Abstract: A system for maintaining depth of focus in an ink jet printer between a series of print heads and corrugated media includes a vacuum transport in combination with a heating element positioned upstream of the series of print heads in order to help the vacuum transport acquire the corrugated media and seal edges of the corrugated media against a platen.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for media thickness measurement in an image production device is disclosed. The method may include receiving images of a media stack from an imaging device, measuring one or more sheet-to-sheet interfaces in the media stack from the received images, determining the media thickness based on the sheet-to-sheet interface measurements, and adjusting at least one image production device parameter based on the determined media thickness.

Abstract: A stripper blade system has been developed for high throughput inkjet printers. The stripper blade system includes a metallic blade having a leading edge that is less than 0.06 mm in thickness, a blade holder to which the metallic blade is mounted, and an actuator that is associated with the blade holder to move the metallic blade into and out of contact with an intermediate imaging member.

Abstract: Provided are vacuum transport systems, methods of making them and methods of transporting one or more objects. In accordance with various embodiments, there is a vacuum transport system including a vacuum plenum and one or more transport members configured to rotate around the vacuum plenum and wherein at least one of the one or more transport members can include a substrate, the substrate including a plurality of holes extending from a first side proximate to the vacuum plenum to a second side proximate to an object, wherein a surface of the second side comprises a textured surface having an average roughness Ra of about 2 ?m to about 100 ?m.

Abstract: Provided are media vacuum transport systems including media vacuum transport members, methods of making media vacuum transport members, and method of transporting media. In accordance with various embodiments, there is a media vacuum transport system including a vacuum plenum one or more transport members configured to rotate around the vacuum plenum and wherein at least one of the one or more transport members can include a substrate, the substrate comprising a plurality of holes extending from a first side proximate to the vacuum plenum to a second side proximate to the media, and a top coat layer disposed over the substrate, wherein the top coat layer can include a plurality of particles dispersed in a resin to provide an average surface roughness Ra of about 2 ?m to about 100 ?m.

Abstract: An apparatus comprises a vacuum belt having belt edges and a contact surface between the belt edges. The contact surface is adapted to contact sheets of print media and the sheets of print media have sheet edges and a central sheet region. The contact surface has a central belt region located where the central sheet region of the sheets of print media contacts the contact surface of the vacuum belt. The contact surface has border regions located where the sheet edges of the sheets of print media contact the contact surface of the vacuum belt. The central belt region is located between the border regions. The contact surface has vacuum holes, and the vacuum holes comprise an irregular pattern, such that a different density of holes is located within the border regions relative to the central belt region.

Abstract: A device is provided for curling side edges of a sheet of media to be held down by a hold down system in an image production system. The device has a first shaped element having an outer section, the outer section of the first shaped element pointing in a first direction; a second shaped element having an outer section, the outer section of the second shaped element pointing in a second direction opposite the first direction; a first pinching element adjacent to the first shaped element, a first pathway being formed between the first pinching element and the first shaped element; and a second pinching element adjacent to the second shaped element, a second pathway being formed between the second pinching element and the second shaped element.

Abstract: A method and system move a media sheet in a processing direction of a media path from a first nip to a second nip and move the media sheet in the processing direction of the media path from the second nip to a third nip. The method senses, using a sensor positioned between the second nip and the third nip, the position of the media sheet relative to the sensor. The method automatically calculates the amount of curl the media sheet contains based on the difference between the predetermined position and the position of the leading edge of the media sheet (relative to the sensor) as the leading edge of the media sheet passes between the second nip and the third nip, using the processor. Further, the method automatically calculates the thickness of the media sheet based on the difference between the predetermined position and the position of the media sheet (relative to the sensor) as the media sheet passes between the second nip and the third nip, using the processor.

Abstract: An apparatus comprises a vacuum belt having belt edges and a contact surface between the belt edges. The contact surface is adapted to contact sheets of print media and the sheets of print media have sheet edges and a central sheet region. The contact surface has a central belt region located where the central sheet region of the sheets of print media contacts the contact surface of the vacuum belt. The contact surface has border regions located where the sheet edges of the sheets of print media contact the contact surface of the vacuum belt. The central belt region is located between the border regions. The contact surface has vacuum holes, and the vacuum holes comprise an irregular pattern, such that a different density of holes is located within the border regions relative to the central belt region.

Abstract: A print system including a print head array configured to print ink onto a printable medium, a transport surface positioned adjacent to the print head array and configured to transport a printable medium past the print head array and a plurality of thin guides positioned between the transport surface and the print head array, the plurality of thin guides held in tension and configured to prevent edges of a printable medium from contacting the print head array as the printable medium passes under the print head array.

Abstract: A method of reusing a sheet includes receiving a sheet having a printed image, scanning a new image, determining whether the sheet is acceptable for reuse, covering at least one portion of the printed image on the sheet with a white-out toner via a white-out unit, fusing the white-out toner to the at least one portion of the sheet, printing a new image onto the sheet, and performing the receiving, scanning, determining, covering, fusing and printing operations on the sheet a plurality of times. A printing device for covering and printing over a printed image includes a receiving subsystem configured to receive a sheet, a processing module configured to determine whether the sheet is acceptable for reuse, and a fuser module configured to fuse a white-out toner.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for media thickness measurement in an image production device is disclosed. The method may include receiving images of a media stack from an imaging device, measuring one or more sheet-to-sheet interfaces in the media stack from the received images, determining the media thickness based on the sheet-to-sheet interface measurements, and adjusting at least one image production device parameter based on the determined media thickness.

Abstract: A method of enhancing cut sheet edge hold-down on an imaging transport surface, the method including: (a) moving a cut sheet towards the sheet the imaging transport surface; (b) inducing a desired curl on one of the lead edge and trail edge of the cut sheet before the cut sheet enters the imaging transport surface, inducing a desired curl comprises inducing into the cut sheet a curl tending into the surface of the imaging transport surface.

Abstract: A lead edge and/or trail edge sheet curl sensing and constraint method and system. First and second light emitters and detector pairs are aligned such that the light beams from the first light emitter and second light emitter cross at the transport media sheet substrate path, which constitutes the path of a media sheet substrate with zero curl. A media sheet substrate with either positive or negative curl on the lead edge of the sheet substrate interrupts light beams from the first and second light emitters, as detected by first and second light detectors. A similar approach can be used to detect the trail edge curl. The time delay between the light beam interruptions is proportional to the sheet substrate curl, and the order of interruptions indicates whether the sheet substrate curl is positive or negative. A first pair and a second pair of substrate constraint rollers can also be provided in the paper path upstream and downstream of the sensing system.

Abstract: A monitoring system and method for monitoring a printing system includes a printing system module and a camera. The printing system module is configured to interface with a primary printing-medium path of the printing system and includes a housing with at least one printing-medium path disposed therein. The at least one printing-medium path is a sub-printing-medium path of the primary printing-medium path. The camera is positioned to capture at least one frame of the inside of the printing system module and can be disposed therein.

Abstract: An enhanced sheet stripping method and apparatus for stripping toner image carrying copy sheets from a surface of a moving heated fusing member forming a fusing nip. The apparatus includes (a) a moving assembly for moving a cut sheet towards the fusing nip; (b) a sheet curling device positioned upstream of the fusing nip relative to movement of the cut sheet for inducing a desired pre-curl in the cut sheet before the cut sheet enters the fusing nip; and (c) a sheet stripping device positioned downstream of the fusing nip for stripping the cut sheet from contact with the surface of the moving heated fusing member as the cut sheet exits the fusing nip. The method includes inducing a desired curl in the cut sheet before the cut sheet enters the fusing nip and enhanced stripping the cut sheet from contact with the surface of the fuser roll as the cut sheet exits the fusing nip.

Abstract: A lead edge and/or trail edge sheet curl sensing and constraint method and system. First and second light emitters and detector pairs are aligned such that the light beams from the first light emitter and second light emitter cross at the transport media sheet substrate path, which constitutes the path of a media sheet substrate with zero curl. A media sheet substrate with either positive or negative curl on the lead edge of the sheet substrate interrupts light beams from the first and second light emitters, as detected by first and second light detectors. A similar approach can be used to detect the trail edge curl. The time delay between the light beam interruptions is proportional to the sheet substrate curl, and the order of interruptions indicates whether the sheet substrate curl is positive or negative. A first pair and a second pair of substrate constraint rollers can also be provided in the paper path upstream and downstream of the sensing system.