A controller is configured to determine which of a first position and a second position is located at a farther downstream side in a moving direction of an ejector and to set a determined position as a turn position. The first position is a first distance away from an image formation end position in the moving direction. The second position is a second distance away from an image formation start position in the moving direction. The image formation end position is an end position of image formation onto a sheet in a conveyance process of the ejector before turning at the turn position. The image formation start position is a start position of image formation onto the sheet in a conveyance process of the ejector after turning at the turn position. The second distance is longer than the first distance.

A transport device for transporting printing substrates includes a conveyor belt that is supported on its inner side by revolving profiles. Each profile has grooves, at least one of which has a first bore and a second bore. A vacuum is applied to the first bore and the second bore is in air-conducting connection with a longitudinal groove in a slide so that suction air flows out of the longitudinal groove, through the at least one groove and into the first bore. A printing machine is also provided.

A belt conveyor for printing sheets includes an outer belt on which the printing sheets rest during transport. The belt conveyor also includes an inner belt. A chain is disposed between the inner belt and the outer belt. The inner belt drives the chain and the chain drives the outer belt.

An inkjet printer having at least one print head in which an aerodynamic element is placed before (e.g. in a transport direction) a recording medium (e.g. in the form of a sheet or page or plate) to reduce or avoid turbulences that may arise due to the relative motion between print head(s) and recording medium at an edge of the recording medium.

An inkjet printer having at least one print head in which an aerodynamic element is placed before (e.g. in a transport direction) a recording medium (e.g. in the form of a sheet or page or plate) to reduce or avoid turbulences that may arise due to the relative motion between print head(s) and recording medium at an edge of the recording medium.

A printing system is described that has an intermediate transfer member in the form of a seamed endless belt for transporting an ink image from an image forming station, at which an ink image is deposited on the intermediate transfer member, to an impression station, where the ink image is transferred onto a printing substrate. The belt has along its edges formations of a greater thickness than the belt. The formations are received in channels to guide the belt and maintain the belt under lateral tension. Two drive members are provided, each located within a respective one of the channels. The two drive members are connected for movement in synchronism with one another and each has a respective laterally projecting gripper shaped for form locking engagement with the formations on a leading end of a strip from which the intermediate transfer member is to be formed. Rotation of the drive members during installation of a new intermediate transfer member serves to thread the strip through the printing system by pulling the strip from its leading end.

A printing system is described that has an intermediate transfer member in the form of a seamed endless belt for transporting an ink image from an image forming station, at which an ink image is deposited on the intermediate transfer member, to an impression station, where the ink image is transferred onto a printing substrate. The belt has along its edges formations of a greater thickness than the belt. The formations are received in channels to guide the belt and maintain the belt under lateral tension. Two drive members are provided, each located within a respective one of the channels. The two drive members are connected for movement in synchronism with one another and each has a respective laterally projecting gripper shaped for form locking engagement with the formations on a leading end of a strip from which the intermediate transfer member is to be formed. Rotation of the drive members during installation of a new intermediate transfer member serves to thread the strip through the printing system by pulling the strip from its leading end.

A conveying device to convey a conveyed object includes a supporter, a blower, a negative pressure generator, and a divider. The supporter has a front surface to support the conveyed object. The supporter has an air-permeable structure. The blower blows air toward the front surface of the supporter. The negative pressure generator creates a negative pressure state in a space at a back surface side of the supporter. The negative pressure generator includes a suction unit to suck air in the space through a plurality of suction ports. The suction ports are disposed away from and opposed to a back surface of the supporter. The divider is disposed away from the back surface of the supporter between the suction ports and the back surface of the supporter in the space. The divider has a plurality of ventilation holes smaller in opening area than each of the suction ports.

A conveying device to convey a conveyed object includes a supporter, a blower, a negative pressure generator, and a divider. The supporter has a front surface to support the conveyed object. The supporter has an air-permeable structure. The blower blows air toward the front surface of the supporter. The negative pressure generator creates a negative pressure state in a space at a back surface side of the supporter. The negative pressure generator includes a suction unit to suck air in the space through a plurality of suction ports. The suction ports are disposed away from and opposed to a back surface of the supporter. The divider is disposed away from the back surface of the supporter between the suction ports and the back surface of the supporter in the space. The divider has a plurality of ventilation holes smaller in opening area than each of the suction ports.

A printing apparatus includes a transfer member configured to cyclically pass through a formation area of an ink image and a transfer area where the ink image is transferred to a cut sheet, the transfer member including a plurality of areas that allow printing on a plurality of cut sheets in one rotation. A control unit controls a print head so as to use some areas of the transfer member for the formation of the ink image, and decides, in accordance with a use count of each of the plurality of areas for printing, an area on which an ink image based on print data is formed so as to use, for printing, an area having a use count that is lowest, among the plurality of areas of the transfer member, more often than other areas of the plurality of areas of the transfer member.