US4959109A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Apparatus and process for preparing belts
Assignee: Xerox Corp
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Filing: 1989-06-30
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Granted: 1990-09-25
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Expires: 2009-06-30
Abstract
Abstract Processes and apparatus for fabricating belts are disclosed comprising conveying a first mandrel to a wrapping station, supplying the leading edge of a web from a web supply roll to the first mandrel at the wrapping station, retaining the leading edge of the web on the first mandrel by means of a partial vacuum, wrapping the web around the first mandrel by rotating the first mandrel for about one revolution, severing the web at the wrapping station to form a trailing edge which overlaps the leading edge of the web to form a first belt having a seam, substantially simultaneously conveying the first mandrel to a welding station and conveying a second mandrel to the wrapping station, and substantially simultaneously wrapping the second mandrel with fresh web material from the web supply roll and welding the seam on the first belt on the first mandrel to form a unitary belt. These welded belts may be automatically removed from the mandrels at a belt discharge station.
Inventors
- 👤 Eugene A. Swain
- 👤 Marvin Menzin
- 👤 Edward A. Agranat
- 👤 Henry R. Cofek
- 👤 Daniel J. Fisher
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 17:59
CPC Classifications
B; B29; B29C; B29C66/00; B29C66/80; B29C66/83; B29C66/836; B29C53/00; B29C53/36; B29C53/38; B29C53/40; B29C53/42; B29C53/44; B29C65/00; B29C65/02; B29C65/08; B29C65/78; B29C65/7841; B29C65/7847; B29C66/01; B29C66/05; B29C66/10; B29C66/11; B29C66/112; B29C66/1122; B29C66/40; B29C66/41; B29C66/43; B29C66/432; B29C66/4322; B29C66/4324; B29C66/49; B29C66/70; B29C66/73; B29C66/739; B29C66/7392; B29C66/73921; B29C66/82; B29C66/822; B29C66/8227; B29C66/824; B29C66/8242; B29C66/84; B29C66/841; B29C66/8412; B29C66/84121; B29C66/8414; B29D; B29D29/00; B31; B31F; B31F1/00; B31F1/0003; B31F1/0045; B31F1/0048; B31F1/0051; B31F1/0054; B29C65/7897; B29C66/71; B29C66/72; B29C66/723; B29L; B29L2031/00; B29L2031/709; B29L2031/7094; B29L2031/764; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T156/00; Y10T156/10; Y10T156/1002; Y10T156/1036; Y10T156/1038
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim
485 words
Apparatus for fabricating electrostatographic imaging belts comprising a wrapping station, a welding station, at least a first rotatable mandrel and a second rotatable mandrel, said first rotatable mandrel and said second rotatable mandrel each comprising a cylinder having at least one first opening or one first series of openings extending axially along said outer surface of said cylinder and at least one second opening or second series of openings extending axially along said outer surface of said cylinder, said second opening or second series of openings being adjacent to and circumferentially spaced on said cylinder from said first opening or first series of openings, means to support said first rotatable mandrel, means to support said second rotatable mandrel, transporting means for conveying rotatable mandrels to and from said wrapping station and said welding station along an arc of a circular path lying in an imaginary plane extending through and parallel to the axis of said first rotatable mandrel and said second rotatable mandrel, said axis of said first rotatable mandrel and said second rotatable mandrel each being substantially perpendicular to imaginary lines radially emanating from the center of said circular path, said welding station comprising a welding means, means for supplying the leading edge of a web from a web supply roll to said wrapping station, said transporting means being adapted to position the axis of said first rotatable mandrel parallel to said leading edge of said web at said wrapping station, pick up means adapted to grip only said leading edge and position said leading edge of said web on and parallel to said first opening or first series of openings on said first rotatable mandrel conveyed to said wrapping station by said transporting means, means to form a partial vacuum within said first opening or first series of openings to secure said leading edge of said web on said first rotatable mandrel, means to rotate said first rotatable mandrel at said wrapping station about one revolution whereby said web is wrapped around said first rotatable mandrel, means to sever said web to form a trailing edge whereby said trailing edge of said web on said first rotatable mandrel at said wrapping station overlaps said leading edge of said web to form a first belt having a seam, means to form a partial vacuum within said second opening or second series of openings to secure the area of said web adjacent said trailing edge to said first rotatable mandrel, means to activate said transporting means to simultaneously convey said first rotatable mandrel wrapped with said first belt having said seam to said welding station and convey said second rotatable mandrel to said wrapping station for wrapping with a second belt, and means to weld said seam on said first belt at said welding station at substantially the same time as said second rotatable mandrel is wrapped at said wrapping station with said second belt.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
485 words
Apparatus for fabricating electrostatographic imaging belts comprising a wrapping station, a welding station, at least a first rotatable mandrel and a second rotatable mandrel, said first rotatable mandrel and said second rotatable mandrel each comprising a cylinder having at least one first opening or one first series of openings extending axially along said outer surface of said cylinder and at least one second opening or second series of openings extending axially along said outer surface of said cylinder, said second opening or second series of openings being adjacent to and circumferentially spaced on said cylinder from said first opening or first series of openings, means to support said first rotatable mandrel, means to support said second rotatable mandrel, transporting means for conveying rotatable mandrels to and from said wrapping station and said welding station along an arc of a circular path lying in an imaginary plane extending through and parallel to the axis of said first rotatable mandrel and said second rotatable mandrel, said axis of said first rotatable mandrel and said second rotatable mandrel each being substantially perpendicular to imaginary lines radially emanating from the center of said circular path, said welding station comprising a welding means, means for supplying the leading edge of a web from a web supply roll to said wrapping station, said transporting means being adapted to position the axis of said first rotatable mandrel parallel to said leading edge of said web at said wrapping station, pick up means adapted to grip only said leading edge and position said leading edge of said web on and parallel to said first opening or first series of openings on said first rotatable mandrel conveyed to said wrapping station by said transporting means, means to form a partial vacuum within said first opening or first series of openings to secure said leading edge of said web on said first rotatable mandrel, means to rotate said first rotatable mandrel at said wrapping station about one revolution whereby said web is wrapped around said first rotatable mandrel, means to sever said web to form a trailing edge whereby said trailing edge of said web on said first rotatable mandrel at said wrapping station overlaps said leading edge of said web to form a first belt having a seam, means to form a partial vacuum within said second opening or second series of openings to secure the area of said web adjacent said trailing edge to said first rotatable mandrel, means to activate said transporting means to simultaneously convey said first rotatable mandrel wrapped with said first belt having said seam to said welding station and convey said second rotatable mandrel to said wrapping station for wrapping with a second belt, and means to weld said seam on said first belt at said welding station at substantially the same time as said second rotatable mandrel is wrapped at said wrapping station with said second belt.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
49 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 including a discharge station adjacent to said welding station and adapted to remove said first belt from said first rotatable mandrel and means for conveying said first rotatable mandrel to said discharge station for removal of said first belt from said first rotatable mandrel.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
80 words
Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said first rotatable mandrel comprises means to reduce the outer circumference of said mandrel in a direction perpendicular to the mandrel axis, and said discharge station comprises at least one suction means adapted to grip said belt only at said seam, lift said belt away from said upper surface of said mandrel after said outer circumference of said mandrel is reduced and substantially horizontally convey said belt away from one end of said mandrel.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
53 words
Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said transporting means is adapted to simultaneously convey said first rotatable mandrel from said welding station to said discharge station, convey said second rotatable mandrel from said wrapping station to said welding station, and convey a third rotatable mandrel from said discharge station to said wrapping station.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
32 words
Apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said transporting means comprises a rotatable platform which is adapted to simultaneously convey said first rotatable mandrel, said second rotatable mandrel and said third rotatable mandrel.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
24 words
Apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said wrapping station, said welding station, and said discharge station are adapted to receive mandrels of different sizes.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
32 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said means to support said first rotatable mandrel and said means to support said second rotatable mandrel are each adapted to receive mandrels of different sizes.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
55 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said pick up means adapted to position said leading edge of said web on said first opening or first series of openings comprises a reciprocating arm having at least one vacuum port adapted to grip and transport said leading edge to said first opening or first series of openings.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
44 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said wrapping station comprises means to laterally displace said pick up means in a direction perpendicular to the length of said web to align one longitudinal edge of said web with a predetermined position at said wrapping station.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
55 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said means to weld said seam on said first belt comprises means adapted to vertically advance an ultrasonic welding horn toward said seam from a retracted position and adapted to substantially horizontally traverse and weld said seam with said horn after said horn is vertically advanced toward said seam.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
46 words
Apparatus according to claim 10 wherein said means to weld said seam on said first belt comprises support means adapted to contact the upper surface at each end of said first rotatable mandrel at said welding station to align said horn with said seam during traverse.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
30 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said welding means is adapted to pivot in a vertical plane to align itself to said upper surface of said mandrel during said traverse.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
14 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said mandrel has a substantially circular cross section.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
273 words
A process for fabricating electrostatographic imaging belts comprising conveying a first mandrel to a wrapping station, supplying the leading edge of a web from a web supply roll to said first mandrel at said wrapping station gripping only said leading edge by means of a partial vacuum applied through at least one opening or series of openings of a pickup means, retaining said leading edge of said web on said first mandrel, said leading edge being parallel to the axis of said first rotatable mandrel, wrapping said web around said first mandrel by rotating said first mandrel for about one revolution, severing said web at said wrapping station to form a trailing edge which overlaps said leading edge of said web to form a first belt having a seam, substantially simultaneously conveying said first mandrel to a welding station comprising a belt welding means and conveying a second mandrel to said wrapping station, substantially simultaneously wrapping said second mandrel with fresh web material from said web supply roll and welding said seam on said first belt on said first mandrel to form a unitary belt, conveying said first mandrel along an arc of a substantially circular path to said wrapping station and to said welding station and while conveying said second mandrel along an arc of a substantially circular path to said wrapping station and maintaining during conveying the axis of said first mandrel and said second mandrel in an imaginary plane extending through and parallel to the axis of said first rotatable mandrel and in an attitude substantially perpendicular to an imaginary line radially emanating from the center of said circular path.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
273 words
A process for fabricating electrostatographic imaging belts comprising conveying a first mandrel to a wrapping station, supplying the leading edge of a web from a web supply roll to said first mandrel at said wrapping station gripping only said leading edge by means of a partial vacuum applied through at least one opening or series of openings of a pickup means, retaining said leading edge of said web on said first mandrel, said leading edge being parallel to the axis of said first rotatable mandrel, wrapping said web around said first mandrel by rotating said first mandrel for about one revolution, severing said web at said wrapping station to form a trailing edge which overlaps said leading edge of said web to form a first belt having a seam, substantially simultaneously conveying said first mandrel to a welding station comprising a belt welding means and conveying a second mandrel to said wrapping station, substantially simultaneously wrapping said second mandrel with fresh web material from said web supply roll and welding said seam on said first belt on said first mandrel to form a unitary belt, conveying said first mandrel along an arc of a substantially circular path to said wrapping station and to said welding station and while conveying said second mandrel along an arc of a substantially circular path to said wrapping station and maintaining during conveying the axis of said first mandrel and said second mandrel in an imaginary plane extending through and parallel to the axis of said first rotatable mandrel and in an attitude substantially perpendicular to an imaginary line radially emanating from the center of said circular path.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
31 words
A process according to claim 14 including conveying said first mandrel bearing said unitary belt to a discharge station and removing said unitary belt from one end of said first mandrel.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
56 words
A process according to claim 15 including removing said unitary belt from one end of said first mandrel by reducing the outer circumference of said first mandrel, gripping said unitary belt at said seam with suction cups, lifting said seam up from said first mandrel and sliding said belt off one end of said first mandrel.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
50 words
A process according to claim 15 including substantially simultaneously conveying said first mandrel bearing said unitary belt from said welding station to said discharge station, conveying said second mandrel from said wrapping station to said welding station, and conveying a third mandrel from said discharge station to said wrapping station.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
55 words
A process according to claim 17 including substantially simultaneously conveying said first mandrel bearing said unitary belt from said welding station to said discharge station, conveying said second mandrel from said wrapping station to said welding station, and conveying a third mandrel from said discharge station to said wrapping station in substantially a circular path.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
42 words
A process according to claim 14 including replacing said first mandrel and said second mandrel with mandrels having a different size than said first mandrel and said second mandrel and repeating said process to form a unitary belt of a different size.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
58 words
A process according to claim 14 including gripping said leading edge of said web and laterally displacing said web in a direction perpendicular to the length of said web to align one longitudinal edge of said web with a predetermined position at said wrapping station whenever said longitudinal edge of said web deviates away from said predetermined position.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1993-09-24 | 1994-03-26 | 1994-09-25 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1997-09-24 | 1998-03-26 | 1998-09-25 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2001-09-24 | 2002-03-26 | 2002-09-25 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |