Airflow control in a printing system using a movable baffle, and related devices, systems, and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11801693-B2
Application number	US-202117217388-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 30, 2021
Priority date	Mar 30, 2021
Publication date	Oct 31, 2023
Grant date	Oct 31, 2023

Abstract

A printing system comprises an ink deposition assembly, a media transport device, and an airflow control system. The ink deposition assembly comprises a printhead to eject ink through a carrier plate opening in a carrier plate. The media transport device holds a print medium against a movable support surface by vacuum suction and transports the print media through a deposition region. The airflow control system comprises a baffle that is movable between an upstream-blocking configuration and a downstream-blocking configuration, and an actuator configured to move the baffle. In the upstream-blocking configuration the baffle blocks airflow through an upstream side of the printhead opening while allowing airflow through a downstream side of the printhead opening. In the downstream-blocking configuration the baffle blocks airflow through the downstream side of the printhead opening while allowing airflow through the upstream side of the printhead opening.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A printing system, comprising:
an ink deposition assembly comprising a carrier plate and a printhead arranged to eject a print fluid through a printhead opening in the carrier plate to a deposition region of the ink deposition assembly;
a media transport device comprising a movable support surface, the media transport device configured to hold a print medium against the movable support surface by vacuum suction through holes in the media transport device and transport the print medium along a process direction though the deposition region; and
an airflow control system comprising:
a baffle that is movable between an upstream-blocking configuration and a downstream-blocking configuration; and
an actuator configured to move the baffle between the upstream-blocking configuration and the downstream-blocking configuration,
wherein in the upstream-blocking configuration the baffle blocks airflow through an upstream side of the printhead opening while allowing airflow through a downstream side of the printhead opening, upstream and downstream being defined based on the process direction, and
in the downstream-blocking configuration the baffle blocks airflow through the downstream side of the printhead opening while allowing airflow through the upstream side of the printhead opening.

2. The printing system of claim 1 , comprising:
a controller configured to cause the actuator to selectively move the baffle between upstream-blocking configuration and the downstream-blocking configuration based on a position of an inter-media zone between adjacent print media held against the movable support surface.

3. The printing system of claim 2 ,
wherein the controller is configured to cause the actuator to move the baffle such that:
the baffle is in the downstream-blocking configuration when a downstream edge of the inter-media zone reaches a first location associated with the baffle; and
the baffle is in the upstream-blocking configuration when the downstream edge of the inter-media zone reaches a second location associated with the baffle.

4. The printing system of claim 3 ,
wherein the first location associated with the baffle corresponds to any of: an upstream edge of the carrier plate, an upstream edge of the printhead opening, an upstream edge of the printhead.

5. The printing system of claim 3 ,
wherein the second location associated with the baffle corresponds to a downstream edge of the printhead or a downstream edge of the printhead opening.

6. The printing system of claim 1 , comprising:
a controller configured to cause the actuator to selectively move the baffle to:
the upstream-blocking configuration while a lead edge of the print medium is under the printhead; and
the downstream-blocking configuration while a trail edge of the print medium is under the printhead.

7. The printing system of claim 1 ,
wherein the ink deposition assembly comprises a second printhead arranged to eject print fluid through a second printhead opening in the carrier plate,
wherein the airflow control system comprises:
a second baffle that is movable between an upstream-blocking configuration and a downstream-blocking configuration, and
a second actuator configured to move the second baffle between the upstream-blocking configuration and the downstream-blocking configuration, wherein in the upstream-blocking configuration the second baffle blocks airflow through an upstream side of the second printhead opening while allowing airflow through a downstream side of the second printhead opening, and
in the downstream-blocking configuration the second baffle blocks airflow through the downstream side of the second printhead opening while allowing airflow through the upstream side of the second printhead opening.

8. The printing system of claim 7 , further comprising:
a controller configured to cause the actuator and the second actuator to selectively and independently move the baffle and the second baffle between the upstream-blocking configuration and the downstream-blocking configuration based on a position of an inter-media zone between adjacent print media held against the movable support surface.

9. The printing system of claim 7 , further comprising:
a controller configured to cause the actuator to selectively move the baffle to:
the upstream-blocking configuration while a lead edge of the print medium is under the printhead; and
the downstream-blocking configuration while a trail edge of the print medium is under the printhead; and

wherein the controller is configured to cause the second actuator to selectively move the second baffle to:
the upstream-blocking configuration while the lead edge of the print medium is under the second printhead; and
the downstream-blocking configuration while the trail edge of the print medium is under the second printhead.

10. The printing system of claim 7 ,
wherein the baffle and the second baffle are both arranged to move in translation along a process direction while moving between the upstream-blocking configuration and the downstream-blocking configuration.

11. The printing system of claim 7 ,
wherein the baffle and the second baffle are both arranged to rotate about respective axes extending parallel to a cross-process direction while moving between the upstream-blocking configuration and the downstream-blocking configuration.

12. The printing system of claim 1 ,
wherein the baffle is arranged to move in translation along a process direction while moving between the upstream-blocking configuration and the downstream-blocking configuration.

13. The printing system of claim 1 ,
wherein the baffle is arranged to rotate about an axis parallel to a cross-process direction while moving between the upstream-blocking configuration and the downstream-blocking configuration.

14. The printing system of claim 13 ,
wherein the baffle comprises:
blocking portions arranged upstream and downstream of the printhead, the blocking portions blocking airflow through the upstream side of the printhead opening and the downstream side of the printhead opening, respectively;
rocker arms coupling the blocking portions together; and
pivots that pivotably couple the rocker arms to the carrier plate.

15. The printing system of claim 1 ,
wherein the media transport device comprises a vacuum platen that supports the movable support surface, the holes extending through the vacuum platen; and
wherein the movable support surface comprises a belt configured to move over a surface of the vacuum platen.

16. A method, comprising:
transporting a print medium in a process direction through a deposition region of a printhead of printing system, wherein the print medium is held during the transporting against a moving support surface of a media transport device via vacuum suction through holes in the media transport device;
ejecting print fluid from the printhead through a printhead opening in a carrier plate to deposit the print fluid to the print medium in the deposition region; and
controlling an airflow control system to selectively block an upstream side of the printhead opening and a downstream side of the printhead opening by moving a baffle between an upstream-blocking configuration in which the baffle blocks the upstream side of the printhead opening and a downstream-blocking configuration in which the baffle blocks a downstream side of the printhead opening, wherein upstream and downstream are defined based on the process direction.

17. The method of claim 16 ,
wherein selectively blocking the upstream s

Assignees

• Xerox Corp

Inventors

• Knausdorf Peter John
• Condello Anthony Salvatore
• Lestrange Jack T
• Ramesh Palghat S
• Sheflin Joseph C

Classifications

• B41J11/0085 Primary

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