High speed inkjet marking devices for large sized cut sheets are particularly constrained using contemporary systems with regard to production output, media type and image quality. Systems that handle such large sized cut sheets can use an oversized media platen to support the sheet during the marking process, but placement and registration of the sheet on the platen requires precision. Also, once the sheet is moved into the desired registration position, that position must be reliability maintained. However, such large sheets are particularly difficult to manipulate into and maintain in proper registration upon the platen, particularly if it is a moveable platen.
What is more, providing a vacuum source on a moveable platen adds further problems. A tether or vacuum support line onto a moveable platen limits the configurability of the system. Also, such connections impact motion control and incur additional costs.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide an apparatus for and method of retaining substrate media sheets on a platen cart that does not require a tether or fixed line support to maintain a vacuum on a platen cart in order to hold the sheet down and overcomes the various shortcomings of the prior art.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds