SHEET CONVEYOR FOR A PRINTER COMPRISING PRESSING MEANS FOR FLATTENING A SHEET

Abstract

The present invention seeks to flatten a sheet when transferred onto an endless belt conveyor facing a print head assembly in a simple and/or low costs manner. Thereto a sheet conveyor is provided comprising an endless, air permeable belt and pressing means. The pressing means comprise a plurality of pressing members spaced apart from one another in a lateral direction of the belt, each pressing member comprising a body which body is moveable in a perpendicular direction with respect to the belt as well rotatable or pivotable around an axis in the perpendicular direction independent of the corresponding bodies of other pressing members. This provides a simple and passive sheet flattening means, resulting in low operational and material costs.

Claims

1. A sheet printer comprising a first sheet conveyor, comprising an endless, air permeable belt defining a sheet support surface positioned downstream of a second sheet conveyor and pressing means for pressing a sheet transferred from the second sheet conveyor onto the sheet support surface of the first sheet conveyor, wherein the pressing means comprise a plurality of pressing members spaced apart from one another in a lateral direction of the belt, each pressing member comprising a first body formed as a wheel with a central opening and moveable in a perpendicular direction with respect to the belt as well rotatable or pivotable around an axis in the perpendicular direction independent of the bodies of other pressing members, wherein each pressing member comprises a second body formed as a portion of a support rod extending in the lateral direction through said opening, and wherein a cross-section of the central opening exceeds a cross-section of the support rod, such that the wheel is moveable with respect to the support rod in the perpendicular direction as well as rotatable or pivotable over a predetermined range around an axis in the perpendicular direction.

2. The sheet printer according to claim 1, wherein each first body is further rotatable around an axis parallel to the lateral direction.

3. The sheet printer according to claim 2, wherein the central opening limits movement of the first and second bodies with respect to one another in or more directions parallel to the support surface and allows one of the first and second bodies to press onto the sheet under the influence of gravity, when the perpendicular direction is parallel to the direction of gravity.

4. The sheet printer according to claim 3, wherein the central opening limits the relative movement of the first and second bodies to maintain the first and second bodies at a similar lateral and/or longitudinal position in a transport direction of the belt, while allowing said bodies to move with respect to one another in the perpendicular direction for pressing onto the sheet under the influence of gravity as well as to rotate and/or pivot with respect to one another around axis in the perpendicular direction as a result of a force originating from the sheet and being parallel to the sheet support plane.

5. The sheet printer according to claim 4, wherein the first bodies are movable with respect to the sheet support surface independent of one another and the second body is stationary with respect to the sheet support surface.

6. The sheet printer according to claim 5, wherein the first body is moveable towards the second body in the perpendicular direction into an end position wherein a circumference of the central opening prevents further movement of the moveable, first body in said direction, and wherein during use the belt is positioned near the second body, such that the first body is prevented from reaching the end position.

7. The sheet printer according to claim 6, wherein the first body comprises a circular circumference when viewed in the lateral direction.

8. The sheet printer according to claim 7, wherein the central opening is circular body, such that the first body is formed as a wheel with constant thickness.

9. The sheet printer according to claim 8, wherein a distance between the belt and the second body is less than a diameter of the wheel of the first body minus its thickness.

10. The sheet printer according to claim 6, wherein a weight of the first body is sufficiently large to maintain a portion of the sheet below the first body in contact with the belt.

11. The sheet printer according to claim 3, wherein a circumference of the opening during use surrounds the other of the first and second bodies on at least two sides of the other of the first and second bodies.

12. The sheet printer according to claim 3, wherein at least five, preferably at least eight pressing members, and very preferably at least ten pressing members are spaced apart from one another in a lateral direction of the belt.

13. The sheet printer according to claim 12, further comprising a drive for rotating the support rod.

14. The sheet printer according to claim 3, wherein a difference between a diameter of the opening and a diameter of the second body is less than a distance between the opening and the sheet support surface in the perpendicular direction.

15. A sheet printer comprising a first sheet conveyor according to claim 1, wherein a print head assembly is positioned over the belt.

16. A first sheet conveyor for a sheet printer comprising an endless, air permeable belt defining a sheet support surface positioned downstream of a second sheet conveyor and pressing means for pressing a sheet transferred from the second sheet conveyor onto the sheet support surface of the first sheet conveyor, wherein the pressing means comprise a plurality of pressing members spaced apart from one another in a lateral direction of the belt, each pressing member comprising a first body formed as a wheel with a central opening and moveable in a perpendicular direction with respect to the belt as well rotatable or pivotable around an axis in the perpendicular direction independent of the bodies of other pressing members, wherein each pressing member comprises a second body moveable with respect to one another, wherein each second body is formed as a portion of a support rod extending in the lateral direction through said opening, and wherein a cross-section of the opening exceeds a cross-section of the support rod, such that the wheel is moveable with respect to the support rod in the perpendicular direction as well as rotatable or pivotable over a predetermined range around an axis in the perpendicular direction.

17. A method of transporting sheets comprising the steps of: transferring a sheet onto a first sheet conveyor comprising an endless, air permeable belt defining a sheet support surface positioned from a second sheet conveyor; pressing the transferred sheet by means of pressing means for pressing a sheet onto the sheet support surface of the first sheet conveyor, wherein the pressing means comprise a plurality of pressing members spaced apart from one another in a lateral direction of the belt, each pressing member comprising a first body, which first body is formed as a wheel with a central opening and is moveable in a perpendicular direction with respect to the belt as well rotatable or pivotable around an axis in the perpendicular direction independent of the bodies of other pressing members, wherein each pressing member comprises a second body formed as a portion of a support rod extending in the lateral direction through said opening, and wherein a cross-section of the opening exceeds a cross-section of the support rod, such that the wheel is moveable with respect to the support rod in the perpendicular direction as well as rotatable or pivotable over a predetermined range around an axis in the perpendicular direction.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given herein below and the accompanying drawings which are given by way of illustration only, and thus are not limitative of the present invention, and wherein:

[0025] FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional side view of a sheet printer comprising a sheet conveyor according to the present invention;

[0026] FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional side view of the sheet conveyor of the sheet printer in FIG. 1;

[0027] FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional side view a first embodiment of the sheet conveyor in FIG. 2;

[0028] FIG. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional front view of the first embodiment of the sheet conveyor in FIG. 2;

[0029] FIG. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional front view of the effect of the first embodiment of the sheet conveyor in FIG. 2 on a sheet;

[0030] FIG. 6 is a schematic side view a third embodiment of the sheet conveyor in FIG. 2; and

[0031] FIG. 7 is a schematic top view of the third embodiment of the pressing means in FIG. 8.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0032] The present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein the same reference numerals have been used to identify the same or similar elements throughout the several views.

[0033] FIG. 1 shows schematically an embodiment of a printer 1 according to the present invention. The printer 1, for purposes of explanation, is divided into an output section 5, a print engine and control section 3, a local user interface 7 and an input section 4. While a specific printer is shown and described, the disclosed embodiments may be used with other types of printer such as an ink jet print system, an electrographic print system, etc.

[0034] The output section 5 comprises a first output holder 52 for holding printed image receiving material, for example a plurality of sheets. The output section 5 may comprise a second output holder 55. While 2 output holders are illustrated in FIG. 1, the number of output holders may include one, two, three or more output holders. The printed image receiving material is transported from the print engine and control section 3 via an inlet 53 to the output section 5. When a stack ejection command is invoked by the controller 37 for the first output holder 52, first guiding means 54 are activated in order to eject the plurality of sheets in the first output holder 52 outwards to a first external output holder 51. When a stack ejection command is invoked by the controller 37 for the second output holder 55, second guiding means 56 are activated in order to eject the plurality of sheets in the second output holder 55 outwards to a second external output holder 57.

[0035] The output section 5 is digitally connected by means of a cable 60 to the print engine and control section 3 for bi-directional data signal transfer.

[0036] The print engine and control section 3 comprises a print engine and a controller 37 for controlling the printing process and scheduling the plurality of sheets in a printing order before they are separated from input holder 44, 45, 46.

[0037] The controller 37 is a computer, a server or a workstation, connected to the print engine and connected to the digital environment of the printer, for example a network N for transmitting a submitted print job to the printer 1. In FIG. 1 the controller 37 is positioned inside the print engine and control section 3, but the controller 37 may also be at least partially positioned outside the print engine and control section 3 in connection with the network N in a workstation N1.

[0038] The controller 37 comprises a print job receiving section 371 permitting a user to submit a print job to the printer 1, the print job comprising image data to be printed and a plurality of print job settings. The controller 37 comprises a print job queue section 372 comprising a print job queue for print jobs submitted to the printer 1 and scheduled to be printed. The controller 37 comprises a sheet scheduling section 373 for determining for each of the plurality of sheets of the print jobs in the print job queue an entrance time in the paper path of the print engine and control section 3, especially an entrance time for the first pass and an entrance time for the second pass in the loop in the paper path according to the present invention. The sheet scheduling section 373 will also be called scheduler 373 hereinafter.

[0039] The sheet scheduling section 373 takes the length of the loop into account. The length of the loop corresponds to a loop time duration of a sheet going through the loop dependent on the velocity of the sheets in the loop. The loop time duration may vary per kind of sheet, i.e. a sheet with different media properties.

[0040] Resources may be recording material located in the input section 4, marking material located in a reservoir 39 near or in the print head or print assembly 31 of the print engine, or finishing material located near the print head or print assembly 31 of the print engine or located in the output section 5 (not shown).

[0041] The paper path comprises a plurality of paper path sections 32, 33, 34, 35 for transporting the image receiving material from an entry point 36 of the print engine and control section 3 along the print head or print assembly 31 to the inlet 53 of the output section 5. The paper path sections 32, 33, 34, 35 form a loop according to the present invention. The loop enables the printing of a duplex print job and/or a mix-plex job, i.e. a print job comprising a mix of sheets intended to be printed partially in a simplex mode and partially in a duplex mode.

[0042] The print head or print assembly 31 is suitable for ejecting and/or fixing marking material to image receiving material. The print head or print assembly 31 is positioned near the paper path section 34. The print head or print assembly 31 may be an inkjet print head, a direct imaging toner assembly or an indirect imaging toner assembly.

[0043] While an image receiving material is transported along the paper path section 34 in a first pass in the loop, the image receiving material receives the marking material through the print head or print assembly 31. A next paper path section 32 is a flip unit 32 for selecting a different subsequent paper path for simplex or duplex printing of the image receiving material. The flip unit 32 may be also used to flip a sheet of image receiving material after printing in simplex mode before the sheet leaves the print engine and control section 3 via a curved section 38 of the flip unit 32 and via the inlet 53 to the output section 5. The curved section 38 of the flip unit 32 may not be present and the turning of a simplex page has to be done via another paper path section 35.

[0044] In case of duplex printing on a sheet or when the curved section 38 is not present, the sheet is transported along the loop via paper path section 35A in order to turn the sheet for enabling printing on the other side of the sheet. The sheet is transported along the paper path section 35 until it reaches a merging point 34A at which sheets entering the paper path section 34 from the entry point 36 interweave with the sheets coming from the paper path section 35. The sheets entering the paper path section 34 from the entry point 36 are starting their first pass along the print head or print assembly 31 in the loop. The sheets coming from the paper path section 35 are starting their second pass along the print head or print assembly 31 in the loop. When a sheet has passed the print head or print assembly 31 for the second time in the second pass, the sheet is transported to the inlet 53 of the output section 5.

[0045] The input section 4 may comprise at least one input holder 44, 45, 46 for holding the image receiving material before transporting the sheets of image receiving material to the print engine and control section 3. Sheets of image receiving material are separated from the input holders 44, 45, 46 and guided from the input holders 44, 45, 46 by guiding means 42, 43, 47 to an outlet 36 for entrance in the print engine and control section 3. Each input holder 44, 45, 46 may be used for holding a different kind of image receiving material, i.e. sheets having different media properties. While 3 input holders are illustrated in FIG. 1, the number of input holders may include one, two, three or more input holders.

[0046] The local user interface 7 is suitable for displaying user interface windows for controlling the print job queue residing in the controller 37. In another embodiment a computer N1 in the network N has a user interface for displaying and controlling the print job queue of the printer 1.

[0047] FIG. 2 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of a conveyor 70 positioned at the paper path section 33. The conveyor 70 comprises a plurality of rollers 72 which support and drive an endless conveyor belt 74. At least of the rollers 72 is provided with a drive or motor for driving the belt 74. The belt 74 is permeable to gas, specifically to air, to apply an underpressure to a sheet of an image receiving member positioned on the belt 74. The sheet is thereby held in position against the belt 74. The holding force applied by the underpressure should be sufficient to prevent displacement of the sheet with respect to the belt 74. Generally, the belt 74 is or has been aligned with respect to the print head assembly 31. The belt 74 is provided with a matrix of through-holes to draw in air through the belt 74. The belt 74 is positioned above a suction chamber 76 which is connected to a suction source 77, such as a pump or fan, via line 78. It will appreciated that the suction source 77 may be positioned remote from the suction chamber 76 by extending the line 78. To achieve good image quality the sheet should be flatly positioned below the print head assembly 31. This prevents any irregularities in the sheet from resulting in print artifacts. It further allows for a narrow print gap between the print head assembly 31 and the sheet, which allows for more accurate ink droplet positioning. To maintain the sheet in a planar state, a pressing means 80 is provided at the upstream side of the belt 74.

[0048] FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 illustrate in detail the pressing means 80. The pressing means 80 comprise a first body 82 provided with an opening 84. The first body 82 in FIG. 3 is formed as a wheel in the form of a hollow cylinder having a central opening 84. The first body 82 is provided moveably around a second body 86, which extends in the lateral direction D2 through the opening 84 of the first body 82. The second body 86 is formed as a longitudinal support rod which extends through the openings 84 of the plurality of first bodies 82. The first bodies 82 comprise a round or circular circumference 83 when viewed in the lateral direction D2. The first bodies 82 with their circular circumference 83 are provided moveably, specifically rotatably, around the second body 86. This allows the first bodies 82 to rotate as the sheet 41 is moved beneath the first bodies 82. This allows for a low friction contact between the pressing means 80 and the sheet 41, which prevents displacement of the sheet 41 with respect to belt 74 and/or with respect to the print head assembly 31. Note that the rotational motion of the first body 82 may be irregular due to the relatively large amount of play between the bodies 82, 86.

[0049] The first body 82 is suspended with play on the second body 86. The opening 84 of the first body 82 is larger than a cross-section of the second body 86, which allows the first body 82 to move with respect to the second body 86. The first bodies 82 are not rigidly connected to one another, such that the first bodies 82 are moveable independent of one another with respect to the second body 86. The opening 84 of each first body 82 is positioned and dimensioned, such that the top edge of the circumference 85 of the opening 84 is at all times at a greater distance from the belt 74 in the perpendicular direction D3 than a top surface or edge of the second body 86. The first body 82 is allowed to move in the perpendicular direction D3 towards the belt 74, but when the lower portion of the first body 82 contacts the belt 74, the top edge of the circumference 85 of the opening 84 will still be above the second body 86. This allows the first body 82 to press onto the sheet 41 under the influence of gravity. The weight of the first body 82 is preferably appropriately chosen to maintain sufficient contact between the sheet 41 and the first body 82 during use. The first body 82 is preferably sufficiently heavy to prevent the first body 82 from bouncing off the sheet 41 under operational conditions.

[0050] The first body 82 is further sufficiently light-weight to prevent the pressing means 80 from substantially deforming the sheet 41 in such a manner that said deformation remains visible in the printed sheet 41.

[0051] The height dimension of the opening 84 in the perpendicular direction D3 is larger than the cross-sectional height of the second body 86 in said direction. The opening 84 is further larger than the cross-section of the section of the second body 86 in the transport direction D1. This play between the first and second bodies 82, 86 allows the first body 82 to rotate or pivot around an axis in the perpendicular direction D3, as well as rotate around an axis in the lateral direction D2. The rotational range of the first body 82 is limited by the relative size of the opening 84, but the limited rotational range is sufficient to allow the first body 82 to align itself to any in-plane forces in the sheet 41. This prevents damage to the sheet 41 during pressing.

[0052] The support rod forming the second body 86 is provided with a drive for driving the support rod into rotation. This further reduces friction between the sheet 41 and the first body 82. A driven support rod is further advantageous in case of thick sheets, such as cardboard, which may lift the bottom side of the first body into contact with the bottom side of the support rod forming the second body 86. This prevents such thicker sheets from becoming stuck.

[0053] As shown in FIG. 4, multiple first bodies 82 are provided together on the second body 86. The first bodies 82 are spaced apart from one another in the lateral direction D2. At least ten first bodies 82 are shown in FIG. 4, which are spaced apart at regular intervals. The distance between first bodies 82 may also vary dependent on the design and application of the conveyor 70. Spacing members may be provided in between first bodies 82 to maintain the first bodies 82 spaced apart in the lateral direction D2 while allowing for their moveability.

[0054] FIG. 5 schematically illustrates the effect of the pressing means 80 on the sheet 41. On the left hand side a cross-section of the sheet 41 upstream of the pressing means 80. The sheet 41 has landed on the belt 74 with a large wrinkle W, where the sheet 41 locally curves away from the belt 74. The right hand side of the FIG. 5 shows said section of the sheet 41 after passing below the pressing means 80. Multiple first bodies 82 press down onto the sheet 41 locally flattening sections of the large wrinkle W. In consequence the large wrinkle is transformed by the pressing means into multiple smaller wrinkles Ws, each having a maximum height less than that of the original wrinkle W. This results in an overall flatter sheet 41 and allows for a small print gap between the print head assembly 31 and the belt 74.

[0055] FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate a third embodiment, wherein the pressing means 280 are formed of a plurality of the pressing members, each comprising a wheel 282 or cylinder, which is rotatable around an axis 282A parallel to the sheet support plane. The wheel 282 and its axis 282A around mounted moveably in the perpendicular direction D3 on the support rod 286 via a bearing 282C or hinge. The wheel 282 is further able to rotate around an axis in the perpendicular direction D3 by means of rotational bearing 282B. The wheel 282 presses onto the sheet under the influence of gravity, but the pressing force may be increased by urging elements 282D which individually press onto the support for each wheel 282. The urging elements 282D, which in FIG. 7 are formed as springs, are preferably connected to the frame of the printer, for example via the support plate 286A and/or the support rod 286. The urging elements 282D provide an additional downward force on the wheel 282 alongside the gravitational force of the wheel 282. The urging force may be configured to constantly press onto the sheet 41 as an additional pressing force on the sheet 41 or to act when the wheel 282 is lifted a predetermined distance from the sheet support surface to prevent the wheel 282 from releasing the sheet 41, similar to a damper.

[0056] Although specific embodiments of the invention are illustrated and described herein, it will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that a variety of alternate and/or equivalent implementations exist. It should be appreciated that the exemplary embodiment or exemplary embodiments are examples only and are not intended to limit the scope, applicability, or configuration in any way. Rather, the foregoing summary and detailed description will provide those skilled in the art with a convenient road map for implementing at least one exemplary embodiment, it being understood that various changes may be made in the function and arrangement of elements described in an exemplary embodiment without departing from the scope as set forth in the appended claims and their legal equivalents. Generally, this application is intended to cover any adaptations or variations of the specific embodiments discussed herein.

[0057] It will also be appreciated that in this document the terms “comprise”, “comprising”, “include”, “including”, “contain”, “containing”, “have”, “having”, and any variations thereof, are intended to be understood in an inclusive (i.e. non-exclusive) sense, such that the process, method, device, apparatus or system described herein is not limited to those features or parts or elements or steps recited but may include other elements, features, parts or steps not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus. Furthermore, the terms “a” and “an” used herein are intended to be understood as meaning one or more unless explicitly stated otherwise. Moreover, the terms “first”, “second”, “third”, etc. are used merely as labels, and are not intended to impose numerical requirements on or to establish a certain ranking of importance of their objects.

[0058] The present invention being thus described, it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the present invention, and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are intended to be included within the scope of the following claims.