A printing system comprises an ink deposition assembly and a media transport assembly. The ink deposition assembly comprises a printhead arranged to eject a print fluid to a deposition region of the ink deposition assembly. The media transport assembly comprises a vacuum source and a movable support surface. The movable support surface comprises valves having holes through the media support surface. The media transport assembly is configured to hold one or more print media against the movable support surface by vacuum suction communicated from the vacuum source through valves. The valves are each configured to transition between a closed state in which airflow through the hole of the respective valve is prevented and an open state in which airflow through the hole of the respective valve is allowed.

A printing system comprises a media transport device which holds print media, such as paper, against a movable support surface, such as a belt, by vacuum suction through holes in a vacuum platen and transports the print media though a deposition region of one or more printheads, which deposit a print fluid, such as ink, on the print media. The printing system comprises an airflow control device comprising dampers that are moveable along a direction perpendicular to the vacuum platen between an undeployed configuration and a deployed configuration, each damper blocking at least one row of the holes in the deployed configuration. The airflow control device also comprises actuators to move the damper(s). The actuator(s) are controlled to selectively move the damper(s) between the undeployed and deployed configuration based on a position of an inter-media zone between adjacent print media held against the movable support surface.

In a reel assembly, a repositionable level wind may be selectively coupled to a drum to enable powered rotation of the level wind from a first position to a second position. In some embodiments, the assembly may include two arced guide rails, a rotating adjustment arm, a roller bracket, a winding assembly and two fork plates, which may be adjustably mounted on the drum. In operation, the fork plates may be moved to an engaged position that couples the adjustment arm and the roller bracket to the reel flanges so that rotation of the reel causes the winding assembly to be rotated along the guide rails. Once a desired position is reached, the adjustment arm and roller bracket may be bolted to the guide rails and the fork plates may be moved to a disengaged position to allow the reel to rotate independently of the winding assembly.

A medium feeding apparatus includes: a placement mount on which a plurality of media are placed; a transportation mechanism that transports an uppermost medium of the plurality of media placed on the placement mount; a floating-air blowout mechanism that blows out air to float at least the uppermost medium; a suction mechanism that sucks air to cause the uppermost medium floated by the floating-air blowout mechanism blowing out air to be attracted to the transportation mechanism; and a floating-air control unit that causes the floating-air blowout mechanism to start to blow out air while the uppermost medium is being attracted to the transportation mechanism after starting to be transported by the transportation mechanism, so as to float at least a second medium located below the uppermost medium, and causes the floating-air blowout mechanism to stop blowing out air before the second medium starts to be transported by the transportation mechanism.

Suction roller structure for the pneumatic transport of sheets inside an interfolding unit, comprising a suction source, an external roller (3) rotating with respect to the cylinder (1) and provided with longitudinal rows of bores (4) angularly spaced and selectively communicating with said internal cavity (2) during the angular rotation of the roller (3), a distribution of pneumatic valves (5) that are normally closed, inserted between said internal cavity (2) and at least one bore (4), cam means (6) operatively associated with the rotation of the roller (3) and arranged to open one or more of said valves (5) at one or more angular positions taken by the roller (3).

A vacuum system for securing substrates is provided, having a suction line, the conveyor belt configured to receive and transport at least one substrate, wherein the conveyor belt is provided with a plurality of perforations, wherein the vacuum system is configured to produce fluid suction through the perforations towards the interior of the suction line, generating a securing force of the at least one substrate to the conveyor belt. The invention is characterized in that each perforation is equipped with a valve which allows the opening and closing of the perforation, allowing and impeding, respectively, the passage of a fluid flow through the perforation.

A marker transport system and a method of operating the marker transport system. A group of print bars is located with respect to a marker transport platen and a marker transport belt. A vacuum source and a pneumatic solenoid block are associated with the marker transport platen. The marker transport platen includes airflow sections divided into process-direction slots and cross-section direction slots. The cross-section direction slots are located beneath the print bars and are connected to the vacuum source via the pneumatic solenoid block, which facilitates an individual control of each of the cross-process direction slots. Pneumatic valves are associated with the pneumatic solenoid block, which supplies a flow of vacuum to the cross-process direction vacuum slots. The pneumatic vales can be timed to allow the vacuum to be present when a sheet is present over a corresponding vacuum slot among the process-direction slots and the cross-section direction slots.

A medium supply apparatus includes: a placement mount on which a plurality of media are placed; a transportation mechanism that transports an uppermost medium of the plurality of media placed on the placement mount; and an aspiration mechanism that aspirates air to attract the uppermost medium to the transportation mechanism, wherein the aspiration mechanism includes a blocking means for blocking air aspiration performed by the aspiration mechanism, in such a manner as to prevent another medium of the plurality of media that is located below the uppermost medium from being attracted to the transportation mechanism.

A roller for a transport belt of a vacuum transport assembly includes an elongate cylindrical body adapted for a rotatably fixed connection to a vacuum transport assembly. An outer surface of the roller defines a hollow inner channel, which extends along an axial region of the body. The outer surface is a running surface for a transport belt. An inlet at one end of the hollow inner channel receives air from an air source. Perforations are formed in the outer surface for allowing air pressure to be discharged from the hollow inner channel toward the transport belt. The air diffuses through the transport belt to detack a sheet from the transport belt.

A medium supply apparatus includes: a placement mount on which a plurality of media are placed; a transportation mechanism that transports an uppermost medium of the plurality of media placed on the placement mount; and an aspiration mechanism that aspirates air to attract the uppermost medium to the transportation mechanism, wherein the aspiration mechanism includes a blocking means for blocking air aspiration performed by the aspiration mechanism, in such a manner as to prevent another medium of the plurality of media that is located below the uppermost medium from being attracted to the transportation mechanism.