US 11,850,842 B2
Devices, systems, and methods for supplying makeup air through openings in carrier plates of printing systems via air guide structures extending into the openings
Patrick Jun Howe, Fairport, NY (US); John Patrick Baker, Rochester, NY (US); Brian M. Balthasar, North Tonawanda, NY (US); Glenn Batchelor, Fairport, NY (US); Anthony Salvatore Condello, Webster, NY (US); Ali R. Dergham, Fairport, NY (US); Timothy P. Foley, Marion, NY (US); Douglas K. Herrmann, Webster, NY (US); Richard A. Kalb, Rochester, NY (US); Peter John Knausdorf, Henrietta, NY (US); Jason M. LeFevre, Penfield, NY (US); Jack T. Lestrange, Macedon, NY (US); Chu-Heng Liu, Penfield, NY (US); Paul J. McConville, Webster, NY (US); Seemit Praharaj, Webster, NY (US); Palghat S. Ramesh, Pittsford, NY (US); Joseph C. Sheflin, Macedon, 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. 29, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/216,261.
Prior Publication US 2022/0305819 A1, Sep. 29, 2022
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. B41J 11/00 (2006.01); B41J 2/01 (2006.01)
CPC B41J 11/0085 (2013.01) [B41J 2/01 (2013.01); B41J 11/007 (2013.01)] 16 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A printing system, comprising:
a print fluid deposition assembly comprising:
a carrier plate having an opening through the carrier plate, and
a printhead supported by the carrier plate and arranged to eject a print fluid through the opening of the carrier plate and to a deposition region of the print fluid deposition assembly;
a media transport device comprising a movable support surface, the media transport device configured to hold a plurality of print media against the movable support surface by vacuum suction such that consecutive print media are spaced apart from each other via an inter-media zone and the movable support surface configured to transport the print medium along a process direction through the deposition region of the print fluid deposition assembly; and
an airflow control system comprising an upstream air supply unit arranged to flow air through the opening of the carrier plate between the carrier plate and the printhead at an upstream side of the printhead and a downstream air supply unit arranged to flow air through the opening of the carrier plate between the carrier plate and the printhead at a downstream side of the printhead, wherein upstream and downstream are defined relative to the process direction,
wherein each of the upstream and downstream air supply units comprises an airflow guide structure extending into the opening of the carrier plate between a rim of the opening of the carrier plate and the printhead, and
wherein the airflow control system is configured to individually control the upstream and downstream air supply units to selectively flow the air based on a location of a print medium transported by the media transport device relative to the printhead such that:
the upstream air supply unit supplies the air when an inter-media zone reaches a first position relative to the printhead and ceases supplying the air when the inter-media zone reaches a second position relative to the printhead;
the downstream air supply unit supplies the air when an inter-media zone reaches a third position relative to the printhead and ceases supplying the air when the inter-media zone reaches a fourth position relative to the printhead.