PRINTING SYSTEM INCLUDING WEB MEDIA MOVING APPARATUS

• US 20120224009A1
• Filed: 03/04/2011
• Published: 09/06/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
• Original Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
• Inventors: Kasiske, W. Charles Jr., Piatt, Michael J., Bulathsinghalage, Harsha S., Hryhorenko, John L., Armbruster, Randy E.
• Granted Patent: US 8,303,106 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 347/102
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 15/16 Means for tensioning or winding the web
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 20/02 by friction roller
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2301/517 Drying material
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2404/1313 concave
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2404/13161 Regularly spaced grooves
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2801/15 Digital printing machines

Abstract

A digital printing system for printing on a continuous web of print media includes a printhead configured to selectively moisten at least a portion of the web of print media as the web of print media is guided through the printing system. A roller, positioned downstream from the printhead, contacts the print media and causes the print media to wrap around a portion of the roller as the print media moves past the roller. The roller, having an axis of rotation, includes a pattern of recesses and ridges positioned along the axis of rotation of the roller. A second section of the roller is located between a first section of the roller and a third section of the roller as viewed along the axis of rotation. The roller includes a profile as viewed along the axis of rotation in which the diameter of the ridges located in the first section of the roller and the diameter of ridges located in the third section of the roller are greater than the diameter of the ridges located in the second section of the roller.

Claims

1. A digital printing system for printing on a continuous web of print media comprising:

a printhead configured to selectively moisten at least a portion of the web of print media as the web of print media is guided through the printing system; and

a roller positioned downstream from the printhead that contacts the print media and causes the print media to wrap around a portion of the roller as the print media moves past the roller, the roller having an axis of rotation, the roller including a pattern of recesses and ridges positioned along the axis of rotation of the roller, the roller including a first section, a second section, and a third section, the second section being located between the first section and the third section as viewed along the axis of rotation, the roller including a profile as viewed along the axis of rotation in which the diameter of the ridges located in the first section of the roller and the diameter of ridges located in the third section of the roller are greater than the diameter of the ridges located in the second section of the roller.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a dryer positioned downstream from the printhead and upstream from the roller, the dryer being configured to remove moisture from the print media as the print media moves past the dryer.

3. The system of claim 1, the roller being free to rotate about its axis of rotation, the system further comprising:

a print media driving mechanism.

4. A digital printing system for printing on a continuous web of print media comprising:

a printhead configured to selectively moisten at least a portion of the web of print media as the web of print media is guided through the printing system;

a roller positioned downstream from the printhead that contacts the print media and causes the print media to wrap around a portion of the roller as the print media moves past the roller, the roller having an axis of rotation, the roller including a pattern of recesses and ridges positioned along the axis of rotation of the roller, the roller including a first section, a second section, and a third section, the second section being located between the first section and the third section as viewed along the axis of rotation, the roller including a profile as viewed along the axis of rotation in which the diameter of the ridges located in the first section of the roller and the diameter of ridges located in the third section of the roller are greater than the diameter of the ridges located in the second section of the roller, the roller being a driven roller;

a first nip roller positioned to engage a first ridge of the ridges of the roller; and

a second nip roller positioned to engage a second ridge of the ridges of the roller.