Print medium handling system including cockle ribs to control pen-to-print medium spacing during printing.

摘要

A printer mechanism (10) to control pen-to-print medium spacing (46) during printing is described. The preferred embodiment of the mechanism includes a printhead (12) and an adjacent platen (14), the printhead (12) and the platen (14) defining a print zone (24) therebetween. The platen (14) includes ribs (16) adapted for contacting a lower surface (30b) of the print medium (30) such that the print medium (30) bends downwardly between the ribs (16), thereby reducing uncontrolled bending of the print medium (30) in the print zone (24). The ribs (16) preferably extend parallel to a direction of travel (38) of the print medium (30) and may be positioned adjacent a transition zone (14c), the transition zone (14c) facilitating a smooth transition of a leading edge (30c) of the print medium (30) onto the ribs (16).