Patent ID: 6682238
Filing Date: 2004-01-27
Classification: B41J,B65H

Abstract:
A vacuum platen system for transporting print media through a printing zone, comprising:an ink-jet printer platen having ports permitting airflow therethrough at predetermined positions of a surface thereof, said platen having a series of channels oriented across a direction of travel of the belt thereacross, each of said channels having at least one port coupling each of said channels to said vacuum device; a vacuum device associated with the platen and inducing the airflow, said vacuum device including a vacuum box and a vacuum inducing device associated with the vacuum box for creating a negative pressure within the vacuum box and inducing the airflow in an approximate range of six cubic feet per hour per square inch to one-hundred cubic feet per hour per square inch; and a transport belt superjacent and in face-to-face sliding contact with the surface, having an array of belt perforations such that the perforations through the belt carry substantially only said airflow and have a diameter less than associated port diameters.