Patent ID: 8668318

Claim:
A system for spreading ink drops on a media web comprising: a first roller substantially comprising thermally conductive material and configured to maintain a first predetermined temperature, the first roller being positioned to enable a first side of a media web to contact a portion of a circumference of the first roller for a first predetermined dwell time after a plurality of ink drops have been ejected onto a second side of the media web to enable conductive heat transfer between the first side of the media web contacting the portion of the circumference of the first roller and the first roller to reduce a temperature of the first side of the media web contacting the first roller to within a first predetermined range about a second predetermined temperature; a second roller formed of thermally conductive material and configured to maintain a third predetermined temperature, the second roller being positioned to engage the second side of the media web after the temperature of the first side of the media web has been reduced by the first roller to enable the second side of the media web and the ink drops ejected onto the second side to contact a portion of a circumference of the second roller for a second predetermined dwell time to enable conductive heat transfer between the media web and ink drops contacting the portion of the circumference of the second roller and the second roller to modulate a temperature of the media web and the ink drops on the media web contacting the second roller to within a second predetermined range about a fourth predetermined temperature; a third roller positioned to form a nip with the second roller and configured to apply pressure to the media web as the media web is transported through the nip to spread the ink drops on the second side of the media web after the temperature of the media web and the ink drops on the media web contacting the second roller are within the second predetermined range about the fourth predetermined temperature; a sensor configured to generate an electrical signal indicating an angular velocity of the first roller; and a controller operatively connected to the sensor and configured to identify a position and a velocity of the media web with reference to the electrical signal indicating angular velocity of the first roller received from the sensor, and to operate a plurality of inkjet ejectors to eject ink drops onto the media web with reference to the identified position and velocity of the media web.