Patent classifications
B41J11/004
Ink jet coaxial drum system with inter-copy gap tracking
A media transport system provides full vacuum under media as the media traverses an entire print path of an ink jet printer while simultaneously providing for a no-vacuum inter-copy gap that moves along with the media past print heads of the ink jet printer. This is accomplished with a dual vacuum inner/outer vacuum drum system that includes a first drum that has a matrix of holes that allows for full coverage of vacuum with a second underlying drum that is shifted to align a second set of holes to match the sheet pitch. By shifting the second drum in relation to the first drum, a combination set of holes is aligned to provide full vacuum across the media while a column of holes is blocked to provide a non-vacuum inter-copy gap.
Drying apparatus, printing medium anti-drop method and non-contact support member position adjusting method
The anti-drop members 7l and 7r are provided to each of the air turn bars 6u and 6l, and the respective anti-drop peripheral surfaces 711 of the anti-drop members 7l and 7r adjoin the support peripheral surface 611 of each of the air turn bars 6u and 6l. In this configuration, on the occurrence of oblique traveling of the printing medium M, the printing medium M is deviated from the support peripheral surface 611 of each of the air turn bars 6u and 6l to the anti-drop peripheral surface 711 of the anti-drop member 7l or 7r. Specifically, the anti-drop peripheral surface 711 of each of the anti-drop members 7l and 7r allows the printing medium M to be supported while providing the clearance from the front surface M1 of the printing medium M deviated by the oblique traveling.
Printer, method of operating printer, and substrate handling mechanism
A printer includes a substrate support, a printhead assembly, first and second actuators, and a controller. The printhead assembly deposits material on a substrate supported on the substrate support. The first actuator is disposed at a side of the substrate support and coupled to a first linear track disposed along the side of the substrate support and oriented in a first direction. The second actuator is disposed at an end of the substrate support and coupled to a second linear track disposed along the end of the substrate support and oriented in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The first and second actuators are positioned to engage with the substrate simultaneously. The controller moves the first and second actuators together to rotate the substrate.
PRINTER, METHOD OF OPERATING PRINTER, AND SUBSTRATE HANDLING MECHANISM
A printer includes a substrate support, a printhead assembly, first and second actuators, and a controller. The printhead assembly deposits material on a substrate supported on the substrate support. The first actuator is disposed at a side of the substrate support and coupled to a first linear track disposed along the side of the substrate support and oriented in a first direction. The second actuator is disposed at an end of the substrate support and coupled to a second linear track disposed along the end of the substrate support and oriented in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The first and second actuators are positioned to engage with the substrate simultaneously. The controller moves the first and second actuators together to rotate the substrate.