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.

Disclosed are a printer vacuum tables, and corresponding systems and methods for their use, in which the printer vacuum tables include multiple zones to apply vacuum, to hold a variety of media types and thicknesses within a given flatness range, to allow high definition printing. The vacuum zones run in the print direction, and each can be controlled for vacuum on and off. In an illustrative embodiment, the vacuum zones include one or more vacuum zones that are fixed with respect to a printer vacuum table surface, and one or more variable vacuum zones that are movable with respect to the printer vacuum table surface. One or more of the vacuum zones can be turned off if the print media does not cover the zone, such as to prevent leakage, and to provide more consistent vacuum hold down, regardless of media size or width.

A suction device includes a suction hole member including a plurality of suction holes, a suction pump connected to each of the plurality of suction holes, the suction pump configured to suction an air through the plurality of suction holes of the suction hole member to suction a suction target to the suction hole member, and a suction state detector configured to detect a suction state of at least one of the plurality of suction holes corresponding to an end of the suction target suctioned to the suction hole member.

A sheet suction device includes a bearing member configured to bear a sheet on a circumferential surface of the bearing member and rotate, a plurality of suction holes in a bearing region in the circumferential surface of the bearing member, a suction device connected to the plurality of suction holes, the suction device configured to suck the sheet through the plurality of suction holes, and a rotary valve between the bearing member and the suction device. The rotary valve includes: a first member communicating with the suction device, and a second member contacting the first member, the second member communicating with the plurality of suction holes. The first member includes a first groove on a side surface in a circumferential direction of the first member, the first groove communicating with the suction device.

Perforated endless conveying belts are stretched between drive and idle rollers. A suction box is arranged between upper and lower belt portions of the perforated endless conveying belts. Abutment members are attached to positions of a support corresponding to the perforated endless conveying belts and pressed against the perforated endless conveying belts. The upstream of the suction box from the abutment members forms an attracting area, and intake holes are formed therein. Lifting plates extend to at least an intake hole range of the attracting area between the perforated endless conveying belts. The lifting plates move between a first position to vertically open the intake holes and project from conveying surfaces of the perforated endless conveying belts and a second position to close the intake holes and retract from the conveying surfaces of the perforated endless conveying belts.

A sheet suction device includes a sheet bearer having a plurality of suction holes, a suction unit, a first member, and a second member. The first member has grooves arranged in a radial direction, and each of the grooves extends in a circumferential direction. The second member has a plurality of hole rows including a plurality of holes. The plurality of holes in each of the plurality of hole rows is arranged in the circumferential direction, and the plurality of hole rows is arranged in the radial direction. When the first member rotates with respect to the second member, the number of holes communicating with the grooves is changed to change the number of the plurality of suction holes communicating with the suction unit. The plurality of holes includes two or more holes that simultaneously communicate with the suction unit when the first member rotates by a unit rotation amount.

A sheet suction device includes a bearing member configured to bear a sheet on a circumferential surface of the bearing member and rotate, a plurality of suction holes in a bearing region in the circumferential surface of the bearing member, a suction device connected to the plurality of suction holes, the suction device configured to suck the sheet through the plurality of suction holes, and a rotary valve between the bearing member and the suction device. The rotary valve includes: a first member communicating with the suction device, and a second member contacting the first member, the second member communicating with the plurality of suction holes. The first member includes a first groove on a side surface in a circumferential direction of the first member, the first groove communicating with the suction device.

A sheet suction device includes a sheet bearer having a plurality of suction holes on a plurality of bearing areas, a rotational portion having a plurality of holes that is connectable to the plurality of suction holes, a suction unit configured to suck air via the plurality of holes of the rotational portion. The sheet bearer bears a plurality of sheets on the plurality of bearing areas of the circumferential surface of the sheet bearer and rotates. The rotational portion rotates in a same cycle of the sheet bearer. The sheet suction device further includes a switching unit that switches combinations of whether or not to suck the air among the plurality of bearing areas of the sheet bearer according to a phase of rotation of the sheet bearer or the rotational portion.

A sheet suction device includes a bearing member configured to bear a sheet on a circumferential surface of the bearing member and rotate in a first direction, a plurality of suction holes in a bearing region in the circumferential surface of the bearing member, a suction device connected to the plurality of suction holes, the suction device configured to suck the sheet through the plurality of suction holes, and a first member between the plurality of suction holes and the suction device, the first member rotatable in a second direction different from the first direction to change a suction region of the suction device connected to the plurality of suction holes. A rotation of the first member in the second direction expands the suction region of the suction device in the bearing region of the bearing member.