Media support

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10105967-B2
Application number	US-201314908190-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 28, 2013
Priority date	Jul 28, 2013
Publication date	Oct 23, 2018
Grant date	Oct 23, 2018

Abstract

In one example, a media support includes a sheet of suction cups in which each suction cup has a port through which air may be evacuated from the cup. In another example, a detachable cover for a vacuum table includes: a sheet having a flat front surface, a flat back surface and multiple suction cups arranged across the front surface of the sheet Each suction cup has a port to the back surface of the sheet to connect to a corresponding vacuum hole in the table when the cover is attached to the table.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A media support, comprising:
a vacuum platen having:
an upper surface to receive a sheet of media; and
an array of holes in the vacuum platen;

a sheet comprising an array of suction cups covering the vacuum platen, wherein the cups open away from the upper surface to receive a sheet of media, each cup having a port through which air may be evacuated from the cup to secure a sheet of media to the vacuum platen, wherein the array of suction cups is less dense than the array of holes; and
a drive system to move the vacuum platen with respect to a printing unit.

2. The media support of claim 1 , wherein the sheet is fastened to the vacuum platen.

3. The media support of claim 1 , wherein each suction cup is an integral part of the sheet.

4. The media support of claim 1 , wherein the sheet comprises a flexible sheet.

5. The media support of claim 1 , wherein the sheet includes a front surface and a back surface and each suction cup includes a rim that protrudes above the front surface of the sheet.

6. A media support, comprising a sheet of suction cups each having a port through which air may be evacuated from the cup;
wherein the sheet includes a front surface and a back surface and each suction cup includes a rim that protrudes above the front surface of the sheet;
wherein the rim is formed at the perimeter of a flexible ring surrounding the port in space such that the ring flexes into a recess on the front surface of the sheet when a media supported on the sheet is sucked onto the rim; and
wherein the number of suction cups is less than the number of holes on a vacuum platen.

7. The media support of claim 6 , wherein each suction cup includes multiple ridges each extending radially out from the port toward the rim.

8. The media support of claim 1 , further comprising:
a platen having an array of vacuum holes therein through which vacuum may be applied to media on the platen;
wherein the sheet is disposed covering the platen, the sheet having a body, the suction cups formed in an array in the body with the port of each suction cup being aligned to a vacuum hole on the platen so that vacuum may be applied to the suction cup through the vacuum hole.

9. The media support of claim 8 , wherein the sheet is detachable from the platen.

10. The media support of claim 8 , further comprising a fastener attaching the sheet to the platen.

11. The media support of claim 8 , wherein there are the same or fewer suction cups on the sheet than vacuum holes in the platen.

12. The media support of claim 8 , wherein each suction cup includes a flexible ring surrounding the port in a recess such that the ring may flex into the recess when suction is applied to print media supported on the sheet.

13. The media support of claim 1 , further comprising a detachable cover for a vacuum table, wherein:
the sheet has a flat front surface and a flat back surface; and
the suction cups are arranged across the front surface of the sheet, the port of each suction cup being in the back surface of the sheet to connect to a corresponding vacuum hole in the table when the cover is attached to the table.

14. The media support of claim 13 , wherein:
each suction cup is either a discrete part affixed to the sheet or an integral part of axe sheet; and
each suction cup includes a rim protruding above the front surface of the sheet.

15. The media support of claim 13 , further comprising a fastener configured to removably attach the cover to the table.

16. The media support of claim 1 , wherein the sheet of suction cups is incorporated in a detachable cover for selective installation on, and removal from, a vacuum table.

17. The media support of claim 16 , further comprising a removable fastener to removably attach the sheet of suction cups to the vacuum table.

18. The media support of claim 1 , wherein the sheet of suction cups comprises suction cups molded into a sheet body.

Assignees

• Hp Scitex Ltd

Inventors

• Dekel Yaron
• Veis Alex
• Dim Yuval

Classifications

• B41J13/226

  using suction · CPC title

• B41J11/0085 Primary

  Using suction for maintaining printing material flat (on rotatable drums B41J13/226) · CPC title

• B41J11/006

  Means for preventing paper jams or for facilitating their removal · CPC title

• B41J13/0072

  Handling wide cut sheets, e.g. using means for enabling or facilitating the conveyance of wide sheets · CPC title

• B41J11/06

  Flat page-size platens {or smaller flat platens having a greater size than line-size platens (B41J11/0085 takes precedence)} · CPC title