Photoconductor-carrying drum assembly

Claim 2

A photoconductor-carrying assembly for use with an electrophotographic reproduction apparatus, said assembly comprising: a frame structure including a normally curved support surface, means for rotating said frame structure about an axis, a flexible photoconductor element carried by said frame structure, a portion of said photoconductor element extending between first and second points of said frame structure and normally engaging said curved support surface to assume the configuration thereof, and means for selectively moving at least a portion of said support surface inwardly toward said axis of rotation whereby said portion of said flexible photoconductor element assumes a generally planar configuration to Define an imaging plane for exposure.

Claim 3

The assembly set forth in claim 1 together with means for holding said portion of said flexible photoconductor element in tension to maintain said photoconductor element in said planar configuration when said support surface is moved inwardly.

Claim 4

The assembly set forth in claim 2 wherein said support surface is normally of part cylindrical configuration.

Claim 5

The assembly set forth in claim 1 wherein said support surface is defined by at least one pivotally mounted support member operatively connected to said movement means for pivotal movement thereby between a normal position and a folded position.

Claim 6

The assembly set forth in claim 4 wherein said movement means includes actuation means operatively connected to said support member for effecting its pivotal inward movement to said folded position in response to rotation of said frame structure to a first predetermined angular position.

Claim 7

The assembly set forth in claim 5 wherein said actuation means also effects return of said support member to said normal position in response to rotation of said frame structure to a second predetermined angular position.

Claim 8

The assembly set forth in claim 6 wherein said actuation means includes a stationary cam member mounted adjacent said frame structure and a cam follower carried by said support member operatively engageable by said cam member.

Claim 9

The assembly set forth in claim 1 wherein said support surface is defined by a pair of normally mated pivotally mounted support members each operatively connected to said movement means for pivotal movement thereby between a normal position and a folded position.

Claim 10

The assembly set forth in claim 8 wherein said movement means includes actuation means operatively connected to said pair of support members for pivotally effecting their inward movement to said folded positions in response to rotation of said frame structure to a first predetermined angular position.

Claim 11

The assembly as set forth in claim 9 wherein said actuation means also effects return of said support members to their respective normal positions when said frame structure is rotated to a second predetermined angular position.

Claim 12

The assembly as set forth in claim 10 wherein said actuation means includes a pair of cam members mounted adjacent said frame structure and a cam follower carried by each of said support members operatively engageable by said cam member.

Claim 13

The assembly as set forth in claim 11 together with means for holding said portion of said flexible photoconductor element in tension to maintain said planar configuration when said support members are in said folded positions.

Claim 14

The assembly as set forth in claim 12 wherein said tensioning means is yieldable to allow the length of said portion of photoconductor element between said first and second points to vary under to influence of said support members.

Claim 15

A photoconductor-carrying assembly for use with an electrophotographic reproduction apparatus, said assembly comprising: a frame structure including a support member defining a normally curved support surface, motive means for rotating said frame structure about an axis, a flexible photoconductor element comprising a web, with an intermediate portion extending between first and second spaced points associated with said frame structure and normally engaging said curved support surface to assume the configuration thereof, supply means associated with said frame structure for storing a supply portion of said photoconductor web, take-up means associated with said frame structure for advancing said web and storing a used portion thereof, said intermediate portion being between said supply portion and said used portion of photoconductor web and defining at least one image area, and means associated with said frame structure for cyclicly substantially disengaging said intermediate portion of the photoconductor web from said support surface and allowing said Intermediate portion of said frame structure to assume a substantially planar configuration and subsequently re-engaging said intermediate portion with said support surface.

Claim 16

A photoconductor-carrying assembly for use with an electrophotographic reproduction apparatus, said assembly comprising: a frame structure including a support member defining a normally curved support surface, motive means for rotating said frame structure about an axis, a flexible photoconductor element comprising a web, with an intermediate portion extending between first and second spaced points associated with said frame structure and normally engaging said curved support surface to assume the configuration thereof, supply means associated with said frame structure for storing a supply portion of said photoconductor web, take-up means associated with said frame structure for advancing said web and storing a used portion thereof, said intermediate portion being between said supply portion and said used portion of photoconductor web and defining at least one image area, and means associated with said frame structure for cyclicly substantially disengaging said intermediate portion of the photoconductor web from said support surface and allowing said Intermediate portion of said frame structure to assume a substantially planar configuration and subsequently re-engaging said intermediate portion with said support surface.

Claim 17

The assembly set forth in claim 14 wherein said supply means and said take-up means are carried by said frame structure.

Claim 18

The assembly as set forth in claim 15 wherein said supply means and said take-up means include supply and take-up roller respectively mounted to said frame structure.

Claim 19

The assembly set forth in claim 16 together with means for applying tension to said intermediate portion of said photoconductor element when in said substantially planar configuration.

Claim 20

The assembly set forth in claim 17 wherein said tensioning means is operatively connected to at least one of said rollers.

Claim 21

The assembly set forth in claim 18 wherein the length of said intermediate portion of the photoconductor web between said first and second points when in said curved configuration is greater than when in said substantially planar configuration, said tensioning means including means for preventing slack in said photoconductor web between said first and second points when the configuration of the intermediate portion of the web is changed from curved to substantially planar by said disengagement means.

Claim 22

The assembly as set forth in claim 14 wherein said take-up means is operatively connected to said cyclic disengagement means for operation thereby.

Claim 23

The assembly as set forth in claim 14 wherein each actuation of said take-up means incrementally advances said web an amount less than one of said image areas.

Claim 24

The assembly as set forth in claim 21 wherein take-up means is actuated in response to completion of a predetermined number of operations of said cyclic disengagement means.

Claim 25

The assembly as set forth in claim 20 wherein said take-up means include means for effectively counting the number of cycles of said disengagement means to effect said selective advancement of said web upon reaching a predetermined count.

Claim 26

The assembly as set forth in claim 14 wherein said disengagement means is operatively connected to said support member to effect movement thereof from its normal position in one direction to substantially disengage said intermediate portion of photoconductor from said support surface to assume said planar configuration and subsequentially effect movement of said support member in the opposite direction for return to its normal position.

Claim 27

The assembly as set forth in claim 24 wherein said support member is pivotally mounted to said frame structure and moved pivotally by said disengagement means.

Claim 28

The assembly as set forth in claim 25 wherein said take-up means includes a take-up roller in operative engagement with said web, a main drive ratchet drivingly connected to said take-up roller and a drive pawl operatively connected to said support member for movement thereby, said counting means preventing driving engagement of said drive pawl with said drive ratchet until said predetermined count is reached.

Claim 29

A photoconductor-carrying assembly for use with an electrophotographic reproduction apparatus, said assembly comprising: a stationary housing, a frame structure rotatably mounted to said housing, said frame structure including a support surface, motive means operatively connected to said frame structure for effecting rotation thereof about an axis relative to said housing, an elongated photoconductor element carried by said frame structure and extending between a supply location and a take-up location with an intermediate portion normally engaging said support surface, advance means operatively connected to said photoconductor element for advancing said photoconductor element over said support surface toward said take-up location from said supply location, said advance means including a rotatable drive element carried by said frame structure, said drive element moving in a circular path about said axis of rotation When said frame structure is rotated by said motive means, and actuation means associated with said stationary housing and selectively movable between a normal retracted position and an advance position, said actuation means when in said advance position operatively engaging said drive element to effect rotation thereof to operate said advance means.

Claim 30

A photoconductor-carrying assembly for use with an electrophotographic reproduction apparatus, said assembly comprising: a stationary housing, a frame structure rotatably mounted to said housing, said frame structure including a support surface, motive means operatively connected to said frame structure for effecting rotation thereof about an axis relative to said housing, an elongated photoconductor element carried by said frame structure and extending between a supply location and a take-up location with an intermediate portion normally engaging said support surface, advance means operatively connected to said photoconductor element for advancing said photoconductor element over said support surface toward said take-up location from said supply location, said advance means including a rotatable drive element carried by said frame structure, said drive element moving in a circular path about said axis of rotation When said frame structure is rotated by said motive means, and actuation means associated with said stationary housing and selectively movable between a normal retracted position and an advance position, said actuation means when in said advance position operatively engaging said drive element to effect rotation thereof to operate said advance means.

Claim 31

The assembly set forth in claim 27 wherein said actuation means includes a generally arcuate actuation member supported by said stationary housing, said actuation member intersecting said circular path when in said advanced position to engage drive element and effect rotation thereof due to rotation of said frame structure.

Claim 32

The assembly set forth in claim 28 wherein said drive element includes a gear teeth, said actuation member comprising a curved rack for operative engagement with said gear teeth when said rack is in said advance position.

Claim 33

The assembly set forth in claim 28 wherein said actuation means includes electromechanical means responsive to a photoconductor advance signal to move said actuation member to said advance position.

Claim 34

The assembly set forth in claim 30 wherein said drive element includes gear teeth, said actuation member comprising a curved rack for operative engagement with said gear teeth when said rack is in said advance position.

Claim 35

The assembly set forth in claim 31 wherein said advance means includes means for maintaining said intermediate portion of said photoconductor element in tension.