Wrinkle reduction system using Bernoulli force rollers

摘要

A wrinkle-reduction system includes two media guiding rollers located in proximity to first and second edges of a media, each media guiding roller having a corresponding roller axis and having one or more grooves formed around its exterior surface. The media travels along a transport path past the media-guiding rollers with a first side of the media facing the exterior surface of the web-guiding rollers. Air sources provide an air flow into the grooves in the media-guiding rollers, the air flow being directed between the first side of the media and the exterior surface of the media-guiding rollers thereby producing a Bernoulli force to draw the media toward the media-guiding rollers. The first roller axis is not parallel to the second roller axis such that when the air sources are activated the media guiding rollers impart a lateral stretching force to the media in the cross-track direction.

主权项

1. A wrinkle-reduction system for reducing wrinkles in a media travelling from upstream to downstream along a transport path in an in-track direction, the media having a first side and an opposing second side, comprising:
a first media-guiding roller having a first roller axis and an exterior surface having at least one groove formed around the exterior surface, wherein the media travels along the transport path past the first media-guiding roller with the first side of the media facing the exterior surface of the first media-guiding roller; a first air source for providing an air flow into the at least one groove formed around exterior surface of the first media-guiding roller, the air flow being directed between the first side of the media and the exterior surface of the first media-guiding roller thereby producing a Bernoulli force to draw the media toward the exterior surface of the first media-guiding roller and providing an increased traction between the media and the first media-guiding roller; a second media-guiding roller having a second axis and an exterior surface having at least one groove formed around the exterior surface, wherein the media travels along the transport path past the second media-guiding roller with the first side of the media facing the exterior surface of the second web-guiding roller; and a second air source for providing an air flow into the at least one groove formed around exterior surface of the second media-guiding roller, the air flow being directed between the first side of the media and the exterior surface of the second media-guiding roller thereby producing a Bernoulli force to draw the media toward the exterior surface of the second media-guiding roller and providing an increased traction between the media and the second media-guiding roller; wherein the first media-guiding roller is located in proximity to a first edge of the media and the second media-guiding roller is located in proximity to an opposite second edge of the media, both the first and second media-guiding rollers have widths in the direction of their respective roller axis which are less than 20% of a cross-track width of the media; and wherein the first roller axis is not parallel to the second roller axis such that when the first and second air sources are activated the traction between the media and the first and second media-guiding rollers imparts a lateral stretching force to the media in the cross-track direction.