Semi-conductive media transport for electrostatic tacking of media

摘要

A semi-conductive media transport is used with an ink jet printing system. A belt is held flat and slides across a conductive platen, causing electrostatic charges on the belt. The belt is made semi-conductive to prevent charge buildup. The belt has an effective surface resistivity between a lower limit to preclude a buildup of electrostatic charges, and an upper limit to enable electrostatic tacking of the media to the belt. The resistivity limits vary depending upon belt velocity, thickness, material, belt and media dielectric constant, and slot width. A pair of charged nip rollers tacks the media substrate to the belt. An AC corotron is disposed above the belt to establish a net neutral charge state on the media substrate and the belt. Platen slots directly below the ink jet print heads will maintain the net neutral charge state on the media substrate and the belt.

主权项

1. A semi-conductive media transport, for use in connection with a printing system and a media substrate having opposite top and bottom surfaces, the printing system having at least one ink jet print head for ejecting ink onto the media substrate, the semi-conductive media transport comprising:
a conductive platen; a belt having opposite top and bottom surfaces, the belt being held flat against the platen, the belt being able to slidingly move across the platen, the belt having an effective surface resistivity between a predetermined resistivity lower limit and a predetermined resistivity upper limit, wherein the resistivity lower limit is low enough to preclude a buildup of friction induced electrostatic charges as the belt moves across the platen, and the resistivity upper limit is high enough to enable electrostatic tacking of the media substrate to the belt; and a primary charging device for generating an electrostatic charge on the media substrate and on the belt, so as to enable electrostatic tacking of the media substrate to the belt.