Patent ID: 8322717

Claim:
A media transport apparatus comprising: a first media transport having a first transport surface and a first drive unit, the first media transport configured and operative to convey a substrate media; 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 first force transducer operative to measure a first relative force between the first and second media transports, and to output a first force signal associated with the first relative force; a control unit configured and operative to receive the first relative force signal, and to output a control signal to at least one of the first and second drive units that is dependent upon a comparison of the first relative force signal with a predetermined value, the control signal commanding the respective first or second drive unit to drive the motion of the respective first or second media transport to maintain the force signal at or about no greater than the predetermined value.