Method and mechanism for supporting and stacking liquid ink printed sheets

A mechanism in a liquid printing system for supporting and stacking a liquid ink printed sheet moving along an in-track path and direction and having a flat, cross-track dimension "D1" defined by a first edge and a second and opposite edge of such sheet, the mechanism comprising:

• (a) an output tray defining a stacking surface for holding the liquid ink printed sheet in a stack;
• (b) a first member having an edge supporting portion and an edge guiding portion, said first member being mounted at a first position having a first desired height distance above said stacking surface, and said first member extending along the in-track path and direction, for supporting and guiding the first edge of the liquid ink printed sheet;
• (c) a second member having an edge supporting portion and an edge guiding portion, said second member being mounted at a second position having said first desired height distance above said stacking surface, and spaced a cross-track distance "D3" less than "D1" from said first member, and said second member extending along the in-track path and direction for supporting and guiding the second and opposite edge of such sheet;
• and
• (d) means for rotating said first member and said second member in said first position and said second position for buckling the liquid ink printed sheet downwardly through said first desired height distance, and through said cross-track distance "D3" onto said stacking surface of said output tray.

A printing system comprising:

• (a) a liquid ink printer including at least a printhead for printing liquid ink images on a sheet of paper having a flat, cross-track dimension "D1" defined by a first edge and a second and opposite edge of such sheet of paper;
• (b) means for moving the sheet of paper along an in-track path and direction;
• and
• (c) a mechanism for supporting and stacking the liquid ink printed sheet so as not to smear or offset wet liquid ink images thereon, said mechanism including:
• (i) an output tray defining a stacking surface for holding the liquid ink printed sheet in a stack;
• (ii) a first member having an edge supporting portion and an edge guiding portion, said first member being mounted at a first position having a first desired height distance above said stacking surface, and said first member extending along the in-track path and direction, for supporting and guiding the first edge of the liquid ink printed sheet;
• (iii) a second member having an edge supporting portion and an edge guiding portion, said second member being mounted at a second position having said first desired height distance above said stacking surface, and spaced a cross-track distance "D3" less than "D1" from said first member, and said second member extending along the in-track path and direction for supporting and guiding the second and opposite edge of such sheet;
• and
• (iv) means for rotating said first member and said second member in said first position and said second position for buckling the liquid ink printed sheet downwardly through said first desired height distance, and through said cross-track distance "D3" onto said stacking surface of said output tray.