Patent ID: 8500120

Claim:
A media transport apparatus for use in a printer having a marking zone with a print head configured and operative to mark a substrate media and form an image thereon, the media transport apparatus comprising: a first media transport having a first endless belt including a first transport surface, and a first drive unit, the first endless belt traversing the marking zone to convey the substrate media through the marking zone to be marked by the print head; a first motion encoder operatively connected with the first transport surface, the first motion encoder configured and operative to output a first signal dependent upon the motion of the first transport surface; a second media transport having a second transport surface and a second drive unit, the second media transport configured and operative to receive the substrate media from the first media transport and to convey the substrate media; a second motion encoder operatively connected with the second transport surface which outputs a second signal dependent upon the motion of the second transport surface; and a control unit configured and operative to receive the first and second signals, and to output a control signal to the second drive unit that is dependent upon a comparison of the first and second signals, the control signal commanding the second drive unit to drive the motion of the second media transport with substantially the same surface velocity as the first media transport, wherein the first and second media transports are each operative to hold the substrate media in contact therewith, with respective first and second hold-down forces of different first and second respective magnitudes.