Agfa Nv

Inca Digital Printers Limited

Anderson McKeague

Andrew James Brown

A sheetfor an array of vacuum aperturesin a substrate support unitof a printer is provided. The sheetcomprises a plurality of valvesformed into the sheet. The sheetis made from a resilient material. Each valvecomprises a valve headfor sealing a vacuum aperturein the substrate support unit, and a valve lever armfor permitting movement of the valve headtowards and away from the vacuum aperturein order to open and close the valve

Vacuum aperture valve array

A substrate support systemfor a conveyor printer is provided, comprising a support unitcomprising a plurality of vacuum aperturesarranged for fluidic communication with a source of negative pressure. The support unitalso comprises at least one air bearingarranged for fluidic communication with a source of positive pressure. The air bearingcomprises porous media. The substrate support systemalso comprises a conveyor beltarranged over the support unitfor supporting a substrateto be printed on. The conveyor beltcomprises a plurality of belt apertures. The vacuum aperturesare arranged to convey a negative pressure through the belt apertures for retaining the substrateon the conveyor belt. The at least one air bearingis arranged to convey a positive pressure to support the conveyor belt

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Cambridge, United Kingdom

Anderson McKeague