Patent ID: 8459777

Claim:
A feed mechanism for a wide format printer, the feed mechanism comprising: a supply spool for supplying a web of print media to a printhead; a take-up spool for receiving the web after printing by said printhead; a take-up motor connected to the take-up spool; a take-up control system for controlling the torque of the take-up motor; a drive roller system positioned between the supply and take-up spools; a drive motor connected to the drive roller system; and a braking motor connected to the supply spool for generating tension in the web between the supply spool and the drive roller system, the take-up, drive and braking motors being separate motors and being separately connected to the take-up spool, drive roller system and supply spool, respectively, wherein, in use, the web fed from the drive roller system to the take-up spool is maintained under substantially constant tension by regulating the torque of the take-up motor using the take-up control system.