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US 6,957,887 B2Granted
Vacuum holddown
AssigneeHewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
InventorVictor Bruhn
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A vacuum holddown for a hard copy device includes a platen having plural vacuum zones arranged in a side-by-side array across the platen. Each vacuum zone has a closed end and an open end and is coupled to a vacuum source. Each vacuum zone defines a recess in the upper surface of the platen that is fluidly coupled to the vacuum source through a port. The back walls and side walls of each vacuum zone are coplanar with the upper surface of the platen. A step may be positioned in the vacuum zones to define an open vacuum zone having multiple depths.
Claims20
A method of controlling media cockle, the method comprising:
- (a) providing a printzone between an inkjet and a platen, the printzone having an upstream end and a downstream end relative to a direction of media advancement through the printzone, and wherein the platen has an upper surface spaced from the inkjet and plural vacuum zones arranged side-by-side across the platen, each vacuum zone defining a recess in the platen having a closed end at the upstream end of the platen and an open end at the downstream end of the platen, and wherein each vacuum zone further defines a first floor level at the upstream end and a second floor level at the downstream end, the distance from the first floor level to the platen upper surface is greater than the distance from the second floor level to the platen upper surface;
- (b) advancing media through the printzone;
- (c) applying ink to the media;
- and
- (d) applying suction to the surface of the media facing the platen to draw the media away from the inkjet.
2 more elements
A holddown for hard copy device, comprising:
- means for interacting with media in a media interaction zone;
- means for advancing media through said media interaction zone;
- platen means for supporting said media in said media interaction zone, said platen means having an upper surface including a plurality of vacuum zones in an array extending across said upper surface, each vacuum zone defining a recess in the platen having a closed end at the upstream end of the platen and an open end at the downstream end of the platen, and wherein each vacuum zone further defines a first floor at the upstream end and a second floor at the downstream end, wherein the distance from the first floor to the platen upper surface is greater than the distance from the second floor to the platen upper surface;
- and
- vacuum means fluidly coupled to said ports for applying vacuum to said media.
2 more elements
A vacuum holddown for a hard copy apparatus, comprising:
- a platen having an upper surface and an upstream end and a downstream end relative to a direction of media travel;
- an inkjet operatively positioned relative to the platen and spaced apart from the upper surface, the inkjet and the platen defining a printzone therebetween;
- multiple vacuum zones in the platen, each vacuum zone comprising a recess in the upper surface opening to the downstream end, wherein each recess defines a first floor portion toward the upstream end and a second floor portion toward the downstream end, the first and second floor portions having a step therebetween, wherein the distance from the first floor portion to the platen upper surface is greater than the distance from the second floor portion to the platen upper surface;
- a port in each vacuum zone;
- a vacuum source fluidly communicating with each port.
2 more elements
A vacuum holddown for a hard copy apparatus, comprising:
- a platen having an upper surface and an upstream end relative to a direction of media travel and a downstream end;
- an inkjet operatively positioned relative to the platen and spaced apart from the upper surface, the inkjet and the platen defining a printzone therebetween;
- multiple vacuum zones arranged in a side by side array in the platen, each vacuum zone comprising a rectangular recess in the upper surface having a planar floor bordered by a back wall, and opposed side walls extending linearly to the open end, the back wall and side walls having upper surfaces coplanar with the platen upper surface;
- a port in each vacuum zone and a vacuum source communicating with each port, wherein said port is positioned in each vacuum zone such that a level of vacuum force increases within each vacuum zone from a downstream end of each vacuum zone to an upstream end of each vacuum zone.
1 more element
A method of controlling ink-induced cockle in printed media, the method comprising:
- (a) advancing media through a printzone between an inkjet and a platen, the media advancing through the print zone from an upstream end toward a downstream end;
- (b) applying ink to the media in the printzone;
- (c) inducing a vacuum to draw the media away from the inkjet by creating a flow of air between the media and the platen, wherein the platen has an upper surface and plural vacuum zones arranged in a side-by-side array, each vacuum zone defining a recess in the platen having a closed end and open end and the air flows from the open end toward the closed end, and wherein each vacuum zone further defines a first floor level at the upstream end and a second floor level at the downstream end, and wherein the vacuum applied to the media at the upstream end is greater than the vacuum applied to the media at the downstream end.
A method of controlling ink-induced cockle in printed media, the method comprising:
- (a) advancing media through a printzone between an inkjet and a platen, the media advancing through the printzone from an upstream end toward a downstream end;
- (b) applying ink to the media in the printzone;
- (c) inducing vacuum in a plurality of vacuum zones in the platen, wherein in each vacuum zone the level of vacuum force increases in the direction from the downstream end to the upstream end.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.