Patent ID: 7014309

Claim:
A method for drying ink in a high speed printing system, the ink being deposited on a sheet of material traveling in a predetermined direction, the system being coupled to a source of pressurized gas and comprising the steps of: providing a first plenum disposed so as to extend over the sheet; providing a second plenum disposed so as to extend over the sheet, wherein said plenums each include an associated plurality of orifices spaced apart from one another so as to define respective drying portions thereof, wherein said plenums are spaced substantially apart from one another in the direction of travel of the sheet a predetermined distance, and wherein the drying portions of said plenums are each substantially laterally co-extensive; selecting one of said two plenums to receive a first predetermined amount of the pressurized gas at a first time; and selecting the other of said two plenums to receive a second predetermined amount of the pressurized gas at a second time, wherein said second amount of the pressurized gas is predetermined based on said first amount, and wherein the difference between said first time and said second time is substantially equal to said distance divided by the speed of travel of the sheet.