Recirculate and filter air to form air barrier in image forming apparatus

摘要

An image forming apparatus includes a substrate receiving member, a fluid applicator unit, and an air recirculator assembly. The substrate receiving member may selectively receive a substrate. The fluid applicator unit may selectively eject a first set of drops to the substrate received by the substrate receiving member in a print mode and a second set of drops in a maintenance mode. The air recirculater assembly may direct air to form an air barrier across the print zone to redirect at least one of aerosol and particulates from crossing through the air barrier and onto the substrate, to filter the at least one of the aerosol and particulates to form filtered air, and to form the air barrier with the filtered air.

主权项

1. An image forming apparatus, comprising:
a substrate receiving member to receive a substrate; a fluid applicator unit to eject a first set of drops to the substrate received by the substrate receiving member in a print mode and to eject a second set of drops in a maintenance mode, the fluid applicator unit and the substrate receiving member to form a print zone there between; and an air recirculater assembly to direct air to form an air barrier across the print zone to redirect at least one of aerosols or particulates from crossing through the air barrier and onto the substrate, to filter the at least one of the aerosols or the particulates to form filtered air, and to form the air barrier with the filtered air, wherein the substrate receiving member further comprises: a substrate receiving area to receive the substrate; and at least one recirculation opening for the air to pass through the substrate receiving member to a second duct member, wherein the second duct member is to pass the air to the air recirculater assembly, wherein the substrate receiving area further comprises:
a plurality of positioning holes to enable the air recirculater assembly to suck the air to hold the substrate against the substrate receiving area in the print mode; andat least one maintenance hole to allow the second set of drops ejected from the fluid applicator unit to pass through the substrate receiving member to a maintenance member.