Controlling movement of a flexible intermediate transfer member

1 . A system, comprising:

an actuator, which is configured to tilt a roller while an intermediate transfer member (ITM) of a printing system is moved thereon; and

a controller, which is configured to: (i) identify a distortion of the ITM, (ii) hold a lookup table (LUT) comprising one or more known distortions caused by one or more operations carried out in the printing system, respectively, and (iii) control the actuator to tilt the roller in accordance with the LUT to reduce the distortion while the ITM is being moved.

2 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein the ITM is moved along a continuous path in a first direction, and wherein the controller is configured to reduce the distortion by: (i) identifying a first movement speed of the ITM in a second direction, different from the first direction, and (ii) controlling the actuator to tilt the roller for moving the ITM in a second movement speed, smaller than the first movement speed, while the ITM is being moved in the first direction.

3 . The system according to claim 2 , wherein the controller is configured to receive a signal indicative of the first movement speed, and to control the actuator responsively to receiving the signal.

4 . The system according to claim 3 , and comprising (i) a first edge sensor, which is positioned at a first section of the continuous path and is configured to produce a first signal indicative of the first movement speeds at the first section, and (ii) a second edge sensor, which is positioned at a second section of the continuous path, different from the first section, and is configured to produce a second signal indicative of the first movement speed at the second section.

5 . The system according to claim 4 , wherein, in response to receiving the first and second signals, the controller is configured to identify a first distortion in the first section and a second distortion in the second section.

6 . The system according to claim 5 , wherein the actuator comprises a first actuator configured to tilt a first roller and a second actuator configured to tilt a second roller, wherein, in response to identifying the first and second distortions, the controller is configured to control at least one of the first and second actuators to tilt the first and second rollers, respectively.

7 . The system according to claim 6 , wherein the controller is configured to control: (i) the first actuator to tilt the first roller in a first tilting angle, and (ii) the second actuator to tilt the second roller in a second tilting angle, different from the first tilting angle.

8 . The system according to claim 6 , wherein the controller is configured to control the first and second actuators to apply the first and second tilts concurrently.

9 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein the ITM is configured for receiving ink droplets to form an image thereon, and for transferring the image to a target substrate.

10 . (canceled)

11 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein the one or more known distortions comprises a first known distortion in a first section on the ITM and a second known distortion in a second section of the ITM, and comprising a first actuator configured to tilt a first roller of the printing system and a second actuator configured to tilt a second roller of the printing system, and wherein, in response to identifying the first and second known distortion, the controller is configured to control at least one of the first and second actuators to tilt the first and second rollers, respectively

12 - 34 . (canceled)

35 . A method, comprising:

identifying a distortion of an intermediate transfer member (ITM) that is moved on a roller of a printing system;

holding a lookup table (LUT) comprising one or more known distortions caused by one or more operations carried out in the printing system, respectively; and

controlling an actuator to tilt the roller to reduce the distortion while the ITM is being moved.

36 . The method according to claim 35 , wherein the ITM is moved along a continuous path in a first direction, and wherein reducing the distortion comprises:

(i) identifying a first movement speed of the ITM in a second direction, different from the first direction, and

(ii) tilting the roller for moving the ITM in a second movement speed, smaller than the first movement speed, while the ITM is being moved in the first direction.

37 . The method according to claim 36 , and comprising receiving a signal indicative of the first movement speed, and controlling the actuator responsively to the received signal.

38 . The method according to claim 37 , and comprising (i) a first edge sensor, which is positioned at a first section of the continuous path for producing a first signal indicative of the first movement speeds at the first section, and (ii) a second edge sensor, which is positioned at a second section of the continuous path, different from the first section, for producing a second signal indicative of the first movement speed at the second section.

39 . The method according to claim 38 , and comprising identifying a first distortion in the first section and a second distortion in the second section in response to receiving the first and second signals.

40 . The method according to claim 39 , wherein the actuator comprises a first actuator for tilting a first roller and a second actuator for tilting a second roller, and comprising controlling at least one of the first and second actuators to tilt the first and second rollers, respectively, in response to identifying the first and second distortions.

41 . The method according to claim 40 , wherein controlling the first and second actuators comprises controlling: (i) the first actuator to tilt the first roller in a first tilting angle, and (ii) the second actuator to tilt the second roller in a second tilting angle, different from the first tilting angle.

42 . The method according to claim 40 , wherein controlling the first and second actuators comprises controlling the first and second actuators to apply the first and second tilts concurrently.

43 . The method according to claim 35 , and comprising receiving ink droplets applied to the ITM to form an ink image thereon, and transferring the ink image from the ITM to a target substrate.

44 . (canceled)

45 . The method according to claim 35 , wherein the one or more known distortions comprises a first known distortion in a first section on the ITM and a second known distortion in a second section of the ITM, and comprising first and second actuator for tilting a first roller of the printing system, and a second roller of the printing system, respectively, and wherein, in response to identifying the first and second known distortions, controlling at least one of the first and second actuators to tilt the first and second rollers, respectively.

46 - 68 . (canceled)