Corrugated pre-curler for media hold-down transport
AssigneeXerox Corporation
InventorsLinn C. Hoover, Ruddy Castillo, Joannes N. M. Dejong, Ming Yang
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system for maintaining depth of focus in an ink jet printer between a series of print heads and corrugated media includes a vacuum transport in combination with a heating element positioned upstream of the series of print heads in order to help the vacuum transport acquire the corrugated media and seal edges of the corrugated media against a platen.
Claims20
A recording apparatus that conducts image recording onto corrugated recording media within a print zone includes a system for maintaining a constant gap in the print zone between the image recording apparatus and the corrugated recording media, comprising:
- a transport module, said transport module including an arrangement for moving the corrugated recording media through said print zone and;
- a heating device positioned upstream of said transport module and adapted to heat an under side of the corrugated recording media in order to remove moisture from the corrugated recording media to produce a concave down curl;
- and
- a mechanism for applying moisture to a top side of the corrugated recording media when the moisture content of the corrugated recording media is below a predetermined amount to facilitate the concave down curl and thereby enhance acquisition of the corrugated recording media by said transport module by minimizing a gap between the edges of the corrugated recording media and said transport module.
An ink jet printing apparatus that conducts image recording by ejecting ink from a series of print head modules onto corrugated recording media within a print zone including a vacuum transport, said vacuum transport including a belt module having a belt support for supporting a movable continuous belt that conveys the image recording media through the print zone and a vacuum plenum connected to a vacuum source, said vacuum plenum including a plenum plate covering said vacuum plenum and facing an underside portion of said continuous belt such that vacuum pressure can be applied to corrugated recording media carried by said belt module, said ink jet printing apparatus including a system for maintaining depth of focus in the print zone between the print head modules and the corrugated recording media, comprising:
- a pre-curling apparatus for applying a concave curl to the corrugated recording media prior to it reaching said vacuum transport, said pre-curling apparatus including a heating member for heating an under side of the corrugated recording media.
A method for enhancing media acquisition in a recording apparatus that records images onto recording media within a print zone;
- comprising:
- providing a recording media transport with at least a portion thereof opposite to and within said print zone;
- and
- providing a pre-curling apparatus for applying a concave curl to the recording media prior to it reaching said recording media transport, said pre-curling apparatus including a heating member for heating only an under side of the recording media.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.