PRINTER MECHANISM WITH SHAPE CONTROL MECHANISM

摘要

A printer mechanism includes a printhead to print on a print medium, and a platen located generally adjacent the printhead such that the platen and the printhead define a print zone therebetween. The platen includes a plurality of elongate ribs that project from an upper surface of the platen in a spaced relationship and positioned to contact a lower surface of the print medium such that the print medium bends downwardly between the ribs to provide an undulated section of the print medium with hills and valleys in the print zone. At least one shape control mechanism transforms each of the hills in the print zone into a corresponding valley in an output path adjacent to the print zone and transforms each of the valleys in the print zone into a corresponding hill in the output path.

主权项

1. A printer mechanism, comprising:
a printhead to print on a print medium; a platen located generally adjacent the printhead such that the platen and the printhead define a print zone therebetween, the platen including a plurality of elongate ribs that project from an upper surface of the platen in a spaced relationship and positioned to contact a lower surface of the print medium such that the print medium bends downwardly between the ribs to provide an undulated section of the print medium with hills and valleys in the print zone; and at least one shape control mechanism to transform each of the hills in the print zone into a corresponding valley in an output path adjacent to the print zone and transform each of the valleys in the print zone into a corresponding hill in the output path.