US 12,005,700 B2
Airflow control via self-closing holes in movable support surface of a printing system, and related devices, systems, and methods
Brian M. Balthasar, North Tonawanda, NY (US); John Patrick Baker, Rochester, NY (US); Emmett James Spence, Honeoye Falls, NY (US); Robert Jian Zhang, Brighton, NY (US); and Megan Zielenski, Holland Patent, NY (US)
Assigned to XEROX CORPORATION, Norwalk, CT (US)
Filed by XEROX CORPORATION, Norwalk, CT (US)
Filed on Mar. 31, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/218,925.
Prior Publication US 2022/0314655 A1, Oct. 6, 2022
Int. Cl. B41J 11/00 (2006.01)
CPC B41J 11/0085 (2013.01) [B41J 11/007 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A printing system, comprising:
an ink deposition assembly comprising a printhead arranged to eject a print fluid to a deposition region of the ink deposition assembly; and
a media transport assembly comprising a vacuum source and a movable support surface, the movable support surface comprising valves having holes through the movable support surface, and the media transport assembly configured to hold one or more print media against the movable support surface by vacuum suction communicated from the vacuum source through valves,
wherein the valves are each configured to transition between a closed state in which airflow through the hole of the respective valve is prevented and an open state in which airflow through the hole of the respective valve is allowed,
wherein the valves are configured such that, for each of the valves:
on condition of none of the print media covering the respective valve, the respective valve is held in the closed state; and
on condition of the respective valve being covered by a print medium of the print media, the respective valve is held in the open state by force applied by the print medium to the respective valve via contact between the print medium and the respective valve with the force applied by the print medium to the respective valve being generated by a weight of the print medium and by a suction force applied to the print medium by the vacuum suction from the vacuum source.