Media transports

An ink jet media transport that includes a polyalkylene furandicarboxylate layer substrate with a coating layer of a mixture of a conductive component and a polymer.

This disclosure is generally directed to media transports comprising a polyalkylene furandicarboxylate layer in contact with a layer comprising a mixture of a conductive component and a polymer.

BACKGROUND

A number of ink jet printing systems are known where there are selected, for example, aqueous inks and dye based inks. An ink jet ink can be comprised of deionized water, a water soluble organic solvent, and a colorant, such as a dye or a pigment, and where the inks can be selected for continuous ink jet systems and drop on demand ink jet processes inclusive of thermal ink jet, piezoelectric ink jet, and acoustic ink jet systems. These ink jet technologies can generate spherical ink droplets with, for example, a diameter of from about 15 μm (microns) to about 100 μm, that are directed toward a recording media at, for example, about 4 meters per second. Located within the ink jet print heads are ejecting transducers or actuators which produce the ink droplets. These transducers are typically controlled by a printer controller, or a conventional minicomputer, such as a microprocessor.

The printer controller can activate a plurality of transducers or actuators in relation to the movement of a recording media relative to an associated plurality of print heads. By controlling the activation of the transducers or the actuators, and the recording media movement, a printer controller should cause ink droplets to impact the recording media in a predetermined manner to thereby form an image on the recording media. An ideal droplet-on-demand type print head will produce ink droplets precisely directed toward a recording media, generally in a direction perpendicular thereto. However, a number of ink droplets may not be directed exactly perpendicularly to the recording media resulting in misdirected droplets that negatively affect the quality of a printed image.

Ink jet systems with media transports for the electrostatic tracking of media are illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 9,132,673, the disclosure of which is totally incorporated herein by reference.

Several advantages have been reported for ink jet printing, such as the generation of quality images at high speeds and at relatively low costs. However, disadvantages relating to ink jet printing include the misdirection of ink droplets; retaining the media like paper upon which the ink droplets are directed in a flat configuration in the printing zone; the formation of friction induced triboelectric charges between the transport belt and the platen which can cause the generation of undesirable electrostatic fields in the ink ejection area that adversely affects print quality; the plugging of the ink jet nozzles; unacceptable image blooming; misalignment of the media transport rollers; failing to achieve the precise attachment of an aligned recording media onto the dielectric surface of a transport media thus preventing the accurate motion of the recording media relative to the print heads; consistent and controlled acceleration of the ink droplets to the transport media; undesirable media transport resistivity values, and the use of environmentally damaging materials that are selected for the media transporting system.

Certain imaging systems, like ink jet, contain as materials petroleum derived chemistry components, such as for example, polyethylene terephthalates (PET). Thus, desirable is the development of green materials, such as polymers that are bio-based, sometimes even biodegradable, that minimize the economic impacts and uncertainty associated with the reliance on petroleum imported from unstable regions, and that reduce the carbon footprint.

There is a need for ink jet printing processes and systems that substantially avoid or minimize the disadvantages illustrated herein.

Further, there is a need for environmentally acceptable ink jet media transports.

Also, there is a need for media transport belts that include thereon a media, such as a sheet of paper, that moves in a specific path, and which belts also retain the media in a flat configuration.

Additionally, there is a need for ink jet media transports that possess excellent mechanical properties, desirable glass transition temperatures, heat resistance characteristics, and acceptable modulus, especially as compared, for example, to the environmentally unfriendly polyethylene terephthalates media transports.

Still further there is a need for ink jet printing systems and processes that minimize the media, like paper, curl height that adversely impacts the print head operation when the media is in contact with the print head face plate.

There is also a need for media transports, such as a seamed belt, in contact with a platen supporting substrate, and where the belt contains a bio-based component.

Yet additionally, there is a need for media transports that include a bio-based component resulting in a reduction in the carbon footprint by, for example, about 50 percent.

Moreover, there is a need for a conductive, especially a partially conductive media transport to properly track a wide range size of media while avoiding a built up of friction induced electric fields.

Another need resides in the provision of a media transport that maintains the media registration at speed, is substantially impervious to aqueous inks and some alcohols, and eliminates or minimizes static fields.

Additionally, there is a need for media transport members that contain bio-based components that can be economically and efficiently manufactured, and where the amount of energy consumed is reduced.

Yet additionally, there is a need for ink jet media transports that possess excellent adhesion characteristics between a bio-based polymer supporting layer and a conductive coating mixture, especially as compared, for example, to the poorer adhesion properties for the environmentally unfriendly polyethylene terephthalates media transports.

These and other needs are believed to be achievable with the disclosed transport media systems and processes.

SUMMARY

Disclosed is an ink jet media transport comprising a polyalkylene furandicarboxylate layer substrate with a coating layer comprising, a mixture of a conductive component, and a polymer.

Also, disclosed is an ink jet media transport for ink jet printing comprising a bio-based polyethylene furandicarboxylate substrate with a coating layer comprising a mixture of a conductive component and a polymer.

Further, there is disclosed an ink jet media transport for ink jet printing comprising a bio-based polyethylene furandicarboxylate substrate with a coating layer comprising a mixture of a carbon black and a polyester, and wherein said coating layer mixture possesses a resistivity of from about 101Ω/square to about 106Ω/square as measured by a Resistance Meter.

Yet further there is disclosed an ink jet process comprising directing ink droplets onto a media transport that conveys a media sheet along a predetermined path where the sheet moves across a platen, and where ink jet printheads are present such that the faces thereof are mounted and fixed at a distance equal, for example, to about 1 millimeter or less than about 1 millimeter from the sheet, and where the sheet passes under the print heads, and further including a vacuum to assist for rendering the sheet in a flat configuration, and where the media transport comprises a polyalkylene furandicarboxylate layer in contact with a layer thereover comprising a mixture of a conductive component and a polymer.

EMBODIMENTS

There is illustrated inFIG. 1a high-speed ink jet system100that includes a media transport containing thereon a media like a sheet of paper, and moving the media to a conventional print zone104. The ink jet containing media transport system100includes a seamed or seamless smooth surfaced belt108in a secured contact with electrically grounded rollers R1to R6, where at least one roller is operably connected to a motor, not shown, to drive the belt108, for causing media that is on the belt108to be transported, that is for example, moved from left to right, relative toFIG. 1, through the print zone104. In the print zone104, there are illustrated ink jet print heads, represented by an exemplary black ink print head110K, an exemplary cyan ink print head110C, an exemplary magenta ink print head110M, and an exemplary yellow ink print head110Y. Each of the ink jet print heads110K,110C,110M and110Y includes its own face plate120, closely spaced to the belt108, for precisely jetting ink onto media that is carried by belt108through the print zone104.

Belt108, whether seamed or seamless, where seamless belts can be generated by know methods, reference for example U.S. Pat. No. 6,106,762, the disclosure of which is totally incorporated herein by reference, is formed as an endless loop as illustrated inFIG. 1. The endless loop is configured to be in contact with at least the rollers R2, R3, R5and R6, with each of the rollers including a rubber coating, not shown, to electrically isolate each of the rollers from the inner surface200of the media transport belt108, with the outer surface or exterior surface of the belt108being designated as300.

During operation of the system100, the engagement of belt108enables media like paper, not shown, placed on the belt108to move toward the print zone104where tiny droplets of ink are sprayed onto the media in a controlled manner for the purpose of printing a desired image or text onto the media passing by. The ink jet print heads are mounted such that their faces, where ink nozzles are located, are spaced at, for example, about 1 millimeter or less from the media surface. Since media, such as paper, may possess a curl property that lifts at least a portion of the media more than, for example, at least about 1 millimeter above the surface of transport belt108, minimizing or avoiding contact between the media to one of the print heads in print zone104can be desirable, and is achievable by, for example, known decurling devices.

With further reference toFIG. 1, there is provided a vacuum plenum at the upper surface of platen112, such as glass or a metal. Vacuum plenums, which refer, for example, to a chamber where a negative pressure, that is air pressure that is below atmospheric pressure, is applied, are known, reference for example, U.S. Pat. No. 8,408,539, the disclosure of which is totally incorporated herein by reference. The platen112is usually electrically conductive, and presents a flat surface or supporting substrate against which the media transport belt108is positioned. The vacuum plenum that has platen112as its upper surface includes a plurality of conventional slots, not shown, over which the media transport belt108passes, and where the slots enable the vacuum plenum portion of platen112to subject the media transport belt108to a vacuum.

To control, that is increase or decrease the108belt tension, and to minimize unnecessary drag to the belt, there can be increased the spacing between the rollers, like rollers R2and R6, and this also assists in maintaining the desired registration speed of the media transport belt.

Additionally, the media transport belt108may be totally, that is 100 percent opaque, to for example, avoid interference with a belt speed sensing device, not shown, that determines and controls the speed, from left to right relative toFIG. 1, of the media at, for example, from about 0.5 meter to about 2 meters per second. The sensing device is typically located beneath a timing hole (T.H.) with sensing being accomplished through the edge margin E.M.1 and E.M.2 of belt108. (FIG. 2).

Also, shown inFIG. 1is a conventional baffle, which primarily functions to provide a vacuum to the media intake area when media like paper is not present on belt108. Further, roller R1can be located adjacent to roller R6to form a nip therebetween, to catch sheets of media in the nip, and thereafter to force each sheet of media onto the exterior surface300of media transport belt108, to enable media transport belt108to transport media from the nip to print zone104. A region immediately to the left of rollers R1and R6(FIG. 1) may be referred to as a media-uptake zone.

The inner surfaces200of the media transport belt108, shown inFIG. 1, are in rolling contact with each of the rollers R2, R3, R5and R6. Straddling media transport belt108are two spaced-apart conventional active antistatic bars, AB1and AB2, and a plurality of conventional commercially available passive carbon brushes, CB1, CB2, CB3and CB4, shown arranged in a known manner along the inner surface200of media transport belt108, to dissipate any induced, static, or other charges that might build up or be present on the inner surface200of media transfer belt108. In the side evaluation the media transport system belt108ofFIG. 1, the rollers R4and R5are positioned in their normally spaced relationship when belt108is mounted on the rollers R2, R3, R5and R6with roller R1also assisting in directional movement of the belt108.

Roller R4, shown inFIG. 1as being in rolling contact with exterior surface300of the media transport belt108, can in embodiments be designed to be electrically conductive by providing it with an electrically conductive steel exterior surface to assist in dissipating charge from exterior surface300.

InFIG. 2, which is a fragmented view of an exemplary embodiment of a media transport belt that appears on edge inFIG. 1, on an enlarged scale relative toFIG. 1, there is illustrated a seamed belt108with a belt seam, and with T.H. representing a timing hole, and where E.M.1 represents edge margins, E.M.2 represents edge margins, and115represents perforations. Therefore, media curling is minimized in that the media transport belt is prepared to include a plurality of holes, perforations, or apertures extending substantially across its width, as shown inFIG. 2, leaving the edge margins E.M.1 and E.M.2 to be free of apertures for enabling the vacuum plenum located beneath belt108to cause media to be drawn to belt108. Each individual aperture pattern is generally circular, and has a diameter of, for example, from about 1 millimeter to about 2 millimeters, where the pattern can form a square, and where the apertures have spacings111of, for example, from about 6 millimeters to about 6.50 millimeters between centers, as shown inFIG. 3.

FIG. 3represents an enlarged media transport belt108, with a belt seam, spaces111, and perforations115.

FIG. 4illustrates a side elevational view of an exemplary two-layer embodiment of belt108, on an enlarged scale relative toFIG. 1, and where the belt108comprises a supporting polyalkylene furandicarboxylate substrate15, and a conductive, especially partially conductive layer20, which possesses a surface resistivity of, for example, from about 101Ω/square to about 106Ω/square, or from about 103Ω/square to about 105Ω/square, and which resistivity can be measured by a known Resistance Meter; media belt surface200, media belt surface300, polymers30, optional conductive components or fillers40, optional plasticizers50, and optional leveling agents60.

FIG. 5illustrates the effects of certain ranges of electric field strengths, measured on the belt at various temperature and humidity conditions, based on the video recordings generated on commercially available high-speed recording equipment, where510represents a zone with electric field voltages V that ranged from a positive or a negative about 100 to about 200 volts that results in nozzle plate misting. Reference numeral530represents an intermediate zone with positive or negative electric field voltages V that range from about 25 to about 100 volts resulting in poor misting. Reference numeral520, where field voltages V were from about a minus or negative 25 volts to about a plus or positive 25 volts substantially eliminated, or reduced face plate contamination, and substantially eliminated the redepositing of the mist containing particles.

Media Transport Components

The media transport comprises, for example, a transport belt, inclusive of a seamed vacuum transport belt, or a transport belt free of seams, and further including a platen for supporting the belt. In embodiments, the disclosed belt comprises a conductive coating, or partially conductive coating in contact with a polyalkylene furandicarboxylate substrate, and where the coating comprises a polymer, such as a polyester and a conductive component, and which coating also includes as optional components at least one plasticizer and at least one leveling agent.

Polymer Examples

Various mixtures of at least one conductive component and at least one polymer can be selected for the disclosed media transport member coatings, such as those members in the configuration of a belt.

The disclosed glass transition temperatures (Tg) can be determined by a number of known methods, and more specifically, such as by Differential Scanning calorimetry (DSC). For the disclosed molecular weights, such as Mw(weight average) and Mn(number average), they can be measured by a number of known methods, and more specifically, by Gel Permeation Chromatography (GPC).

The polymer can be present in the mixture in a number of differing effective amounts, such as for example, from about 30 weight percent to about 99 weight percent, in those situations when other optional components, such as plasticizers and leveling agents may not be present, from about 60 weight percent to about 97 weight percent, from about 70 weight percent to about 95 weight percent, from about 75 weight percent to about 92 weight percent, or from about 80 weight percent to about 87 weight percent of the total solids, and providing the total percent of components present is about 100 percent.

Conductive Component Examples

Examples of conductive components selected for the coating mixture include known carbon forms like carbon black, graphite, carbon nanotube, fullerene, graphene, and the like; metal oxides, mixed metal oxides, and mixtures thereof; polymers that have conductive characteristics, such as polyaniline, polythiophene, polypyrrole, mixtures thereof, and the like.

Examples of polyaniline conductive components that can be selected for incorporation into the coating mixture are PANIPOL™ F, commercially available from Panipol Oy, Finland; and known lignosulfonic acid grafted polyanilines. These polyanilines usually have a relatively small particle size diameter of, for example, from about 0.5 micron to about 5 microns; from about 1.1 microns to about 2.3 microns, or from about 1.5 microns to about 1.9 microns.

Metal oxide conductive components that can be selected for the disclosed coating mixture include, for example, tin oxide, antimony doped tin oxide, indium oxide, indium tin oxide, zinc oxide, titanium oxide, mixtures thereof, and the like. Mixed metal oxides include, for example, tin oxide and antimony doped tin oxide, tin oxide and indium oxide, tin oxide and zinc oxide, antimony doped tin oxide and indium tin oxide, zinc oxide and titanium oxide, titanium oxide and tin oxide, antimony doped tin oxide, zinc oxide and titanium oxide, indium oxide, titanium oxide, and tin oxide, antimony doped tin oxide, indium oxide, and titanium oxide, mixtures thereof, and the like.

The conductive component amount is, for example, from about 1 weight percent to about 70 weight percent, from about 3 weight percent to about 40 weight percent, from about 5 weight percent to about 30 weight percent, from about 8 weight percent to about 25 weight percent, or from about 13 weight percent to about 20 weight percent of the total solids, and providing the total percent of solids present is about 100 percent.

The conductive layer mixture or coating layer can be included in a number of thicknesses, such as for example from about 0.1 micron to about 50 microns, from about 1 micron to about 40 microns, from about 5 microns to about 30 microns, or from about 10 microns to about 15 microns.

The conductive layer mixture or coating layer can be included in a number of thicknesses, such as for example from about 0.1 micron to about 50 microns, from about 1 micron to about 40 microns, from about 5 microns to about 30 microns, or from about 10 microns to about 15 microns.

Optional Plasticizers

Optional plasticizers that primarily function to increase the plasticity or fluidity of a material, like the polymer selected for the disclosed media transport member conductive coating mixture, include diethyl phthalate (DEP), dioctyl phthalate, diallyl phthalate, polypropylene glycol dibenzoate, di-2-ethyl hexyl phthalate, diisononyl phthalate, di-2-propyl heptyl phthalate, diisodecyl phthalate, di-2-ethyl hexyl terephthalate, other known suitable plasticizers, mixtures thereof, and the like. The plasticizers, which can be present in various effective amounts, such as for example, from about 0.1 weight percent to about 30 weight percent, from about 1 weight percent to about 20 weight percent, or from about 3 weight percent to about 15 weight percent based on the solids, and providing that the total amount of solids present is equal to about 100 percent.

Optional Leveling Agents

Optional leveling agent examples selected for the coating mixture media transport members, which agents can contribute to the smoothness characteristics, such as enabling smooth coated surfaces with minimal or no blemishes or protrusions of the members illustrated herein include, for example, polysiloxane polymers. The optional polysiloxane polymers selected include, for example, a polyester modified polydimethylsiloxane with the tradename of BYK® 310 (about 25 weight percent in xylene) and BYK® 370 (about 25 weight percent in xylene/alkylbenzenes/cyclohexanone/monophenylglycol=75/11/7/7); a polyether modified polydimethylsiloxane with the tradename of BYK® 333, BYK® 330 (about 51 weight percent in methoxypropylacetate) and BYK® 344 (about 52.3 weight percent in xylene/isobutanol=80/20), BYK®-SILCLEAN 3710 and 3720 (about 25 weight percent in methoxypropanol); a polyacrylate modified polydimethylsiloxane with the tradename of BYK®-SILCLEAN 3700 (about 25 weight percent in methoxypropylacetate); or a polyester polyether modified polydimethylsiloxane with the tradename of BYK® 375 (about 25 weight percent in di-propylene glycol monomethyl ether), all commercially available from BYK Chemical of Wesel, Germany, mixtures thereof, and the like. The leveling agents for the conductive coating mixture are selected in various effective amounts, such as for example, from about 0.01 weight percent to about 5 weight percent, from about 0.1 weight percent to about 3 weight percent, and from about 0.2 weight percent to about 1 weight percent based on the solids present, and providing that the total amount of solids present is equal to about 100 percent.

Optional Silicas

Optional silica examples present in the disclosed media transport member coating mixture, and which silicas can contribute to the wear resistant properties of the member include silica, fumed silicas, surface treated silicas, other known silicas, such as AEROSIL R972®, mixtures thereof, and the like. The silicas are selected in various effective amounts, such as for example, from about 0.1 weight percent to about 20 weight percent, from about 1 weight percent to about 15 weight percent, and from about 2 weight percent to about 10 weight percent based on the solids, and providing that the total amount of solids present is equal to about 100 percent.

Optional Fluoropolymer Particles

Optional fluoropolymer particles selected for the disclosed conductive mixture media transport member, and which particles can contribute to the wear resistant properties of the members illustrated herein, include tetrafluoroethylene polymers (PTFE), trifluorochloroethylene polymers, hexafluoropropylene polymers, vinyl fluoride polymers, vinylidene fluoride polymers, difluorodichloroethylene polymers, or copolymers thereof. The fluoropolymer particles are selected in various effective amounts, such as for example, from about 0.1 weight percent to about 20 weight percent, from about 1 weight percent to about 15 weight percent, and from about 2 weight percent to about 10 weight percent based on the solids, and providing that the total amount of solids present is equal to about 100 percent.

Substrate Examples

The disclosed media transport, such as a media belt that functions primarily as a supporting substrate for the disclosed coating mixture, comprises at least one of a polyalkylene furandicarboxylate, such as a bio-based polyalkylene furandicarboxylate generated, for example, from renewal sources, where alkylene contains, for example, from about 1 carbon atom to about 50 carbon atoms, from about 2 carbon atom to about 18 carbon atoms, from about 2 carbon atoms to about 12 carbon atoms, from about 2 carbon atoms to about 6 carbon atoms, or from about 5 carbon atoms to about 25 carbon atoms.

Examples of polyalkylene furandicarboxylates include polyethylene furandicarboxylate (PEF), polyethylene 2,5-furandicarboxylate, polypropylene furandicarboxylate (PPF), polybutylene furandicarboxylate (PBF), polyalkylene furancarboxylates copolymers of polyethylene furandicarboxylate terephthalate, polypropylene furandicarboxylate terephthalate, polybutylene furandicarboxylate terephthalate, mixtures thereof, and the like, all believed to be available from Avantium Research Institute of Amsterdam Netherlands, and Toyobo Company Ltd. of Japan, and also available from the joint efforts of Avantium Research Institute of Amsterdam Netherlands and Toyobo Company Ltd. of Japan, and from the Stanford University Labs, or prepared as disclosed herein.

It is believed that the disclosed polyalkylene furandicarboxylates (PEF), inclusive of bio-based polyalkylene furandicarboxylates, can be prepared as illustrated in theJournal of Energy and Environmental Science Issue4, 2012 titled “Replacing Fossil Based PET with Bio-based PEF”, listed authors A.J.J.E. Eerhart, and M. K. Patel, the disclosure of which is totally incorporated herein by reference;European Polymer Journal, Volume83, October 2016, Pages 202-229, listed authors of George Z Papageorgiou, Dimitrios G. Papageorgiou, Zoi Terzopoulou, and Dimitrios N. Bikiaris, the disclosure of which is totally incorporated herein by reference; andNature531, News and Views, “Sustainable Chemistry: Putting Carbon Dioxide to Work”, Mar. 9, 2016, listed author Eric J. Beckman, the disclosure of which is totally incorporated herein by reference. Compared with known polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrates, polyalkylene furandicarboxylates, such as polyethylene furandicarboxylates, can be prepared from 100 percent renewable sources, from substances derived from living or once-living organisms, such as renewable domestic agricultural products like plants, animal and marine substances, or forestry substances including biomass mixtures, soybeans, corn, flax, jute, and the like thus permitting a reduction in the carbon footprint by at least 50 percent.

In a known specific process to obtain PEF, fructose derived from plants is converted by way of a four-step process to furan-2,5-dicarboxylic acid (FDCA), which can then be reacted with ethylene glycol. The FDCA can also be prepared by reacting 2-furan carboxylate (FC) with carbon dioxide in the presence of cesium carbonate (Cs2CO3).

The polyalkylene furandicarboxylate substrate can be of a number of different thicknesses, such as from about 25 microns to about 250 microns, from about 25 microns to about 150 microns, about 50 microns to about 125 microns, or from about 75 microns to about 150 microns, and where the total thickness of the belt is, for example, from about 1 to about 10 mils, from about 1 to about 8 mils, from about 1 mil to about 5 mils, from about 2 mils to about 4 mils, and more specifically, about 3.8 mils, measured by known means such as a Permascope.

A polyalkylene furandicarboxylate polymer, such as polyethylene furan-2,5-dicarboxylate selected for the media transport coating mixture supporting substrate, can be represented by the following formula/structure

with n representing the number of repeating segments, and which n can be, for example, of a value of from about 50 to about 1,500, from about 100 to about 800, or from about 100 to about 500.

Media Transport Preparation

The media transport in the form of a sheet can be converted into, for example, a media transport belt by a number of suitable processes, such as by known welding processes. For example, an elongated strip of the media belt material, in various suitable sizes, which belt is comprised of the coating mixture illustrated herein supported by the polyalkylene furandicarboxylate substrate illustrated herein, was cut longitudinally along opposite edge margins of the belt material, to produce an about 455±2 millimeters wide elongated strip followed by slitting longitudinally along opposite edge margins of the strip, to produce an about 440±2 millimeters wide coated elongated strip of belt material, and after removal of the coating from the edge margins of the elongated strip of the belt material, there can be generated uncoated edge margins as shown inFIG. 2. The elongated strip of belt material can then be formed into a loop by bringing the opposite end portions of the elongated strip of belt material together in an overlap fashion.

Thereafter, with a commercially available edge offset reduction system of a high resolution camera, the output of which provides feedback control to a motor that adjusts the edge margins of the endless looped belt such that they do not greatly vary from each other relative to a longitudinal centerline by more than about 300±2 μm (micrometers), can be used to minimize any endless loop irregularities, such as conicity, that is any conic shaped irregularity throughout the entire circumference of the belt.

Subsequently, the overlapped end portions of the belt are permanently joined via ultrasonic welding to produce a seamed belt, also characterized as a closed circular loop, measuring, for example, about 655±2 millimeters in diameter by about 440±2 millimeters wide. There can be selecting for the welding process commercially available Branson ultrasonic welding equipment, which permits the continuously joining of the opposite end portions of the media transport belt to produce an overlapped seam. Specifically, to facilitate joining together the two ends of the substrate of, for example, substrate15, coating material trapped between end layers of the substrate material can be heated to a liquid state during the welding process, and forced out of the overlap area thereby resulting in an excellent weld. The seam break strength as measured by an Instron Universal Tester can be greater than about 50 pounds per inch, and more specifically, from about 75 pounds per inch to about 125 pounds per inch. Any materials forced out from the overlap weld area can then be removed from the belt.

A timing hole (seeFIG. 2) with a belt speed sensing device located beneath the hole to control the linear speed of media transport can be formed through the edge margins of the belt. There can also be provided in the disclosed ink jet systems a combination of position sensors designed to provide feedback to a motorized cam that controls a steering roller in the belt to provide a high-speed inkjet printer with highly accurate motion and location registration.

In addition, the media-transport belt108should be totally opaque, so as to not interfere with a belt speed sensing device located beneath a timing hole (“T.H.”), and be able to sense through an edge margin of belt108(FIG. 2). Also, media transport belt108should be of a construction that substantially eliminates generation of a static field since which during operation of system100sheets of media travel at speeds of, for example, 1 meter per second, resulting in control of the linear speed of media transport belt108.

Perforating the Seamed Transport Media in a Predefined Pattern

The seamed transport media, such as in the configuration of a belt, can be perforated, that is apertures or holes formed therein entirely through the belt in a predetermined pattern by, for example, EM/Belting Industries, resulting in a belt108shown, for example, inFIGS. 2 and 3.

Specific embodiments will now be described in detail. These examples are intended to be illustrative, and are not limited to the materials, conditions, or process parameters set forth in these embodiments.

Example I

There was prepared a seamed vacuum transport media belt as follows:

Two carboys or containers are filled with a total of 28 pounds (lbs.) of stainless steel shot and EMPEROR® 1200, BYK® 333, diethyl phthalate, and methylene chloride as illustrated in the following table, followed by mixing/milling for eight hours. The resulting two container contents were merged to form the mill base, which was then added to pressure pot and let down with a 10 VITEL® 1200B/methylene chloride solution, resulting in the final coating composition of EMPEROR® 1200/VITEL®1200B/BYK®333/diethyl phthalate with a ratio of 47.4/47.4/0.5/4.7 in methylene chloride, about 11.94 percent solids.

The above prepared coating dispersion was then coated, via extrusion, onto a 4 mil thick bio-based generated polyethylene furan-2,5-dicarboxylate substrate layer (PEF), and then subsequently dried at 266° F. for 3 to 4 minutes. The coating resulting was about 10 to about 15 microns in thickness as can be determined by a Permascope and possesses a surface resistivity of about 1.0×104Ω/square as measured with a known Trek Model 152-1 Resistance Meter.

The above prepared belt sheet, while in roll form, was ultrasonically welded into a belt/loop that measures about 655 millimeters in diameter and was about 440 millimeters wide. The welding process was accomplished with Branson ultrasonic welding equipment to continuously join the overlapped seam. The process parameters were designed to remove any coating in the overlap areas to facilitate the joining of the two ends of the belt sheet together such that the seam break strength as measured by Instron Universal Tester was greater than about 50 lbs/in. The material that is squeezed out the ends of the seam was removed, and a timing hole was added.

Alternatively, the aforementioned steps can be combined with a high tolerance material slitting of the media transport sheet, and an edge offset reduction vision system can be used during the overlap process so that the loop's edge do not vary by more than about 300 μm throughout its circumference, resulting in an active steering system to produce a highly accurate motion/location registration of the transport belt.

The prepared seamed belt was then perforated in a predefined pattern by OEM/Belting Industries, see for example,FIG. 2.

It is believed that ink jet machine laboratory testing at ambient conditions will show a decrease in static field voltage on the coated surface of the belt from an average of about 250 volts to about 25 volts, no noticeable misting of printhead faceplates after about 5,000 cycles at about 50° F. and 20 percent relative humidity, and the absence of droplets returning to contaminate the inkjet faceplates.