Airflow control via self-closing holes in movable support surface of a printing system, and related devices, systems, and methods

A movable support surface for a printing system, comprising:

• a flexible belt;
• and
• a plurality of valves arranged in the flexible belt to communicate vacuum suction through the flexible belt to hold print media being transported by the movable support surface against the flexible belt,
• wherein the valves are configured to transition between an open state in which the vacuum suction is communicated through the respective valve and a closed state in which the vacuum suction is blocked through the respective valve, and
• wherein each of the valves comprises a hole and a flexible reed configured as a cantilever coupled to the flexible belt and moveable via bending between an open position in which the flexible reed allows airflow through the hole of the respective valve and a closed position in which the flexible reed blocks airflow through the hole of the respective valve, the open position of the flexible reed corresponding to the open state of the valve and the closed position of the flexible reed corresponding to the closed state of the valve.

A method, comprising:

• loading a print medium onto a movable support surface of a media transport assembly of a printing system;
• holding the print medium against the movable support surface via vacuum suction from a vacuum source communicated through valves in the movable support surface;
• causing those of the valves that are covered by the print medium to transition, by an opening force applied by the print medium to the valves, from a closed state in which the vacuum suction is blocked through the respective valves to an open state in which the vacuum suction is permitted through the respective valves;
• causing those of the valves that are covered by the print medium and have been transitioned to the open state to remain in the open state by a holding force applied by the print medium to the valves, the holding force being generated by a weight of the print medium and by a suction force applied to the print medium by the vacuum suction from the vacuum source;
• transporting the print medium, via the movable support surface, in a process direction through a deposition region of a printhead of the printing system;
• and
• ejecting print fluid from the printhead to deposit the print fluid to the print medium in the deposition region.