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US 9,517,644 B2Granted
Printing apparatus
AssigneeSeiko Epson Corporation
InventorsTakeho Kamijo, Takayuki Tamaki
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A printing apparatus includes a medium support portion that applies suction to a printing medium and supports the printing medium, a printing unit that prints onto the printing medium supported on the medium support portion, and a transport unit that transports the printing medium supported on the medium support portion. A recessed portion is formed in the medium support portion, and a first suction opening that that applies suction to the printing medium is formed in the recessed portion on a downstream side thereof in a transport direction.
Claims17
A printing apparatus comprising:
- a medium support that applies suction to a printing medium, the medium support having a top surface that supports the printing medium;
- a print mechanism that prints within a printing area onto the printing medium supported on the medium support;
- and
- a conveyor that conveys the printing medium supported on the medium support in a transport direction;
- wherein a cavity is formed in the medium support, the cavity being positioned facing the printing area and receding into the medium support away from the top surface of the medium support, and a first suction opening that applies suction to the printing medium is formed in the cavity,
- wherein a second suction opening that applies suction to the printing medium is formed in a non-cavity and planar region of the top surface of the medium support, the second suction opening being located downstream from the cavity in the transport direction;
- wherein the cavity includes:
- a first base floor at a first depth from the top surface of the medium support;
- and
- a second base floor at a second depth from the top surface of the medium support, the second depth being smaller than the first depth, and the first base floor and second base floor being offset from each other;
- wherein the second base floor is located downstream from the first base floor in the transport direction;
- and
- wherein the first suction opening is formed in the second base floor and no suction opening is formed in the first base floor.
10 more elements
A printing apparatus comprising:
- a medium support that applies suction to a printing medium, the medium support having a top surface that supports the printing medium;
- a print mechanism that prints within a printing area onto the printing medium supported on the medium support;
- and
- a conveyor that conveys the printing medium supported on the medium support in a transport direction;
- wherein a cavity is formed in the medium support, the cavity being positioned facing the printing area and receding into the medium support away from the top surface of the medium support, and a first suction opening that applies suction to the printing medium is formed in the cavity;
- wherein a second suction opening that applies suction to the printing medium is formed in a non-cavity and planar region of the top surface of the medium support, the second suction opening being located downstream from the cavity in the transport direction;
- wherein the cavity includes:
- a first region having a first floor at a first depth with respect to the top surface of the medium support;
- and
- a second region having a second floor at a second depth that is shallower than the first depth with respect to the top surface of the medium support, the first and second regions being contiguous with each other and being in direct air-flow communication with each other, the second region being connected to the first region by a step offset;
- and
- wherein the first suction opening is formed wholly within one of the first region or second region and no suction opening is formed in the other of the first region or second region.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.