Media web tensioning
AssigneeHewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
InventorsAlbert Franco Morera, Alberto Arredondo Rosales, Cara Ellen Birschbach, Fernando Rey Arrieta
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system (300) is provided having a printer (4) to print ink onto a web (6) of media (8). The system (300) has a winding roller (10) on which to roll the web (6) of media (8) after printing. A tensioner (12) to vary the tension in a portion (14) of the web (6) of media (8) is also provided. The portion (14) is a portion of web which is being rolled onto the winding roller (10). Also provided is controller (16) to control the tensioner (12) to vary the tension based on the time taken for the printed ink on the web (6) of media (8) to dry.
Claims14
A tensioning device for use in a printing system, the tensioning device comprising a clamping mechanism to fix the tensioning device to a leading edge of a web of media and a weight to provide a tension to the printed web of media, wherein the weight spans the width of the printed web of media.
A printing system comprising:
- an input roller to receive a web of media;
- a print engine having an associated print zone, the print engine receiving the web of media;
- a tensioning device detachably attached by a clamp to a leading edge of the printed web of media wherein the tensioning device comprises a weight such that the weight, by gravity, causes a tension on the web of media, wherein the weight spans the width of the printed web of media.
A printing method wherein the method comprises:
- feeding a media from a media web in a feeding direction of a printing system until a leading edge of the media passes through a print zone;
- clamping a tensioning device having a weight to the leading edge of the media wherein the weight is provided such that gravity tensions the web of media;
- printing a media length associated to a print job;
- unclamping the tensioning device from the leading edge of the media and attaching the leading edge to an output roller;
- and
- printing the remainder of the print job with the output roller tensioning the web of media, wherein the weight or a clamping mechanism that holds the weight spans the width of the printed web of media.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.