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.

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 sheet 200 for an array of vacuum apertures 152 in a substrate support unit 150 of a printer is provided. The sheet 200 comprises a plurality of valves 202 formed into the sheet 200. The sheet 200 is made from a resilient material. Each valve 202 comprises a valve head 204 for sealing a vacuum aperture 152 in the substrate support unit 150, and a valve lever arm 206 for permitting movement of the valve head 204 towards and away from the vacuum aperture 152 in order to open and close the valve 202.

A substrate support system 10 for a conveyor printer is provided, comprising a support unit 100 comprising a plurality of vacuum apertures 108 arranged for fluidic communication with a source of negative pressure. The support unit 100 also comprises at least one air bearing 114 arranged for fluidic communication with a source of positive pressure. The air bearing 114 comprises porous media 116. The substrate support system 10 also comprises a conveyor belt 150 arranged over the support unit 100 for supporting a substrate 170 to be printed on. The conveyor belt 150 comprises a plurality of belt apertures. The vacuum apertures 108 are arranged to convey a negative pressure through the belt apertures for retaining the substrate 170 on the conveyor belt 150. The at least one air bearing 114 is arranged to convey a positive pressure to support the conveyor belt 150.

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 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 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.

A reeling shaft transfer rail system has two parallel substantially horizontal or slightly sloped rails for supporting the ends (25) of a reeling shaft (20). Hoses are arranged on each of the transfer rails (15) and filled or drained to move and hold the reeling shaft (20). In a method of transferring reeling shafts on transfer rails, the reeling shafts (20) are transferred on two parallel, substantially horizontal or slightly downstream of a main transfer direction inclined transfer rails (15) for supporting each of the supporting ends (25) of a reeling shaft (20). The reeling shafts (20) are transferred or positioned in the reeling shaft transfer rail system (10) by pressurizing hoses (17) arranged on each of the transfer rails. The hoses are arranged so fluid added to or withdrawn from the hoses pushes or holds the reeling shaft (20) on the transfer rails (15).

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.