US 8,947,482 B2 · Active biased electrodes for reducing electrostatic fields underneath print heads in an electrostatic media transport

Abstract

Embodiments described herein are directed to a system for reducing electrostatic fields underneath print heads in a direct marking printing system. The system includes: one or more print heads for depositing ink onto a media substrate; a media transport for moving the media substrate along a media path past the one or more print heads; a conductive platen contacting the media transport belt; an electrostatic field reducer that includes an alternating current charge device positioned upstream of the one or more print heads; and one or electrically isolated biased electrodes in registration with the ink deposition areas of the one or more print heads. The media transport includes a media transport belt and, when the media is on the transport belt it has an electrostatic field, which can cause printing defects. The electrostatic field reducer and electrodes reduce the electrostatic field on the surface of the media and thereby reduce printing defects.

Drawings

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Drawings

Claims17

Dependent claims

A system for reducing electrostatic fields underneath print heads, the system comprising:

one or more print heads for depositing ink onto a surface of a media substrate in one or more ink deposition areas;
a media transport for moving the media substrate along a media path in a process direction past the one or more print heads, wherein the media transport comprises a media transport belt having a first side and a second side, and wherein the media substrate has an electrostatic field and contacts the first side;
a conductive platen contacting the media transport belt on the second side, wherein the conductive platen has one or more apertures;
one or more electrically isolated biased electrodes positioned in the one or more apertures and corresponding to the locations of the one or more ink deposition areas of the one or more print heads, and wherein each of the one or more electrically isolated biased electrodes extends in the process direction and in a trans-process direction;
and
one or more voltage sources for providing a voltage to the one or more electrically biased electrodes,
wherein the voltage is provided to the one or more electrically biased electrodes to reduce the electrostatic field on the surface of the media receiving the ink.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Description6,547 words

Summary1,562 words

#1. Technical Field

#The presently disclosed technologies are directed to a system and method for reducing the magnitude of the electrostatic field as a printing media substrate is transported underneath print heads. The system and method described herein use active biased electrodes to reduce the magnitude of the electrostatic field on a printing media substrate and decrease potential print quality defects.

#2. Brief Discussion of Related Art

Brief description of the drawings7 figures

#FIG. 1 depicts a prior art ink jet printing system that uses nip based registration transport to transport media past the print heads.

#FIG. 2 depicts a prior art ink jet printing system that uses electrostatic tacking to transport media past the print heads.

#FIG. 3 depicts an embodiment of the ink jet printing system that uses electrostatic tacking to transport media past the print heads and a charge device and biased electrodes in the platen below the ink deposition area to reduce the electrostatic field below the print heads.

Detailed description4,782 words

#The exemplary embodiments are now discussed in further detail with reference to the figures.

#As used herein, “substrate media” and “media” refer to a tangible medium, such as paper (e.g., a sheet of paper, a long web of paper, a ream of paper, etc.), transparencies, parchment, film, fabric, plastic, photo-finishing papers or other coated or non-coated substrates on which information or on an image can be printed, disposed or reproduced. While specific reference herein is made to a sheet or paper, it should be understood that any substrate media in the form of a sheet amounts to a reasonable equivalent thereto

#As used herein, the term “charge device” refers to a device that emits an electrostatic charge to a predetermined location.

Facts

Application

13/837,263Filed 15 Mar 2013

Published

US 2014/0267501 A118 Sep 2014

Granted

3 Feb 2015

Term ends

15 Mar 2033

Estimated · how

20 years from earliest known nonprovisional domestic filing plus recorded patent term adjustment. Maintenance-fee lapses, terminal disclaimers and statutory extensions have not been checked. The continuity chain may be incomplete; this is not an enforceability determination.

Classification3 codes

B41J 11/06
Platens: flat page-size platens or smaller flat platens having a greater size than line-size platens
B41J 11/007
Devices or arrangements of selective printing mechanisms, e.g. ink-jet printers or thermal printers, for supporting or handling copy material in…:…
B41J
Typewriters

Timeline

15 Mar 2013Application filedUS 13/837,263
15 Mar 2013Assigned to Xerox Corporationassignment of assignor's interest
18 Sep 2014PublishedUS 2014/0267501 A1
3 Feb 2015GrantedUS 8,947,482 B2
10 Nov 2022Assigned to Citibank, N.A., AS Agentsecurity interest
18 May 2023Assigned to Xerox Corporationrelease of security interest in patents at r/f 062740/0214
22 Jun 2023Assigned to Citibank, N.A., AS Collateral Agentsecurity interest
20 Nov 2023Assigned to Jefferies Finance LLC, AS Collateral Agentsecurity interest
13 Feb 2024Assigned to Citibank, N.A., AS Collateral Agentsecurity interest
13 Feb 2024Assigned to Xerox Corporationtermination and release of security interest in patents recorded at rf 064760/0389
11 Apr 2025Assigned to U.S. Bank Trust Company, National Association, AS Collateral Agentfirst lien notes patent security agreement
2 Jul 2025Assigned to U.S. Bank Trust Company, National Association, AS Collateral Agentsecond lien notes patent security agreement
6 Nov 2025Assigned to Genesee Valley Innovations, LLCassignment of assignor's interest
12 Oct 2026TodayWithin its term
15 Mar 2033Term endsEstimated

Active biased electrodes for reducing electrostatic fields underneath print heads in an electrostatic media transport

Life of this patent

Active biased electrodes for reducing electrostatic fields underneath print heads in an electrostatic media transport

Life of this patent

Life of this patent

Abstract

Drawings

Drawings

Claims17

Description6,547 words

Drawings

Life of this patent

Classification3 codes

Description6,547 words