Hardcopy apparatus and method for providing uniform pressure to hold down media

(19)

(11)

EP 0 997 308 A3

(12)	EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION

(88)	Date of publication A3:
	25.10.2000 Bulletin 2000/43

(43)	Date of publication A2:
	03.05.2000 Bulletin 2000/18

(21)	Application number: 99102977.8

(22)	Date of filing: 15.02.1999

(51)	International Patent Classification (IPC)⁷: B41J 13/22

(84)	Designated Contracting States:
	AT BE CH CY DE DK ES FI FR GB GR IE IT LI LU MC NL PT SE
	Designated Extension States:
	AL LT LV MK RO SI

(30)

Priority:

30.10.1998 EP 98120706

(71)	Applicant: Hewlett-Packard Company
	Palo Alto, California 94304-1185 (US)

(72)	Inventors:
	Juan, Fernando 08190 Sant Cugat Del Valles, Barcelona (ES) Menendez, Jorge 08190 Sant Cugat Del Valles, Barcelona (ES) Canal, Josep Miquel 08190 Sant Cugat Del Valles, Barcelona (ES) Gros, Xavier 08190 Sant Cugat Del Valles, Barcelona (ES)

(74)	Representative: Orsi, Alessandro et al
	Hewlett Packard Espanola S.A. Legal Department Avda.Graells 501 08190 Sant Cugat del Vallès, Barcelona 08190 Sant Cugat del Vallès, Barcelona (ES)

(54)	Hardcopy apparatus and method for providing uniform pressure to hold down media

(57) A hardcopy apparatus comprising a media holddown unit, having a platen (400), and a vacuum source (700) for generating negative pressure on a medium positioned on said platen (400) to keep it flat on said platen (400), the unit comprises at least two vacuum chambers (382, 383, 690, 691, 692, 693), both in air communication with the vacuum source. Each of said vacuum chambers (382, 383, 690, 691, 692, 693) can apply a negative pressure to a different portion of the medium positioned on a corresponding different region of the platen. A method for holding down a medium when placed on said platen. First the vacuum source is placed into independent air communication with a number of distinct regions of the platen, then the medium is positioned to cover one or more regions of the platen, and finally a negative pressure is applied to the back of the medium via the independent air communication.

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