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EP0785480A2 Expired / Lapsed EP ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Driving, steering and tensioning roll for belt loops

Assignee: Xerox Corp
•
Filing: 1997-01-10
•
Granted: —
•
Expires: 2017-01-10
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Abstract

Abstract Described herein is apparatus for driving, steering and maintaining tension on an endless belt (10), particularly an endless photoreceptor belt in an electrophotographic printing machine which is supported by a plurality of rollers and is arranged to move in a predetermined belt path through a plurality of processing stations disposed along the belt. A utility roller (14) is used for driving, steering and maintaining tension on the belt (10). the utility roller (14) being adapted for rotational movement about a first axis and tilting movement about a second axis transverse to the first axis. A drive motor (80) and transmission (70) are mounted integrally with the utility roller (14) and tilt therewith. A steering actuator (80, 81, 82, 83) tilts the roller (14) in one of two directions to cause the belt (10) to laterally walk along the roller (14) to maintain the predetermined belt path. Belt edge sensors (92, 94) can be utilized to track the position of the belt (10) and feed that information to a machine controller (90) which then actuates the actuator (80, 81, 82, 83) to tilt the roller (14) to the extent and for as long as is necessary to maintain the proper belt tracking pattern on the roller (14).

Inventors

  • 👤 Lam F. Wong

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction EP
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-04 22:40
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03G; G03G15/00; G03G15/75; G03G15/754; B; B65; B65G; B65G39/00; B65G39/10; B65G39/12; B65G39/16; G03G15/755; G03G2215/00; G03G2215/00135; G03G2215/00139; G03G2215/00143; G03G2215/00156

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim 153 words
Apparatus for controlling and driving an endless belt (10) which moves along a predetermined path, the apparatus comprising: a utility roller (14) for supporting the belt (10); sensing means (92, 94) for sensing movement of the belt (10) in a direction substantially normal to the predetermined path and generating a signal indicative of the movement; and control means (90) for maintaining the belt (10) on the predetermined path; characterized in that the utility roller (14) is adapted for driven rotational movement about a first axis and tilting movement about a second axis transverse to the first axis, the apparatus further including tilting means (80, 81, 82. 83. 87) for effecting the tilting movement and in that the utility roller (14) is tilted about the second axis by the tilting means (80, 81, 82, 83, 87) under control of the control means (90) in response to signals generated by the sensing means (92, 94).
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 25 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a tensioning device (86, 88) which acts along the second axis to tension the belt (10).
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 56 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the tilting means (80, 81, 82. 83, 87) includes a yoke (87) rotatably supporting the utility roller (14) and adapted to rotate the utility roller (14) about the second axis; and an actuator (80, 81, 82, 83) connected to the yoke (87), for tilting the utility roller (14).
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 47 words
Apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the actuator (80, 81, 82, 83) comprises a stepper motor (80); and a linkage (81. 82) connecting the stepper motor (80) to the yoke (87) to displace accurately the utility roller (14) to maintain the belt (10) on the predetermined path.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 36 words
Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the linkage (81, 82) comprises a cam (81) rotatably connected to the stepper motor (80) and contacting the yoke (87) to displace the utility roller (14) to effect belt steering.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 43 words
Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a motor (20) mounted integrally with the utility roller (14); and a transmission device (70) for connecting the motor (20) with the utility roller (14) to rotate it about the first axis.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 57 words
An electrophotographic printing machine of the type having an endless photoreceptor belt (10) supported by a plurality of rollers (14, 16, 18) and arranged to move in a predetermined path through a plurality of processing stations (A, B, C, D, G, H, I) disposed therealong, the machine including apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US4061222A Cited
US4170175A Cited
US4174171A Cited
US4344693A Cited
US4572417A Cited
US5078263A Cited
US4961089A Cited
US5467171A Cited

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