Ink-jet printing systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10160232-B1
Application number	US-201715617047-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Jun 8, 2017
Priority date	Jun 8, 2017
Publication date	Dec 25, 2018
Grant date	Dec 25, 2018

Abstract

A media transport system for conveying sheets of media along a process path extending from a media-uptake zone and thereafter through a print zone. The system includes a transport belt for holding the sheets of media generally flat via vacuum for ink jet printing. The media transport system includes a seamed vacuum transport belt, and a platen supporting the belt. The belt comprises a partially-conductive coating having a surface resistivity of from about 101 to about 106 ohms per square on a polymeric substrate. The partially-conductive coating comprises a polyester and a conductive component such as carbon black, and optionally includes a plasticizer and a leveling agent. The polymeric substrate is either a thermoplastic or a thermoset material.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. In a system for transporting a plurality of sheets of media seriatim along a process path extending from a media-uptake zone and thereafter through a print zone, an apparatus comprising:
an electrically-grounded base;
a support member electrically-connected to the base;
a belt formed into a closed loop having two continuous surfaces, one of which is an electrically-conductive exterior surface and the other of which is an inner surface; and
an electric circuit comprising the base, the support member, the electrically-conductive surface of the belt and the support member,
wherein the electric circuit results in electric-charge on the exterior surface of the belt being dissipated, whereby, when ink is jetted onto media passing through the print zone, ink jet face plates remain substantially free of ink droplets.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , further including:
means for causing the belt to transport media on the exterior surface of the belt along the path from the media-uptake zone and thereafter through the print zone.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 ,
wherein the electrically-conductive surface of the belt is electrically connected to the support member by,
a roller electrically connected to the electrically-conductive surface of the belt, and
a bearing,
wherein the bearing is electrically connected to the roller as well as to the support member.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the roller electrically connected to the electrically-conductive surface of the belt is a steel roller.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the belt is apertured for allowing a vacuum source to use vacuum to retain sheets of media flatly on the electrically-conductive surface of the belt.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the belt comprises a support layer and an electrically-conductive layer on the support layer.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the electrically-conductive layer has a surface resistivity of from about 10 1 to about 10 6 ohms per square when on the support layer.

8. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the electrically-conductive layer comprises:
a polymeric ingredient;
an optional electrically-conductive ingredient;
an optional plasticizer ingredient; and
an optional leveling agent ingredient.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the polymeric ingredient is a polyester.

10. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the support layer is a thermoplastic or a thermoset.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein field voltages range from about minus 25 volts to about plus 25 volts, when field voltage is measured on the conductive surface of the belt.

Assignees

• Xerox Corp

Inventors

• Griffin Scott J
• Skinner David M
• Dudek Eric Robert
• Tallman Kyle B
• Roetker Michael S
• Wu Jin
• Williams James E
• Lefevre Jason M
• Bonino Paul S
• Terrero Carlos M

Classifications

• B41J11/0085

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

• B41J11/0015 Primary

  for treating before, during or after printing or for uniform coating or laminating the copy material before or after printing (selective coating B41J2/2114) · 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

• B41J11/007 Primary

  Conveyor belts or like feeding devices · CPC title

• B65H2801/03

  Image reproduction devices · CPC title