US3861613A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Apparatus for operating cassette of photosensitive element in electrophotographic copier
Assignee: Minolta Co Ltd
•
Filing: 1973-03-27
•
Granted: 1975-01-21
•
Expires: 1993-03-27
Abstract
Abstract An apparatus comprising coupling means engageable with a stock shaft and a take-up shaft of a photosensitive element cassette and selectively engageable with a stock roller and a take-up roller accommodating the shafts respectively to couple the rollers together, a tension mechanism engageable with and disengageable from the stock roller and the take-up roller to tension a photosensitive element extending between the rollers when in engagement with the rollers, a drive mechanism for driving the take-up shaft and the take-up roller in sequence when in engagement with the coupling means, and operation mechanism for shifting the tension mechanism and the coupling means. Freeing the photosensitive element from the tension, winding-up of the element into the take-up roller, pulling-out of the element from the stock roller and tensioning of the element are conducted full-automatically.
Inventors
- 👤 Susumu Tanaka
- 👤 Yuji Enoguchi
- 👤 Takao Fujiwara
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 10:03
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03G; G03G15/00; G03G15/75; G03G15/754
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
247 words
An apparatus for operating an image transfer element cassette in an electrophotographic copier of the image transfer type comprising: a loading station for the image transfer element cassette, coupling means engageable with a stock shaft and a take-up shaft when the cassette is loaded in place, the stock shaft and the take-up shaft being rotatably supported in a stock roller and a take-up roller rotatably supported on a frame of the cassette, the coupling means being operable to engage with the stock roller and the take-up roller individually selectively and to thereby couple each of the rollers with the shaft housed therein for conjoint rotation, tension means engageable with and disengageable from the stock roller and the take-up roller to bias the two rollers in directions opposite to each other when in engagement therewith and to thereby tension the photosensitive element extending between the rollers, drive means engageable with and disengageable from the coupling means engageable with the take-up shaft to selectively engage with the take-up roller, the drive means being operable to drive the take-up shaft and the take-up roller in sequence when in engagement with the coupling means and to thereby wind up the photosensitive element and pull out the same from the stock roller, and means for moving the tension means into engagement with and out of engagement from the stock roller and the take-up roller and means for moving the coupling means into engagement with the stock roller and the take-up roller selectively.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
247 words
An apparatus for operating an image transfer element cassette in an electrophotographic copier of the image transfer type comprising: a loading station for the image transfer element cassette, coupling means engageable with a stock shaft and a take-up shaft when the cassette is loaded in place, the stock shaft and the take-up shaft being rotatably supported in a stock roller and a take-up roller rotatably supported on a frame of the cassette, the coupling means being operable to engage with the stock roller and the take-up roller individually selectively and to thereby couple each of the rollers with the shaft housed therein for conjoint rotation, tension means engageable with and disengageable from the stock roller and the take-up roller to bias the two rollers in directions opposite to each other when in engagement therewith and to thereby tension the photosensitive element extending between the rollers, drive means engageable with and disengageable from the coupling means engageable with the take-up shaft to selectively engage with the take-up roller, the drive means being operable to drive the take-up shaft and the take-up roller in sequence when in engagement with the coupling means and to thereby wind up the photosensitive element and pull out the same from the stock roller, and means for moving the tension means into engagement with and out of engagement from the stock roller and the take-up roller and means for moving the coupling means into engagement with the stock roller and the take-up roller selectively.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
112 words
The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the coupling means comprises two coupling rods stepped to provide splined portions engageable in splined holes formed in the ends of the stock shaft and the take-up shaft respectively and to provide splined portions of a greater diameter engageable in splined holes of a greater diameter formed in the ends of the stock roller and the take-up roller respectively, the coupling rods being shiftable in axial directions opposite to each other under the control of the operation means to selectively engage the greater diameter splined portions in the greater diameter splined holes, the coupling rods being rotatable by the drive means when required.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
78 words
The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the tension means comprises an assembly of two gears biased to rotate in directions opposite to each other and two tubular shafts in engagement with the stock roller and the take-up roller and having gears meshable with the gears respectively when the assembly is shifted, and the stock roller and the take-up roller are biased in directions opposite to each other when the gears mesh with each other respectively.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
24 words
The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the tension means includes means for adjusting the biasing force acting between the two gears.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
59 words
The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the drive means includes a cam for defining the length of the photosensitive element to be wound up and the length of the same to be pulled out during the image transfer element winding-up and pulling-out operations to stop the drive means upon completion of the winding-up aNd pulling-up operations.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
104 words
The apparatus as set forth in Claim 1 wherein the means for moving the tension and coupling means comprises a cylinder cam formed with two cam grooves in its peripheral surface and rotatable through 120* for each cycle of the winding-up, pulling-out and tensioning operations, said means for moving the tension means into engagement with and out of disengagement from the stock roller and the take-up roller is under the control of the first cam groove, and the means for moving the coupling means into engagement with the stock roller and the take-up roller is selectively under the control of the second cam groove.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
102 words
An image transfer web cassette for an electrostatic copying machine comprising a body member, a pair of transversely spaced parallel take-up and feed shafts independently, rotatably supported by said body member, a pair of transversely spaced take-up and feed reels coaxial with respective shafts and supported for independent rotation relative to each other and said shafts, each of said reels having a longitudinal opening providing access to the respective shafts, a separable drive coupling connected to each of said reels and shafts, and an image transfer web extending between said reels and projecting through said access openings into engagement with said shafts.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
102 words
An image transfer web cassette for an electrostatic copying machine comprising a body member, a pair of transversely spaced parallel take-up and feed shafts independently, rotatably supported by said body member, a pair of transversely spaced take-up and feed reels coaxial with respective shafts and supported for independent rotation relative to each other and said shafts, each of said reels having a longitudinal opening providing access to the respective shafts, a separable drive coupling connected to each of said reels and shafts, and an image transfer web extending between said reels and projecting through said access openings into engagement with said shafts.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
27 words
The cassette of claim 7 wherein said coupling means comprise telescoping splined shaft sections projecting from the take-up shaft and reel and the feed shaft and reel.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
23 words
The cassette of claim 7 wherein each of said reels comprises a hollow drum having a longitudinal slot defining a respective access opening.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
36 words
The cassette of claim 7, including a guide roller transversely spaced from and parallel to said reels, said web extending from one reel along a predetermined path about said guide roller and to the other reel.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-01-20 | 1978-07-22 | 1979-01-21 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-01-20 | 1982-07-22 | 1983-01-21 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-01-20 | 1986-07-22 | 1987-01-21 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |