Systems and methods for implementing removal of detected wrinkling for web printing in a post processing device of an image forming system

A device for handling a continuous feed web material image receiving medium in an image forming system, comprising:

• a nip-based media driving unit in which at least two opposing rollers are positioned to face each other to form a media driving nip;
• an adjustable pressure device by which at least one of the two opposing rollers is controlled to adjust a pressure between the at least two opposing rollers at the media driving nip;
• a sensor positioned downstream of the media driving nip in a process direction to measure a separation between a first plurality of marks on a surface of the continuous feed web material image receiving medium, the first plurality of marks having a predetermined separation in a cross-process direction;
• and
• a processor that is programmed to:
• compare the measured separation between the first plurality of marks with the predetermined separation between the first plurality of marks to detect a wrinkle condition in the continuous feed web material image receiving medium, and
• automatically generate at least one signal to adjust a pressure in the adjustable pressure device based on the comparing detecting a wrinkle condition in the continuous feed web material image receiving medium,
• the adjusted pressure reducing the detected wrinkle condition in the continuous feed web material image receiving medium,
• the first plurality of marks comprising at least a first mark in a vicinity of a first edge of the continuous feed web material image receiving medium in the cross-process direction, a second mark in a vicinity of a center of the continuous feed web material image receiving medium in the cross-process direction, and a third mark in a vicinity of a second edge of the continuous feed web material image receiving medium opposite the first edge in the cross-process direction, and the predetermined separation of the plurality of marks comprising a first predetermined separation between the first mark and the third mark, a second predetermined separation between the first mark and the second mark, and a third predetermined separation between the second mark and the third mark in a cross-process direction,
• the sensor being configured to measure at least two of (1) a separation between the first mark and the third mark, (2) a separation between the first mark in the second mark, and (3) a separation between the second mark in the third mark, and the processor being further programmed to compare the measured separation between the first mark and the third mark with the first predetermined separation, the measured separation between the first mark and the second mark with the second predetermined separation, and the measured separation between the second mark and the third mark with the third predetermined separation to isolate the wrinkle condition in the cross-process direction to a vicinity of one of the first edge or second edge of the continuous feed web material image receiving medium,
• the adjustable pressure device comprising a plurality of span-wise discrete individual pressure actuators that varyingly adjust the pressure in the adjustable pressure device differentially across a span-wise length of the media driving nip, each of the plurality of span-wise discrete individual pressure actuators receiving a different discrete signal from the processor to adjust the pressure in the each of the plurality of span-wise discrete individual pressure actuators,
• the processor being further programmed to automatically generate the different discrete signals to increase a differential pressure in the media driving nip toward the one of the first edge or second edge of the continuous feed web material image receiving medium to which the wrinkle condition is isolated,
• the sensor measuring a separation between a second plurality of marks on a surface of the continuous feed web material image receiving medium, the second plurality of marks being presented on the surface of the continuous feed web material image receiving medium in the same manner as the first plurality of marks, and positioned upstream of the first plurality of marks on the continuous feed web material image receiving medium in a manner that causes the second plurality of marks to pass the sensor at an interval after the first plurality of marks passes the sensor, the interval being long enough for the differential pressure in the media driving nip to be effected, and the processor being further programmed to determine that (1) the differential pressure in the media driving nip substantially corrected the wrinkle condition in the continuous feed web material image receiving medium, or (2) further modification of the differential pressure in the media driving nip is warranted, and
• the processor being further programmed to automatically generate the different discrete signals to incrementally reduce a pressure exerted by the each of the plurality of span-wise discrete individual pressure actuators resulting in an overall incremental decrease in the spanwise nip pressure while maintaining the differential pressure in the media driving nip.

A non-transitory computer readable medium on which is stored a set of instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to execute the steps of a method for handling a continuous feed web material image receiving medium in an image forming system, the method comprising:

• operating a nip based driving unit to drive a continuous feed web material image receiving medium through at least a portion of the image forming system in a process direction, the nip based driving unit comprising:
• at least two opposing rollers that are positioned in a first position to face each other in a manner that forms a media driving nip, and
• an adjustable pressure device to which at least one of the two opposing rollers is mounted that adjusts a pressure at the media driving nip;
• measuring, with a sensor positioned downstream of the media driving nip, a separation between a first plurality of marks on a surface of the continuous feed web material image receiving medium, the plurality of marks having a predetermined separation in a cross-process direction;
• comparing the measured separation of the first plurality of marks with the predetermined separation of the first plurality of marks to detect a wrinkle condition in the continuous feed web material image receiving medium;
• automatically generating a signal to adjust a pressure in the adjustable pressure device based on the comparing detecting a wrinkle condition in the continuous feed web material image receiving medium to reduce the detected wrinkle condition in the continuous feed web material image receiving medium;
• measuring, with the sensor, a separation between a second plurality of marks on a surface of the continuous feed web material image receiving medium, the second plurality of marks being presented on the surface of the continuous feed web material image receiving medium in the same manner as the first plurality of marks, and positioned upstream of the first plurality of marks on the continuous feed web material image receiving medium in a manner that causes the second plurality of marks to pass the sensor at an interval after the first plurality of marks passes the sensor, the interval being long enough for the differential pressure in the media driving nip to be effected;
• determining that the differential pressure in the media driving nip substantially corrected the wrinkle condition in the continuous feed web material image receiving medium or that further modification of the differential pressure is warranted;
• providing feedback to a user regarding at least a result of the determining that the wrinkle condition in the continuous feed web material image receiving medium is substantially corrected or that further modification of the differential pressure is warranted;
• the adjustable pressure device comprising a plurality of span-wise discrete individual pressure actuators that varyingly adjust the pressure in the adjustable pressure device differentially across a span-wise length of the media driving nip, each of the plurality of span-wise discrete individual pressure actuators receiving a different discrete signal from the processor to adjust the pressure in the each of the plurality of span-wise discrete individual pressure actuators;
• and
• the processor automatically generating the different discrete signals to incrementally reduce a pressure exerted by the each of the plurality of span-wise discrete individual pressure actuators resulting in an overall incremental decrease in the spanwise nip pressure while maintaining the differential pressure in the media driving nip.