drive the axis mechanism for moving the coupling mechanism.

6 . The system according to claim 5 , and comprising a processor, which is configured to control the motion assembly to move the tray between at least: (i) the loading and unloading position in which the sample is selectively placed on, and removed from, the tray, and (ii) a printing position, which is adjacent to the printing assembly for printing the image on the second flowable-matter substrate.

7 . The system according to claim 5 , wherein the axis mechanism comprises a rotatable shaft, which is configured to be rotated by the motion assembly and to move the coupling mechanism.

8 . The system according to claim 5 , wherein the rotatable shaft comprises a screw shaft.

9 . A vertical axis mechanism (VAM), comprising:

a coupling mechanism, which is configured to couple between (i) an axis mechanism and (ii) a tray for placing thereon a sample comprising at least a first flowable-matter substrate, along the vertical axis so as to print on the sample an image made from an edible substance, wherein the axis mechanism comprises multiple rear shafts configured to support the coupling mechanism while being moved along the vertical axis, wherein the multiple rear shafts are threaded through bores of the coupling mechanism, so that the coupling mechanism is configured to slide along the multiple rear shafts along the vertical axis, and wherein the sliding of the bores along the multiple rear shafts enables straight movement of the coupling mechanism and the tray along the vertical axis without vibrations that are prone to spill the first flowable-matter substrate or blur the image; and

a cover of the axis mechanism, the cover comprising a front surface that at least partially faces the sample and is configured to block a spillage of the first flowable-matter substrate from wetting the axis mechanism, wherein the cover has one or more additional surfaces, which do not face the sample, wherein at least one of the additional surfaces has a slit that extends along the vertical axis, wherein the coupling mechanism comprises a tenon, which is positioned within the slit and is configured to slide along the slit for moving the coupling mechanism along the vertical axis, wherein the tray comprises a top surface for supporting the sample, and wherein the tenon is positioned, along the vertical axis, at a height greater than that of the top surface of the tray, wherein the VAM is configured to be positioned between a printing assembly and a base having a base surface, and wherein in a loading and unloading position of the sample, the top surface of the tray and the base surface are flush with one another to enable the sample to be moved across an XY-plane onto or off the tray without collision.

10 . The VAM according to claim 9 , wherein the cover comprises (i) a first panel having the front surface, and (ii) a second panel positioned at a predefined distance from the first panel so as to form the slit between the first panel and the second panel.

11 . The VAM according to claim 10 , wherein the first panel comprises at least part of at least one of the one or more additional surfaces, which is bent relative to the front surface.

12 . The VAM according to claim 10 , wherein the first and second panels have a U-shape and are facing one another so as to form an inner volume containing at least the axis mechanism.

13 . The VAM according to claim 9 , and comprising a motion assembly, which is configured to drive the axis mechanism for moving the coupling mechanism.

14 . The VAM according to claim 13 , wherein the sample comprises a container, which is configured to contain at least a second flowable-matter substrate formed on the first flowable-matter substrate, and comprising a processor, which is configured to control the motion assembly to move the tray between at least: (i) the loading and unloading position of the container, in which the sample is selectively placed on, and removed from, the tray, and (ii) a printing position, which is adjacent to a printing assembly for printing the image on the second flowable-matter substrate.

15 . A production method, comprising:

receiving a tray for placing thereon a sample comprising a flowable-matter substrate;

receiving a printing assembly for printing an image, made from an edible substance, on the flowable-matter substrate;

receiving an axis mechanism for moving the tray with the sample along a vertical axis, and a coupling mechanism for coupling between the axis mechanism and the tray, wherein the axis mechanism comprises multiple rear shafts configured to support the coupling mechanism while being moved along the vertical axis, wherein the multiple rear shafts are threaded through bores of the coupling mechanism, so that the coupling mechanism is configured to slide along the multiple rear shafts along the vertical axis, and wherein the sliding of the bores along the multiple rear shafts enables straight movement of the coupling mechanism and the tray along the vertical axis without vibrations that are prone to spill the flowable-matter substrate or blur the image;

coupling the coupling mechanism between the axis mechanism and the tray;

positioning the axis mechanism between the printing assembly and a base having a base surface, wherein the tray comprises a top surface for supporting the sample, and wherein in a loading and unloading position of the sample, the top surface of the tray and the base surface are flush with one another to enable the sample to be moved across an XY-plane onto or off the tray without collision; and

covering the axis mechanism, using a cover having a front surface that at least partially faces the sample for blocking a spillage of the flowable-matter substrate from wetting the axis mechanism, wherein the cover has one or more additional surfaces, which do not face the sample, wherein at least one of the additional surfaces has a slit that extends along the vertical axis, wherein coupling the coupling mechanism comprises coupling a tenon, which is positioned within the slit and is configured to slide along the slit for moving the coupling mechanism along the vertical axis, and positioning the tenon, along the vertical axis, at a height greater than that of the top surface of the tray.

16 . The method according to claim 15 , and comprising coupling, to the axis mechanism, a motion assembly for driving the axis mechanism and moving the coupling mechanism.

17 . The method according to claim 16 , and comprising connecting the motion assembly to a processor for controlling the motion assembly to move the tray between at least: (i) the loading and unloading position in which the sample is selectively placed on, and removed from, the tray, and (ii) a printing position, which is adjacent to the printing assembly for printing the image on the flowable-matter substrate.