# US 11,077,679 B2 · Active airflow control device for vacuum paper transport > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,077,679 B2 - Document ID: US11077679B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/703,656 - Filed: 2019-12-04 - Published: 2021-06-10 - Granted: 2021-08-03 - Earliest claimed: 2019-12-04 - Assignees: Xerox Corporation - Applicants: Xerox Corporation - Inventors: David A. VanKouwenberg; Seemit Praharaj; Michael J. Levy; Douglas K. Herrmann; Paul McConville; Chu-Heng Liu; Linn C. Hoover; Jason M. Lefevre - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11077679B2 ## CPC - B41J 11/0085: {Using suction for maintaining printing material flat (on rotatable drums B41J13/226)} - B41J 11/007: {Conveyor belts or like feeding devices} - B41J 11/06: Flat page-size platens {or smaller flat platens having a greater size than line-size platens (B41J11/0085 takes precedence)} - B65H 5/224: {by suction belts (B65H11/005 takes precedence)} - B41J 11/08: Bar or like line-size platens - B41J: TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS - B65H: HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES ## Abstract A marker transport system and a method of operating the marker transport system can include one or more print heads and a marker transport platen upon which a sheet of media moves. The transport platen can include airflow sections comprising process-direction slots. The plates can move in a cross-process direction, and can control airflow in an area under the print heads. The one or more plates in a first position can allow for airflow when the sheet of media is located at the first position and in a second position can block the airflow at the second position. A vacuum can be provided under the sheet of media as the sheet of media traverses a print path across the marker transport platen. A no-vacuum inter-document zone can be provided, which moves along with the sheet of media under the one or more print heads. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A marker transport system, comprising: at least one print head and a marker transport platen upon which a sheet of media moves, wherein the marker transport platen includes airflow sections comprising process-direction slots and wherein a plurality of vacuum channels extend across a length of the marker transport platen; and at least one plate that moves in a cross-process direction, wherein the at least one plate controls airflow in an area under the at least one print head, and wherein the at least one plate in a first position allows airflow when the sheet of media is located at the first position and wherein the at least one plate in a second position blocks the airflow at the second position, such that a vacuum is provided through the plurality of vacuum channels under the sheet of media as the sheet of media traverses a print path across the marker transport platen and a no-vacuum inter-document zone is provided, which moves along with the sheet of media under the at least one print head and wherein the second position is used to minimize the airflow to the at least one print head while the at least one print head is in a print position and waiting to print. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The marker transport system of claim 1 further comprising a device that allows for a control of the at least one plate, wherein the at least one plate comprises a cross-process plate. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The marker transport system of claim 2, wherein the device comprises a controller. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The marker transport system of claim 1 wherein the at least one plate comprises at least one moveable plate among a plurality of moveable plates. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The marking transport system of claim 4 wherein the at least one moveable plate comprises a vacuum channel plate and the plurality of moveable plates comprise a plurality of vacuum channel plates. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The marking transport system of claim 4 wherein a position of the at least one plate is timed such that the vacuum is present when the sheet of media is present over a corresponding vacuum slot comprising at least one of the process-direction slots. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The marking transport system of claim 1 wherein the at least one plate is moveable and positionable to block the airflow while the at least one print head is in a printing position but waiting for a print job to start or to finish. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The marking transport system of claim 1 wherein the at least one plate comprises a shutter. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The marking transport system of claim 1 wherein the at least one plate comprise an IDZ (Inter-Document Zone) vacuum channel plate. ### Claim 10 A method of operating a marker transport system, comprising: moving a sheet of media upon a marker transport platen associated with at least one print head, the marker transport platen including airflow sections comprising process-direction slots and a plurality of vacuum channels extending across a length of the marker transport platen; operating at least one plate to move in a cross-process direction, wherein the at least one plate controls airflow in an area under the at least one print head, and wherein the at least one plate in a first position allows airflow when the sheet of media is located at the first position and wherein the at least one plate in a second position blocks the airflow at the second position; and providing a vacuum facilitated by the plurality of vacuum channels under the sheet of media as the sheet of media traverses a print path across the marker transport platen, wherein a no-vacuum inter-document zone is provided, which moves along with the sheet of media under the at least one print head and wherein the second position is used to minimize the airflow to the at least one print head while the at least one print head is in a print position and waiting to print. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10 further comprising controlling the at least one plate with a device that controls the at least one plate, wherein the at least one plate comprises a cross-process plate. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10 wherein the at least one plate comprises at least one moveable plate among a plurality of moveable plates. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12 wherein the at least one moveable plate comprises a vacuum channel plate and the plurality of moveable plates comprise a plurality of vacuum channel plates. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10 further comprising timing a position of the at least one plate such that the vacuum is present when the sheet of media is present over a corresponding vacuum slot comprising at least one of the process-direction slots. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10 further comprising moving and positioning the at least one plate to block the airflow while the at least one print head is in a printing position but waiting for a print job to start or to finish. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10 wherein the at least one plate comprises a shutter. ### Claim 17 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10 wherein the at least one plate comprise an IDZ (Inter-Document Zone) vacuum channel plate. ### Claim 18 A marker transport system, comprising: at least one processor and a memory, the memory storing instructions to cause the at least one processor to perform: moving a sheet of media upon a marker transport platen associated with at least one print head, the marker transport platen including airflow sections comprising process-direction slots and a plurality of vacuum channels extending across a length of the marker transport platen; operating at least one plate to move in a cross-process direction, wherein the at least one plate controls airflow in an area under the at least one print head, and wherein the at least one plate in a first position allows airflow when the sheet of media is located at the first position and wherein the at least one plate in a second position blocks the airflow at the second position; and providing a vacuum through the plurality of vacuum channels under the sheet of media as the sheet of media traverses a print path across the marker transport platen, wherein a no-vacuum inter-document zone is provided, which moves along with the sheet of media under the at least one print head and wherein the second position is used to minimize the airflow to the at least one print head while the at least one print head is in a print position and waiting to print. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The marker transport system of claim 18 wherein said instructions further comprise instructions for performing at least one of the following: controlling the at least one plate with a device that controls the at least one plate, wherein the at least one plate comprises a cross-process plate; determining a leading edge and a trailing edge of the sheet of media; timing a position of the at least one plate such that the vacuum is present when the sheet of media is present over a corresponding vacuum slot comprising at least one of the process-direction slots; and moving and positioning the at least one plate to block the airflow while the at least one print head is in a printing position but waiting for a print job to start or to finish. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The marker transport system of claim 19 wherein: the at least one plate comprises at least one moveable plate among a plurality of moveable plates; and the at least one moveable plate comprises a vacuum channel plate and the plurality of moveable plates comprise a plurality of vacuum channel plates.