Abstract: A transport with media hold down is used with an inkjet printer. A plurality of spar links and vacuum links are connected pivotally together to form an endless belt orbiting around drive wheels and driven wheels. Vacuum links have hollow chambers to hold the media sheet against the endless belt using vacuum. At least one spar is received in a slot on a spar link. The spar extends above the link to receive the media sheet. The spar moves into a clamping position by a cam and follower to clamp the media sheet against the spar link. The media sheet will thus pass beneath the inkjet print head without contact. The spar moves into an extended position by the cam and follower to release the media sheet. The spar moves into a retracted position below the spar link surface by the cam and follower to allow the media sheet to exit the transport.

Abstract: A printed sheet drying apparatus includes, among other components, a nozzle connected to a heated air supply, and an exhaust chamber connected to the nozzle and to a blower. The nozzle comprises a heated air outlet portion. The heated air outlet portion comprises a multi-planar surface having parallel slot openings tapering away from the printed sheet to prevent saturation at the boundary layer. The exhaust chamber has an exhaust opening that matches the shape of the multi-planar surface, and the exhaust opening is larger than the nozzle and is positioned to form an exhaust periphery gap surrounding a periphery of the nozzle.

Abstract: A printed sheet drying apparatus includes, among other components, a nozzle connected to a heated air supply, and an exhaust chamber connected to the nozzle and to a blower. The nozzle comprises a heated air outlet portion. The heated air outlet portion comprises a multi-planar surface having parallel slot openings tapering away from the printed sheet to prevent saturation at the boundary layer. The exhaust chamber has an exhaust opening that matches the shape of the multi-planar surface, and the exhaust opening is larger than the nozzle and is positioned to form an exhaust periphery gap surrounding a periphery of the nozzle.

Abstract: A system and method for adjusting a transport path length of a continuous web of recording media in a printing system printing duplex images. The method includes detecting alignment marks, for instance top of form (TOF) marks, on the continuous web of print media and adjusting the path length to provide substantially accurate registration of first and second images on opposite sides of the web for duplex imaging. The system to adjust path length includes idler rollers movable with respect to turnbar rollers.

Abstract: A system and method prints on a continuous web of imaging material in a printing machine. One or more inkjet printheads deposit ink on the continuous web of imaging material which is supported by rollers along a transport path. An air film device is disposed between rollers to stabilize flatness the transported web during printing. Undesirable dynamic movement of the web toward or away from the printheads resulting from fluttering, troughing or catenary sag of the web is reduced to minimize drop placement error in both cross-track and process directions.

Abstract: A system and method prints on a continuous web of imaging material in a printing machine. One or more inkjet printheads deposit ink on the continuous web of imaging material which is supported by rollers along a transport path. An air film device is disposed between rollers to stabilize flatness the transported web during printing. Undesirable dynamic movement of the web toward or away from the printheads resulting from fluttering, troughing or catenary sag of the web is reduced to minimize drop placement error in both cross-track and process directions.

Abstract: An inkjet offset printer includes a heated drum assembly having a hollow drum with an internal surface defining an internal cavity and a heater and a cooler located in the internal cavity. The heater includes at least one ceramic heater element. The cooler includes a slot to direct an air stream that is normal to the internal surface of the drum that aids in quenching the heating element for faster control responses.

Abstract: An inkjet offset printer includes an imaging drum and a transfix roller skewed with respect to and defining a continuously applied or an uninterrupted nip with the imaging drum to reduce torque disturbances and media wrinkling issues. Acoustic and physical disturbances resulting from a sheet of recording media entering and leaving the nip are reduced or eliminated.

Abstract: An inkjet offset printer includes a heated drum assembly having a hollow drum with an internal surface defining an internal cavity and a heater and a cooler located in the internal cavity. The heater includes at least one ceramic heater element. The cooler includes a slot to direct an air stream that is normal to the internal surface of the drum that aids in quenching the heating element for faster control responses.

Abstract: An inkjet offset printer includes a heated drum assembly having a hollow drum with an internal surface defining an internal cavity and a heater and a cooler located in the internal cavity. The heater includes at least one ceramic heater element. The cooler includes a slot to direct an air stream to the internal surface of the drum and aids in quenching the heating element for faster control responses.

Abstract: A leveling and spreading system has been developed that enables the speed and position of the web to be determined from a sensor on a first roller. In a duplex print process, the first roller also reduces a temperature of the media web and an ink image printed in the first side print operation to within a first predetermined temperature range. A second roller modulates the temperature of the media web and ink ejected onto the media web immediately before the web enters the leveling and spreading system to within a second predetermined temperature range to enable uniformity of the ink and web temperatures for spreading the ink in a nip formed with a third roller.

Abstract: A leveling and spreading system has been developed that enables the speed and position of the web to be determined from a sensor on a first roller. In a duplex print process, the first roller also reduces a temperature of the media web and an ink image printed in the first side print operation to within a first predetermined temperature range. A second roller modulates the temperature of the media web and ink ejected onto the media web immediately before the web enters the leveling and spreading system to within a second predetermined temperature range to enable uniformity of the ink and web temperatures for spreading the ink in a nip formed with a third roller.

Abstract: A system and method for adjusting a transport path length of a continuous web of recording media in a printing system printing duplex images. The method includes detecting alignment marks, for instance top of form (TOF) marks, on the continuous web of print media and adjusting the path length to provide substantially accurate registration of first and second images on opposite sides of the web for duplex imaging. The system to adjust path length includes idler rollers movable with respect to turnbar rollers.

Abstract: An inkjet offset printer includes an imaging drum and a transfix roller skewed with respect to and defining a continuously applied or an uninterrupted nip with the imaging drum to reduce torque disturbances and media wrinkling issues. Acoustic and physical disturbances resulting from a sheet of recording media entering and leaving the nip are reduced or eliminated.

Abstract: An inkjet offset printer includes a heated drum assembly having a hollow drum with an internal surface defining an internal cavity and a heater and a cooler located in the internal cavity. The heater includes at least one ceramic heater element. The cooler includes a slot to direct an air stream to the internal surface of the drum and aids in quenching the heating element for faster control responses.

Abstract: A heater panel is configured to heat a print medium in a printer. The heater panel includes electrical conductors that form a plurality of heating zones to emit radiant energy toward the print medium. Heating zones that correspond to edges of the print medium emit radiant energy with a greater power density than heating zones that correspond to central portions of the print medium. The heater panel has a plurality of angled positions to vary the view factor for high gain control.

Abstract: An inkjet printing system controls an ink droplet mass by regulating a pressure in an ink reservoir. The printing system includes an ink reservoir, an air pressure device, an ink ejection device, and a controller. The ink reservoir is configured to contain a supply of ink and an air space above the supply of ink. The air pressure device is fluidly coupled to the air space above the supply of ink. The ink ejection device is fluidly coupled to the ink reservoir to receive ink from the supply of ink and to eject ink droplets onto an image receiving surface. The controller is coupled to the air pressure device and is configured to activate the air pressure device selectively to change a mass of the ink droplets ejected by the ink ejection device.

Abstract: A heater panel is configured to heat a print medium in a printer. The heater panel includes electrical conductors that form a plurality of heating zones to emit radiant energy toward the print medium. Heating zones that correspond to edges of the print medium emit radiant energy with a greater power density than heating zones that correspond to central portions of the print medium. The heater panel has a plurality of angled positions to vary the view factor for high gain control.

Abstract: A solid ink printer is enabled to eject ink onto image substrates at rates that are greater than previously known solid ink printers. The solid ink printer includes a print head that ejects melted ink, a web of image substrate that moves past the print head to receive melted ink ejected from the print head, a pair of fixing rollers positioned downstream of the print head, the fixing rollers forming a nip through which the web of image substrate passes to fix the ink onto the web of image substrate, and a melting device coupled to the print head to provide melted ink to the print head.

Abstract: An inkjet printing system controls an ink droplet mass by regulating a pressure in an ink reservoir. The printing system includes an ink reservoir, an air pressure device, an ink ejection device, and a controller. The ink reservoir is configured to contain a supply of ink and an air space above the supply of ink. The air pressure device is fluidly coupled to the air space above the supply of ink. The ink ejection device is fluidly coupled to the ink reservoir to receive ink from the supply of ink and to eject ink droplets onto an image receiving surface. The controller is coupled to the air pressure device and is configured to activate the air pressure device selectively to change a mass of the ink droplets ejected by the ink ejection device.