Media support

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11274006-B2
Application number	US-201815918959-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 12, 2018
Priority date	Apr 20, 2017
Publication date	Mar 15, 2022
Grant date	Mar 15, 2022

Abstract

In one example, a media support includes a continuous loop belt and multiple suction cups arranged along the outer perimeter of the belt. Each suction cup has a port aligned with a hole in the belt so that air may be evacuated from the suction cup when connected to a vacuum source.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A media support system, comprising:
a continuous loop belt having an inner perimeter, an outer perimeter, and multiple holes each extending through the belt from the inner perimeter to the outer perimeter;
a drive mechanism to circulate the belt in a first direction along an upper run to support a media sheet and in a second direction opposite the first direction along a lower run;
multiple suction cups arranged along the outer perimeter of the belt so that multiple suction cups are exposed simultaneously along a length of the upper run of the belt to hold down media sheets supported on the upper run of the belt, each suction cup having a port aligned with one of the holes through which air may be evacuated from the suction cup; and
a vacuum control system to connect each suction cup port along the upper run of the belt to a vacuum source, the vacuum control system comprising:
multiple rows of multiple enclosures, each enclosure defining a vacuum chamber to underlay the upper run of the belt;
a linear slot along a top of each enclosure to align with holes in the belt;
a tubular duct;
circumferential slots in the duct arranged to include at least one group of multiple slots and at least one single slot; and
multiple conduits each extending between the duct and one of the enclosures; and where the duct is:
translatable to align some or all of the conduits to a circumferential slot according to the translational position of the duct; and
rotatable to connect some or all of the aligned conduits to a circumferential slot according to the rotational position of the duct.

2. The system of claim 1 , comprising the vacuum source connected to the duct.

3. The system of claim 1 , comprising a sleeve around the duct to cover the circumferential slots when not aligned with a conduit.

Assignees

• Hp Scitex Ltd

Inventors

• Veis Alex
• Dim Yuval

Classifications

• B65H5/224 Primary

  by suction belts (B65H11/005 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B65H2406/3221

  for variable distribution in the direction of transport · CPC title

• B65H2406/361

  distributing vacuum from stationary element to movable element · CPC title

• B65H2406/3223

  details of the openings in the belt, e.g. shape, distribution · CPC title

• B65H2404/231

  pocket or gripper type · CPC title