Print media edge repair

#Printers and printing presses that print on inexpensive semi rigid and rigid print media are outfitted with media handling systems that help hold and manipulate the print media for the corresponding print engines. To avoid damage to the printhead in print engines that use non-contact printing technology, it is helpful to makes sure that flaws relating to the flatness of the print media are kept clear of the print head.

#FIGS. 1-7 schematically depict the path of print media through an example print media edge repair system.

#FIG. 8 depicts a schematic representation of an example print media edge repair system.

#FIG. 9 is flowchart of an example method for repairing print media edges.

#The present disclosure includes example implementations of devices, systems, and methods for repairing the edges, such as the leading and trailing edge of rigid and semi rigid print media for use in noncontact printing presses. Damaged edges of rigid and semi rigid print media that extend above and below a plane dispose of the proper distance for noncontact printing (e.g., stand proud of a print zone support member) can contact sensitive elements of the corresponding print engine. For example, in a corrugated cardboard printing press, the low-cost high-volume cardboard medium often has damaged edges which need to be kept clear of a print engine, such as the printhead of an inkjet type printer. If the damaged edge includes dents, rips, tears, warpage and other defects that cause it to not lay flat on a support member, the edge of the print media may run into, collide, or drag across the sensitive inkjet print circuitry and potentially cause damage, and consequently delays and lost productivity.

#In example implementations described herein include an edge repair system that can apply various repair treatments to a sheet of print media as it is fed into the paper handling system of the printing press. In some implementations, the print media edge repair system can receive individual sheets of print media from a lateral stack of print media. In such implementations, the leading and trailing edges of the print media can be repaired in a single operation as the sheet of print media moves laterally into position to be fed into the print media handling system of the printing press. In various example implementations, the print media edge repair system can include two repair elements. The repair elements can include rotating cylinders or static ramps that apply either abrasive, cutting, crushing, or wetting type repair treatments to the edges of the print media. Such treatments trim off damage portions of the print media or otherwise reduce the height it stands from the place of the print zone support member to avoid collisions between the print media and the sensitive elements of the print engine. Specific examples will be described herein in reference to the accompanying figures to illustrate aspects of the present disclosure. The specific examples are intended to be illustrative only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.

#FIG. 1 depicts a schematic of the print media edge repair system 100 as implemented in various examples of the present disclosure. As shown, the print media edge repair system 100 can be disposed relative to a print media handling system 120 of an associated print engine or other printing device (not shown). In the particular example shown, the print media 110, such as corrugated cardboard, heavy card stock, particleboard, medium density fiber board (MDF), and the like can be loaded from a stack of print media disposed under the example print media 110 as illustrated. As a sheet of the print media 110 is selected from the top of the stack, it can be moved along the direction indicated by arrow 10 to repair the leading-edge 111 and the trailing edge 112 before being fed into the print media handling system 120 in the direction indicated by arrow 20.