Wide format printer with input roller and movable media engagement output

1. A wide format printer comprising:

a print zone having a width of more than 432 mm, where droplets of ink print onto media;

a drive roller configured to translate the media into the print zone; and,

a vacuum belt for vacuum engagement of one side of the media, the vacuum belt being configured for receiving the media from the print zone; wherein,

the drive roller, the print zone and the vacuum belt are positioned such that the media is engaged by the drive roller but not the vacuum belt during a first time period.

2. A wide format printer according to claim 1 wherein the vacuum belt has an apertured surface that has a media engagement side and low pressure region at a side opposite the media engagement side.

3. A wide format printer according to claim 1 further comprising a pagewidth printhead assembly that is fixed relative to the print zone when printing the media.

4. A wide format printer according to claim 3 wherein the pagewidth printhead assembly is a plurality of printheads positioned to be staggered with respect to each other in a direction transverse to a media feed direction.

5. A wide format printer according to claim 1 wherein the vacuum belt and the drive roller are configured to engage the media during a second time period.

6. A wide format printer according to claim 5 wherein the media slips relative to the vacuum belt during the second time period.

7. A wide format printer according to claim 6 wherein the media is engaged by the vacuum belt but not the input drive roller during a third time period.

8. A wide format printer according to claim 7 further comprising a media sensor configured to provide timing signals for operative control of the pagewidth printhead assembly.

9. A wide format printer according to claim 8 wherein the timing signals are provided during a first time interval, the first time interval spans an end portion of the first time period, all the second time period, and an initial portion of the third time period.

10. A wide format printer according to claim 9 wherein the vacuum belts rotate at a second translation speed which is greater than the first translation speed.

11. A wide format printer according to claim 8 wherein the print zone has a platen spaced from the pagewidth printhead assembly, and the media sensor is a media encoder embedded within the platen.

12. A wide format printer according to claim 11 further comprising a media feed path extending between the pagewidth printhead assembly and the platen wherein the pagewidth printhead assembly has a plurality of printheads, and the media encoder is positioned to engage media between two of the printheads.

13. A wide format printer according to claim 12 wherein the media encoder is positioned to engage the media proximate an upstream side of the print zone.

14. A wide format printer according to claim 13 wherein the platen is a vacuum platen.

15. A wide format printer according to claim 14 wherein the vacuum platen comprises a plurality of individual vacuum platens that are each aligned with a corresponding one of the printheads, each of the individual vacuum platens being movable relative to the printheads.

16. A wide format printer according to claim 15 wherein the vacuum platen includes a plurality of service modules each corresponding to one of the printheads and configured to cross the media path to engage the printhead during a capping or servicing operation.

17. A wide format printer according to claim 1 further comprising a scanner adjacent the vacuum belt to capture information from the media for feedback control of the pagewidth printhead assembly.

18. A wide format printer according to claim 17 wherein the information captured by the scanner is used to align printing from each of the printheads with that of adjacent printheads in the array.