Transport Apparatus for Flat Materials to be Printed

In a microprocessor-controlled printing unit including a printing window and a printing module disposed above the printing window in a z-direction of a Cartesian coordinate system, the printing module having at least one print head associated with the printing window for producing a printed image during printing in a direction opposite to the z-direction in the direction of the force of gravity, a transport apparatus for flat materials to be printed by the printing unit, the transport apparatus comprising:

• a supporting region extended on both sides of a line running centrally through the printing window transversely relative to a transport direction x in a y-direction of the Cartesian coordinate system;
• a transport belt onto which the flat materials are pressed in said supporting region counter to the force of gravity, said transport belt disposed in a housing part and having an edge at which the printing window is disposed, said transport belt transporting the flat materials to be printed at said edge past the at least one print head in said transport direction x during printing, and said transport belt having a width, in the y-direction of the Cartesian coordinate system, being wider than a width of the printing window;
• a roller carrier having a supporting region, a shaped partial plate, a bearing plate, a supporting plate and a plurality of rollers for guiding said transport belt along a centrally indented oval curve;
• a tensioning roller tensioning said transport belt tautly in said indented section and configuring said indented section at least partially for receiving the printing module or a bottom of at least one ink cartridge having the print head;
• and
• a supporting plate supporting said transport belt and being disposed above said supporting region of said roller carrier between said shaped partial plate and said bearing plate, said supporting plate having a supporting surface area greater than a surface area of the printing window.