A sheet suction device includes a drum having multiple suction ports in a circumferential surface of the drum, the drum configured to bear a sheet on the circumferential surface and rotate in a circumferential direction of the drum, and a suction device configured to suck the sheet through the multiple suction ports to attract the sheet on the circumferential surface. The drum includes multiple suction regions aligned in the circumferential direction on the circumferential surface, each of the multiple suction regions includes the multiple suction ports aligned in the circumferential direction and in an axial direction of the drum on the circumferential surface, the multiple suction regions include an upstream region, a middle region, and a downstream region in the circumferential direction, and the middle region has the multiple suction ports at both outer sides in the axial direction of the drum.

A printing system comprises printheads to eject ink to a deposition region. Print media are held by vacuum suction against a movable support surface, which moves over a vacuum platen. The vacuum platen comprises platen holes through which the vacuum suction is communicated. An airflow control system comprises airflow zones, each comprising a group of the platen holes, a duct, and a valve, the duct and the valve being arranged to selectively control vacuum suction through the group of the platen holes. For each of the printheads, at least one of the airflow zones is located under the respective printhead. Thus, airflow through platen holes under the printheads can be selectively controlled by selectively controlling the vacuum suction in the airflow zones.

A printing system comprises a printhead to eject a print fluid to a deposition region. Print media are held against a movable support surface via vacuum suction, and the movable support surface transports the print media through the deposition region. A vacuum plenum comprises a vacuum platen over which the movable support surface moves. The vacuum platen has platen holes that communicate the vacuum suction from the vacuum plenum to the movable support surface. An airflow restriction mechanism forms a high impedance zone in the vacuum platen, the high impedance zone comprising a subset of the platen holes. The airflow impedance through the high impedance zone is relatively high compared to the airflow impedance through another subset of the platen holes, which are part of a low impedance zone. The high impedance zone may be located near the printhead to reduce airflow through uncovered platen holes near the printhead.

A printing system comprises printheads to eject ink to a deposition region. Print media are held by vacuum suction against a movable support surface, which moves over a vacuum platen. The vacuum platen comprises platen holes through which the vacuum suction is communicated. An airflow control system comprises airflow zones, each comprising a group of the platen holes, a duct, and a valve, the duct and the valve being arranged to selectively control vacuum suction through the group of the platen holes. For each of the printheads, at least one of the airflow zones is located under the respective printhead. Thus, airflow through platen holes under the printheads can be selectively controlled by selectively controlling the vacuum suction in the airflow zones.

A printing system comprises an ink deposition assembly, a media transport device, and an airflow control system. The ink deposition assembly comprises printheads to deposit a print fluid, such as ink, on print media, such as paper, transported through a deposition region. The media transport device holds the print media against a movable support surface, such as a belt, by vacuum suction through holes in the media transport device and transports the print media though the deposition region. The airflow control system comprises one or more valves that are actuatable between an open state and a closed state, each valve blocking a subset of the holes in the closed state. The airflow control system also comprises one or more actuators to actuate the valve(s). The actuator(s) selectively actuate the valve(s) between the open and closed states based on a position of an inter-media zone between adjacent print media.

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 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.

A printing system includes a driving belt configured to drive media through the printing system relative to one or more print heads and a vacuum conveyor system. The vacuum conveyor system includes a vacuum chamber cover having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface, as well as a plurality of slots through the cover that form openings from the first surface to the second surface. A seal, disposed within and extending along at least a portion of a length of a respective slot, is drivable to open or close the respective slot. A vacuum chamber below the second surface of the vacuum chamber cover is configured to apply a vacuum to the media through the plurality of slots. The applied vacuum constrains the media on the driving belt by flattening it against the driving belt.

A transport device transports an individualized sheet-shaped workpiece. The transport device includes: an annular transport belt having a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface and having a plurality of suction holes extending between the first surface and the second surface; first and second decompression chambers arranged along a moving direction of the transport belt; and a vacuum degree adjusting mechanism provided in the first decompression chamber and adjusting a vacuum degree in the first decompression chamber. The first and second decompression chambers each abut against the second surface, and each suction the workpiece through at least one of the plurality of suction holes toward the first surface such that the transport belt is capable of transporting the workpiece in the moving direction in a suspended state from the first surface.

A contact-less liquid application apparatus, and in particular a printing apparatus, for applying a liquid in a contact-less manner on a moving medium. The liquid application apparatus includes a liquid application means configured for applying a liquid on a moving medium, a media transport system configured for moving the medium in a movement direction at a distance of the liquid application means, and a flow control means configured to evacuate at least a portion of the air displaced by the moving of the medium, at least before the medium is in a liquid application position, where the liquid application position is a position in which the liquid application means is applying liquid on the medium.