The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jan. 01, 2013
Filed:
Sep. 16, 2010
Kazuma Ozaki, Okaya, JP;
Kazuya Nomura, Matsumoto, JP;
Yasuo Naramatsu, Matsumoto, JP;
Seiko Epson Corporation, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
A printing apparatus includes a printing medium support unit that supports and guides a printing medium supplied to a print execution area. The printing medium support unit includes a support portion supporting the printing medium defines a predetermined gap with a print head. A suction groove is formed concavely on a support surface of the support portion. A suction opening in the suction groove communicates with a suction source. A movable adsorption portion in the suction groove has a suction hole. Before the printing medium is supplied, the movable adsorption portion is located at an upper limit position higher than a support height of the support portion. When the printing medium is supplied, the suction hole is blocked by the printing medium, creating negative pressure, and thus the movable adsorption portion is moved to a lower limit position no higher than the support height of the support portion.