Z-FOLD PRINT MEDIA HANDLING SYSTEM

摘要

A Z-fold print media handling system for printing banners and the like us es an inkjet printing mechanism without a tractor-feed. A series of stuttering stopping and starting steps generates varying static and dynamic frictional forces to separate the first sheet of a Z-fold stack from the remainder of the stack. Both conventional cut-sheet media and Z-fold media are fed using the same printing mechanism, which pulls the media toward a printzone through frictional engagement with a firs t surface of the media. To prevent printhead crashes and smearing the image near the perforations joining the Z-fold sheets, the printhead to media spacing is increased for 2-fold media over the standard spacing used for cut-sheet media. A cam featu re is incorporated into the media drive clutch disk to determine whether an operat or bas set a selector lever for cut-sheet or Z-fold printhead to media spacing.