US 11,305,563 B1Granted

Apparatus to flatten a substrate along a print path of a printer

AssigneeElectronics for Imaging, Inc.

InventorJuan Escudero Gonzalez

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

Disclosed here is an apparatus to flatten the substrate as the substrate travels along the print path of a printer, thus reducing damage to the transport belt, motor, gearbox, etc., and increasing print quality. The apparatus includes two strapping metal bands mounted on the printer and parallel to the print path. The two strapping metal bands are under tension from a torsion spring and a ratchet placed at least at one end of the print path. In a rest position, the two strapping metal bands are lifted off the transport belt. When a printhead of the printer lowers to engage in printing, the printhead pushes on the two strapping metal bands causing them to push the edges of the substrate downward, thus increasing the flatness of the substrate.

Claims20

Dependent claims

An apparatus to flatten a substrate along a print path of a printer, the apparatus comprising:

a first elongated resilient member disposed linearly along the print path;
a first capstan disposed transversely to the print path, the first elongated resilient member having a first terminal portion secured to the first capstan;
a first biasing member configured to apply rotational force to the first capstan, wherein rotation of the first capstan in connection with the first biasing member in a first direction applies tension to the first elongated resilient member, wherein the first elongated resilient member correspondingly applies pressure to the substrate as the substrate is moved along the print path by the printer to increase flatness of the substrate;
a first ratchet fitted to the first capstan to maintain a bias imparted to the first capstan by the first biasing member by securing the first capstan against rotation in a direction that would release the bias;
a second elongated resilient member coupled to the printer, the second elongated resilient member disposed linearly along the print path and parallel to the first elongated resilient member;
and
the first elongated resilient member and the second elongated resilient member operable to bend in response to a vertical force applied to the first and second elongated resilient members by a printhead associated with the printer, when the printhead is engaged in printing on the substrate.

4 more elements

An apparatus comprising:

a first elongated resilient member disposed linearly along a print path of a substrate through a printer;
a first capstan disposed transversely to the print path, the first elongated resilient member having a first terminal portion secured to the first capstan;
and
a first biasing member configured to apply rotational force to the first capstan, wherein rotation of the first capstan in connection with the first biasing member in a first direction applies tension to the first elongated resilient member, wherein the first elongated resilient member correspondingly applies pressure to the substrate as the substrate is moved along the print path by the printer to increase flatness of the substrate.

1 more element

A method comprising:

providing a first elongated resilient member disposed linearly along a print path of a substrate through a printer;
providing a first capstan disposed transversely to the print path, the first elongated resilient member having a first terminal portion secured to the first capstan;
providing a first biasing member configured to apply rotational force to the first capstan, wherein rotation of the first capstan in connection with the first biasing member in a first direction applies tension to the first elongated resilient member, wherein the first elongated resilient member correspondingly applies pressure to the substrate as the substrate is moved along the print path by the printer to increase flatness of the substrate;
and
providing a ratchet fitted to the first capstan to maintain a bias imparted to the first capstan by the first biasing member by securing the first capstan against rotation in a direction that would release the bias.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 17/127,580Filed 18 Dec 2020 · us provisional application
Priority: 8 Dec 2020
Granted: 19 Apr 2022
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification7 codes

B41J 15/16
Devices or arrangements of selective printing mechanisms, e.g. ink-jet printers or thermal printers, specially adapted for supporting or…
B41J 11/0025
Devices or arrangements of selective printing mechanisms, e.g. ink-jet printers or thermal printers, for supporting or handling copy material in…:…
B41J 11/005
Guides for printing material: guides in the printing zone, e.g. guides for preventing contact of conveyed sheets with printhead
B41J 13/14
Sheet holders, retainers , movable guides, or stationary guides: aprons or guides for the printing section

Family

Application63/122,823Us provisional application · filed 8 Dec 2020
US 11,305,563 B1This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

Timeline

Citations

Open elsewhere

Building an agent or pulling many patents? Use the API or MCP server instead of scraping pages. Get an API key