Photoreceptor changing apparatus for electrophotographic copying machines

Claim 2

A photoreceptor changing apparatus comprising a supply reel rotatably mounted in the interior of a cylindrical supporter and having mounted thereon in roll form a photoconductive strip made of a pliable material and adapted to be paid out and applied to the outer periphery of said cylindrical supporter to serve as a photoreceptor on which an image of an original to be duplicated is formed for transfer printing on copy sheets, a take-up reel rotatably mounted in the interior of said cylindrical supporter and adapted to have said photoconductive strip wound thereon, and a photoconductive strip advance device disposed outside said cylindrical supporter and operated by a drive for rotating the cylindrical supporter to rotate said take-up reel and advance the photoconductive strip so that a portion thereof serving as a photoreceptor on the outer periphery of the photosensitive drum can be replaced by the next following portion thereof to thereby change the photoreceptors, wherein said photoconductive strip advance device comprises a drive gear for rotating said take-up reel secured to a drive shaft for said photosensitive drum, a transmission gear in meshing engagement with said drive gear, a connection gear coaxially mounted with said transmission gear, clutch means interposed between said transmission gear and said connection gear, a sun gear mounted on said drive shaft and maintained in meshing engagement with said connection gear, and a photoconductive strip advance gear secured to said take-up reel and maintained in meshing engagement with said sun gear, said strip advance gear normally revolving around said sun gear as said photosensitive drum is rotated, rotation of said transmission gear being transmitted through said connection gear to said sun gear when said clutch is engaged to produce a difference in the number of revolutions between said sun gear and said photosensitive drum, so that said strip advance gear is made to revolve on its own axis by said differential rotation to thereby advance the photoconductive strip and wind on the take-up reel the portion of the photoconductive strip on the outer periphery of the photosensitive drum.

Claim 3

A photoreceptor changing apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said connection gear in meshing engagement with said sun gear has a diameter larger than that of said transmission gear in meshing engagement with said drive gear, and said sun gear has a diameter smaller than that of said drive gear, whereby rotation is reduced in rate and transmitted to said strip advance gear.

Claim 4

A photoreceptor changing apparatus comprising a supply reel rotatably mounted in the interior of a cylindrical supporter and having mounted thereon in roll form a photoconductive strip made of a pliable material and adapted to be paid out and applied to the outer periphery of said cylindrical supporter to serve as a photoreceptor on which an image of an original to be duplicated is formed for transfer printing on copy sheets, a take-up reel rotatably mounted in the interior of said cylindrical supporter and adapted to have said photoconductive strip wound thereon, and a photoconductive strip advance device disposed outside said cylindrical supporter and operated by a drive for rotating the cylindrical supporter to rotate said take-up reel and advance the photoconductive strip so that a portion thereof serving as a photoreceptor on the outer periphery of the photosensitive drum can be replaced by the next following portion thereof to thereby change the photoreceptors, further comprising a device for feeding a photoconductive strip in a predetermined length, comprising a controller adapted to rotate on conjunCtion with said take-up reel when the latter is rotated and the portion of the photoconductive strip on the outer periphery of the photosensitive drum is wound thereon, a switch adapted to be actuated by said controller as the latter rotates and interrupt the rotation of said take-up reel, counter means adapted to be actuated in conjunction with said controller at the termination of rotation thereof, and a switch mount coupled to said counter means for adjustably supporting said switch to shift the position in which the switch is actuated.

Claim 5

A photoreceptor changing apparatus comprising a supply reel rotatably mounted in the interior of a cylindrical supporter and having mounted thereon in roll form a photoconductive strip made of a pliable material and adapted to be paid out and applied to the outer periphery of said cylindrical supporter to serve as a photoreceptor on which an image of an original to be duplicated is formed for transfer printing on copy sheets, a take-up reel rotatably mounted in the interior of said cylindrical supporter and adapted to have said photoconductive strip wound thereon, and a photoconductive strip advance device disposed outside said cylindrical supporter and operated by a drive for rotating the cylindrical supporter to rotate said take-up reel and advance the photoconductive strip so that a portion thereof serving as a photoreceptor on the outer periphery of the photosensitive drum can be replaced by the next following portion thereof to thereby change the photoreceptors, further comprising a device for feeding a photoconductive strip in a predetermined length, comprising a controller adapted to rotate on conjunCtion with said take-up reel when the latter is rotated and the portion of the photoconductive strip on the outer periphery of the photosensitive drum is wound thereon, a switch adapted to be actuated by said controller as the latter rotates and interrupt the rotation of said take-up reel, counter means adapted to be actuated in conjunction with said controller at the termination of rotation thereof, and a switch mount coupled to said counter means for adjustably supporting said switch to shift the position in which the switch is actuated.

Claim 6

A photoreceptor according to claim 3 wherein said controller is intermittently connected, through a spring clutch, to a ratchet wheel coupled to said drive shaft for said photosensitive drum and adapted to rotate angularly intermittently.

Claim 7

A photoreceptor changing apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said controller is in the form of a disc formed on its outer periphery with protuberance for opening and closing said switch for controlling the rotation of said take-up reel.

Claim 8

A photoreceptor changing apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said counter means comprises a ratchet wheel formed thereon with teeth corresponding in number to portions of the photoconductive strip wound in roll form on said supply reel and serving as photoreceptors when disposed on the outer periphery on the photosensitive drum, and an advance pawl in meshing engagement with one of the teeth of the ratchet wheel and adapted to pivot at the termination of rotation said controller to advance the ratchet wheel tooth by tooth.

Claim 9

A photoreceptor changing apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said switch for controlling the rotation of said take-up reel is secured to said switch mount pivotally supported by a shaft supporting said controller.

Claim 10

A photoreceptor changing apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said switch mount is fitted at its base over a shaft supporting said controller and has a free end portion which is adapted to pivot about said controller support shaft.

Claim 11

A photoreceptor changing apparatus according to claim 8 wherein said pivotal movement of said switch mount is precluded by a cam secured to a shaft supporting a ratchet wheel formed with teeth equal in number to the portions of the photoconductive strip on the supply reel.

Claim 12

A photoreceptor changing apparatus comprising a supply reel rotatably mounted in the interior of a cylindrical supporter and having mounted thereon in roll form a photoconductive strip made of a pliable material and adapted to be paid out and applied to the outer periphery of said cynlindrical supporter to serve as a photoreceptor on which an image of an original to be duplicated is formed for transfer printing on copy sheets, a take-up reel rotatably mounted in the interior of said cylindrical supporter and adapted to have said photoconductive strip wound thereon, and a photoconductive strip advance device disposed outside said cylindrical supporter and operated by a drive for rotating the cylindrical supporter to rotate said take-up reel and advance the photoconductive strip so that a portion thereof serving as a photoreceptor on the outer periphery of the photosensitive drum can be replaced by the next following portion thereof to thereby change the photoreceptors, further comprising: a device for feeding a photoconductive strip in a predetermined length, comprising a controller adapted to rotate in conjunction with said take-up reel when the latter is rotated and the portion of the photoconductive strip on the outer periphery of the photosensitive drum is wound thereon, a switch adapted to be actuated by said controller as the latter rotates to interrupt the rotation of said take-up reel, counter means adapted to be actuated in conjunction with said controller at the termination stage of rotation thereof, and a switch mount coupled to said counter means for adjustably supporting switch to shift the actuation position of the switch; and means for indicating the length of the residual pHotoconductive strip on said supply reel comprising members coupled to said counter means and adapted to be actuated at the termination of each operation of said counter means to indicate the length or the number of portions of the residual photoconductive strip on the supply reel which will serve as photoreceptors on the outer periphery of the photosensitive drum.

Claim 13

A photoreceptor changing apparatus comprising a supply reel rotatably mounted in the interior of a cylindrical supporter and having mounted thereon in roll form a photoconductive strip made of a pliable material and adapted to be paid out and applied to the outer periphery of said cynlindrical supporter to serve as a photoreceptor on which an image of an original to be duplicated is formed for transfer printing on copy sheets, a take-up reel rotatably mounted in the interior of said cylindrical supporter and adapted to have said photoconductive strip wound thereon, and a photoconductive strip advance device disposed outside said cylindrical supporter and operated by a drive for rotating the cylindrical supporter to rotate said take-up reel and advance the photoconductive strip so that a portion thereof serving as a photoreceptor on the outer periphery of the photosensitive drum can be replaced by the next following portion thereof to thereby change the photoreceptors, further comprising: a device for feeding a photoconductive strip in a predetermined length, comprising a controller adapted to rotate in conjunction with said take-up reel when the latter is rotated and the portion of the photoconductive strip on the outer periphery of the photosensitive drum is wound thereon, a switch adapted to be actuated by said controller as the latter rotates to interrupt the rotation of said take-up reel, counter means adapted to be actuated in conjunction with said controller at the termination stage of rotation thereof, and a switch mount coupled to said counter means for adjustably supporting switch to shift the actuation position of the switch; and means for indicating the length of the residual pHotoconductive strip on said supply reel comprising members coupled to said counter means and adapted to be actuated at the termination of each operation of said counter means to indicate the length or the number of portions of the residual photoconductive strip on the supply reel which will serve as photoreceptors on the outer periphery of the photosensitive drum.

Claim 14

A photoreceptor according to claim 10 wherein said means for indicating the length of the residual photoconductive strip on the supply reel comprises a pointer mounted on a shaft supporting a ratchet wheel formed thereon with teeth equal in number to the number of portions of the photoconductive strip on the supply reel which will serve as photoreceptors on the outer periphery of the photoconductive drum, and an indication plate graduated in the number of portions of the photoconductive strip on the supply reel.

Claim 15

A photoreceptor changing apparatus comprising a supply reel rotatably mounted in the interior of a cylindrical supporter and having mounted thereon in roll form a photoconductive strip made of a pliable material and adapted to be paid out and applied to the outer periphery of said cylindrical supporter to serve as a photoreceptor on which an image of an original to be duplicated is formed for transfer printing on copy sheets, a take-up reel rotatably mounted in the interior of said cylindrical supporter and adapted to have said photoconductive strip wound thereon, and a photoconductive strip advance device disposed outside said cylindrical supporter and operated by a drive for rotating the cylindrical supporter to rotate said take-up reel and advance the photoconductive strip so that a portion thereof serving as a photoreceptor on the outer periphery of the photosensitive drum can be replaced by the next following portion thereof to thereby change the photoreceptors, further comprising a device for feeding a photoconductive strip in a predetermined length, comprising a controller adapted to rotate in conjunction with said take-up reel when the latter is rotated and the portion of the photoconductive strip on the outer periphery of the photosensitive drum is wound thereon, a switch adapted to be actuated by said controller as the latter rotates to interrupt the rotation of said take-up reel, counter means adapted to be actuated in conjunction with said controller at the termination of rotation thereof, and a switch mount coupled to said counter means for adjustably supporting said switch to shift the actuation position of the switch; means for indicating the length of the residual photoconductive strip on said supply reel coupled to said counter means and adapted to be actuated at the termination of each operation of said counter means to indicate the length or the number of portions of the residual photoconductive strip on the supply reel which will serve as photoreceptors on the outer periphery of the photosensitive drum; and means for detecting the exhaustion of the photoconductive strip on the supply reel operatively associated with said means for indicating the length of the residual photoconductive strip on the supply reel and comprising a switch adapted to be actuated when said counter means counts the last portion of the photoconductive strip on the supply reel and produce a signal informing that that the photoconductive strip on the supply reel is exhausted.

Claim 16

A photoreceptor changing apparatus comprising a supply reel rotatably mounted in the interior of a cylindrical supporter and having mounted thereon in roll form a photoconductive strip made of a pliable material and adapted to be paid out and applied to the outer periphery of said cylindrical supporter to serve as a photoreceptor on which an image of an original to be duplicated is formed for transfer printing on copy sheets, a take-up reel rotatably mounted in the interior of said cylindrical supporter and adapted to have said photoconductive strip wound thereon, and a photoconductive strip advance device disposed outside said cylindrical supporter and operated by a drive for rotating the cylindrical supporter to rotate said take-up reel and advance the photoconductive strip so that a portion thereof serving as a photoreceptor on the outer periphery of the photosensitive drum can be replaced by the next following portion thereof to thereby change the photoreceptors, further comprising a device for feeding a photoconductive strip in a predetermined length, comprising a controller adapted to rotate in conjunction with said take-up reel when the latter is rotated and the portion of the photoconductive strip on the outer periphery of the photosensitive drum is wound thereon, a switch adapted to be actuated by said controller as the latter rotates to interrupt the rotation of said take-up reel, counter means adapted to be actuated in conjunction with said controller at the termination of rotation thereof, and a switch mount coupled to said counter means for adjustably supporting said switch to shift the actuation position of the switch; means for indicating the length of the residual photoconductive strip on said supply reel coupled to said counter means and adapted to be actuated at the termination of each operation of said counter means to indicate the length or the number of portions of the residual photoconductive strip on the supply reel which will serve as photoreceptors on the outer periphery of the photosensitive drum; and means for detecting the exhaustion of the photoconductive strip on the supply reel operatively associated with said means for indicating the length of the residual photoconductive strip on the supply reel and comprising a switch adapted to be actuated when said counter means counts the last portion of the photoconductive strip on the supply reel and produce a signal informing that that the photoconductive strip on the supply reel is exhausted.

Claim 17

A photoreceptor changing apparatus according to claim 12 wherein said switch for producing a photoconductive strip exhaustion signal is adapted to be opened and closed by an actuator mounted on a shaft on which a ratchet wheel formed with teeth equal in number to the portions of the photoconductive strip on the supply reel is supported.

Claim 18

A photoreceptor changing apparatus according to claim 13 wherein said actuator is in disc form formed on its outer periphery with a protuberance.