Conveying a recording medium

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6334565
  • Patent Number
    6,334,565
  • Date Filed
    Friday, October 15, 1999
    25 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, January 1, 2002
    23 years ago
Abstract
An apparatus for conveying a recording medium includes first and second rollers which define a common area through which the recording medium is conveyed. The first and second rollers contact the recording medium in the common area and rotate in concert to convey the recording medium from the common area. A cam leverages the second roller to vary an amount of nonzero force applied to the recording medium in the common area.
Description




BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION




This invention relates to conveying a recording medium and, more particularly, to varying an amount of force applied to the recording medium by conveying rollers.




Recording media is conveyed using rollers which “pinch” the media to move it to/from an imaging location. Heretofore, the same amount of pinch force was applied by the rollers to convey media regardless of the thickness (and thus the stiffness) of the media. This can result in poorly formed images since different amounts of force may be required to accurately convey “thin” media (on the order of 0.004 inches thick) than to accurately convey “thick” media (on the order of 0.007 to 0.008 inches thick).




SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION




In general, in one aspect, the invention features an apparatus which conveys a recording medium. The apparatus includes first and second rollers that define a common area through which the recording medium is conveyed. The first and second rollers contact the recording medium in the common area and rotate in concert to convey the recording medium from the common area. A cam leverages the second roller to vary an amount of nonzero force applied to the recording medium in the common area.




Among the advantages of the invention may be one or more of the following. By leveraging the second roller, it is possible to vary the amount of force applied to the recording medium based, for example, on the thickness of the recording medium. Thus, when used with an imaging apparatus, the invention makes it possible to form accurate images on recording media of different thicknesses.




This aspect of the invention may include one or more of the following features. The common area is defined by surfaces of the first and second rollers. The cam may be movable into plural positions, each of which leverages the second roller differently to change the amount of force. The apparatus may include a bar arranged in a common mechanical coupling with the second roller. The cam is in contact with the bar and is movable relative to the bar to leverage the second roller. The first roller may be a capstan roller and the second roller may be a pinch roller.




The apparatus may include a control mechanism for controlling the cam to leverage the second roller. The control mechanism comprises a first gear connected to the cam, a second gear connected to the first gear by a belt which couples motion of the first gear to the second gear, and a lever which mates to a receptacle in the second gear and which is movable to control motion of the second gear. The second gear may include plural receptacles. The lever is capable of mating to each of these receptacles. The lever controls motion of the second gear to apply a first range of force when mated to a first one of the plural receptacles. The lever controls motion of the second gear to apply a second range of force when mated to a second one of the plural receptacles. The apparatus may include mechanical stops arranged relative to the lever for limiting a range of motion of the lever.




The apparatus may include a member which is in a common mechanical coupling with plural pinch rollers (including the second roller) and a bar which couples to the member and which is in contact with the cam. The cam is rotatable relative to the bar to leverage the plural pinch rollers via the bar and the member. The apparatus may include a second cam on an opposite side of the member from the first cam, and a second bar which couples to the member and which is in contact with the second cam. The second cam is rotatable relative to the second bar to leverage the plural pinch rollers via the second bar and the member.




The apparatus may include a mounting block which is coupled to the second roller, a member which is coupled to the mounting block, and a bar which is coupled to the member and which is in contact with the cam. The cam is rotatable relative to the bar to leverage the second roller via the bar, the member, and the mounting block. The mounting block may include a spring in contact with the member and the second roller for controlling motion of the second roller during leveraging. The apparatus may be part of a laser imaging system.




In general, in another aspect, the invention features an apparatus for conveying a recording medium. The apparatus includes conveying means for conveying the recording medium. The conveying means applies an amount of force to the recording medium during conveying. Changing means changes the amount of force. Among the features that may be included in the invention is a controlling means for controlling the changing means manually.




Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and claims.











BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS





FIG. 1

is a side view of a laser imaging system.





FIG. 2

is a perspective view of a pinch roller assembly, including a mechanism which controls an amount of force applied by pinch rollers in the assembly.





FIG. 3A

is a sectional view of the pinch roller assembly.





FIG. 3B

is a sectional view of the controlling cam.





FIG. 4

is a perspective view of a mechanism for controlling the amount of applied pinch force.





FIG. 5

is a side view of the mechanism of FIG.


4


.











DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT





FIG. 1

shows a laser imaging system


10


. Laser imaging system


10


includes media supply


11


, capstan roller


12


, pinch roller


14


, and a laser source


15


. System


10


also include electronics (not shown) for controlling the motion of rollers


12


and


14


and optics (not shown) for controlling scanning of laser beam


18


to form images on medium


16


.




In operation, recording medium


16


is loaded, from media supply


11


, to a common area


17


between the surfaces of capstan roller


12


and pinch roller


14


. Recording medium


16


may be any type of medium; however, photosensitive metal film is used in this embodiment. Rollers


12


and


14


contact recording medium


16


in common area


17


and rotate in concert (in the directions of arrows


19


and


20


) to convey recording medium


16


away from common area


17


(in the direction of arrow


21


). While recording medium


16


is being conveyed in this manner, laser beam


18


is scanned over its surface roughly at plane


22


, thereby exposing recording medium


16


. This exposure changes properties of the recording medium


16


which, when further processed, results in the formation of an image at the points of exposure.




During conveying, a pinch force (in the direction of arrow


24


) is provided to recording medium


16


by pinch roller


14


. Pinch roller


14


is leveraged (i.e., moved) relative to capstan roller


12


(which remains substantially immobile) to vary the amount of this pinch force. Mechanisms for controlling the movement of pinch roller


14


are as follows.




Referring to

FIG. 2

, a view of these mechanisms in a pinch roller assembly


25


is shown. Pinch roller assembly


25


includes plural pinch rollers


26




a


to


26




e,


each of which is mechanically coupled to member


27


. When so coupled, pinch rollers


26




a


to


26




e


move in concert with member


27


, thus moving as a single roller, more or less. Pinch rollers


26




a


to


26




e


contact a single capstan roller (not shown in

FIG. 2

) when the pinch force is applied (via member


27


, see below); however, multiple capstan rollers may also be used.




The mechanical coupling to member


27


is the same for all of pinch rollers


26




a


to


26




e;


therefore, it will only be described with respect to pinch roller


26




a.


Pinch roller


26




a


is coupled to mounting blocks


29




a


and


29




b,


which do not interfere with conveying of the recording medium. These mounting blocks have a common design; therefore, only one mounting block


29




a


is described. Mounting block


29




a


includes a hole


30


which receives a shaft


31


of pinch roller


26




a,


thereby allowing pinch roller


26




a


to rotate relative to mounting block


29




a.


Flanges


32




a


and


32




b


on mounting block


29




a


align with sides


34




a


and


34




b,


respectively, on member


27


to align the mounting block to member


27


. Mounting block


29




a


is fixed to member


27


using screws or the like.




Internal to mounting block


29




a


is an assembly comprised of a spring


35


and a plunger


36


. Spring


35


is interposed between member


27


and plunger


36


. Plunger


36


contacts spring


35


and shaft


31


, and moves laterally (e.g., “up” and “down”) relative to pinch roller


26




a


as force is applied to pinch roller


26




a.


Spring


35


restricts the motion of plunger


36


(and thus the motion of pinch roller


26




a


), while still providing pinch roller


26




a


with some freedom of lateral movement relative to the recording medium during the application of a pinch force.




As shown in

FIG. 2

, pinch roller


26




a,


mounting block


29




a,


and member


27


are in a common mechanical coupling with (L-shaped) bar


39




a.


Bar


39




a


is fixed (via screws or the like) to a side


40




a


of member


27


. A similar such bar


39




b


is fixed to an opposite side


40




b


of member


27


. Bars


39




a


and


39




b


operate identically; therefore, only bar


39




a


is described.




In contact with the underside


41


of bar


39




a


is cam


42




a


(bar


39




b


contacts a similar cam


42




b


). Cam


42




a


is movable (that is, rotatable) relative to bar


39




a


to leverage bar


39




a


and, in turn, member


27


, mounting blocks


29




a


to


29




f,


and pinch rollers


26




a


to


26




e.


This leverage causes pinch rollers


26




a


to


26




e


to move into closer (that is, tighter) contact with the capstan roller, thereby increasing the amount of pinch force applied to a recording medium between the pinch rollers and the capstan roller.




Referring to

FIG. 3

, a cut-away view of assembly


25


taken along line


3


A-


3


A (

FIG. 2

) is shown. Cam


42




a


has a radius which varies relative to its center shaft


50


. This center shaft is rotatable and fixed (to side plate


51


, described below), meaning that center shaft


50


is laterally immobile relative to bar


39




a


but can rotate about its own axis (arrow


52


). As center shaft


50


and thus cam


42




a


rotates, variations in the radius of cam


42




a


will cause bar


39




a


to move upwards (arrow


54


) or downwards (arrow


55


), depending upon which radius of cam


42




a


comes into contact with bar


39




a.


As bar


39




a


moves, so does member


27


, mounting block


29




a,


and pinch roller


26




a,


thereby affecting the amount of pinch force applied to medium


56


by pinch roller


26




a


and capstan roller


57


.




For example, if cam


42




a


is rotated to a position where radius


59


is in contact with bar


39




a


(as shown), a low (nonzero) pinch force will result (for use, e.g., with thin recording media) since radius


59


is relatively small. If cam


42




a


is rotated to a position where radius


60


is in contact with bar


39




a,


a higher (nonzero) pinch force will result (for use, e.g., with thick recording media) since radius


60


is relatively large. Cam


42




a


is also provided with a “media loading” radius


61


. This radius is small relative to the remainder of cam


42




a


and, when cam


42




a


is rotated to a position where this radius


61


is in contact with bar


39




a,


a gap (or zero pinch force) will be produced between rollers


26




a


and


57


. This gap is used to load new media to common area


62


between rollers


26




a


and


57


.




Referring now to

FIG. 4

, a control mechanism


64


is shown for controlling cam


42




a


(cam


42




a


itself is not visible in

FIG. 4

) to leverage pinch rollers


26




a


to


26




e.


Control mechanism


64


is connected to side plate


51


, which is interposed between assembly


25


(

FIG. 2

) and electro-mechanical devices (not shown) for controlling the rotation of capstan roller


57


(the pinch rollers are passive in that they rotate when capstan roller


57


rotates).




Control mechanism


64


includes a master gear


65


and a slave gear


66


, which are mounted to shafts


67


and


69


, respectively, on side plate


51


. Shaft


67


is fixed. Master gear


65


rotates around shaft


67


and slave gear


66


rotates shaft


69


to rotate the cam. Slave gear


66


is mounted on the center shaft (shaft


69


) of the cam, which protrudes from side plate


51


. A belt


70


connects master gear


65


to slave gear


66


, and thus couples the motion (rotation) of master gear


65


to slave gear


66


. Belt


70


may include teeth (not shown) which mate to corresponding teeth (also not shown) on master gear


65


and slave gear


66


. In operation, rotating master gear


65


causes slave gear


66


to rotate which, in turn, causes the cam to rotate (since slave gear


66


is coupled to the center shaft of the cam).




A lever


71


is provided for controlling rotation of master gear


65


manually (and thus for changing the amount of pinching force). Receptacles


72


and


74


(e.g., holes) are provided on an outer portion


75


of master gear


65


for receiving lever


71


. When mated to one of these receptacles, lever


71


is used to control rotation of master gear


65


.




As shown in

FIGS. 4 and 5

, mechanical stops


76




a


and


76




b


are arranged relative to lever


71


for limiting the range of rotation of the lever (and thus of master gear


65


, slave gear


66


, and the cam). Mechanical stops


76




a


and


76




b


and receptacles


72


and


74


are arranged so that, when lever


71


is mated to receptacle


74


, cam


42




a


can be rotated between radius


60


(high pinch force) and radius


61


(media load) (FIG.


3


); and, when lever


71


is mated to receptacle


72


, cam


42




a


can be rotated between radius


59


(low pinch force) and radius


61


. Thus, by moving lever


71


from one receptacle to another, it is possible to change, and/or control, the amount of the pinch force manually.




Other embodiments not described herein are also included within the scope of the following claims. For example, more than two receptacles may be provided on outer portion


75


of master gear


65


. These additional receptacles would provide additional pinch force variations. Lever


71


could be mated to outer portion


75


differently. For example, lever


71


could be mated to a track on outer portion


75


which includes plural slots (similar to a manual gear shift). The lever could be moved along the track into (or out of) these slots to vary the amount of applied force. Such a configuration eliminates the need to remove lever


71


to reset the amount of force. Also, additional radii could be provided on the cam, again to provide further pinch force variations. The invention could be incorporated into a variety of different types of imaging systems using any type of recording medium, and is not limited to the specific configurations set forth above.



Claims
  • 1. An apparatus which conveys a recording medium, comprising:first and second rollers which define a common area through which the recording medium is conveyed, the first and second rollers contacting the recording medium in the common area and rotating in concert to convey the recording medium from the common area; and a cam having at least three surfaces each having a different radius, the cam leveraging the second roller to vary an amount of force applied to the recording medium in the common area.
  • 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the common area is defined by surfaces of the first and second rollers.
  • 3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cam is movable into plural positions, each of the plural positions for leveraging the second roller differently to change the amount of force.
  • 4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a control mechanism for controlling the cam to leverage the second roller.
  • 5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the control mechanism comprises:a first gear connected to the cam; a second gear connected to the first gear by a belt which couples motion of the first gear to the second gear, the second gear including a receptacle; and a lever which mates to the receptacle and which is movable to control motion of the second gear.
  • 6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein:the second gear includes plural receptacles; and the lever is capable of mating to each of the plural receptacles, the lever controlling motion of the second gear to apply a first range of force when mated to a first one of the plural receptacles, and the lever controlling motion of the second gear to apply a second range of force when mated to a second one of the plural receptacles.
  • 7. The apparatus of claim 5, further comprising mechanical stops arranged relative to the lever for limiting a range of motion of the lever.
  • 8. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:a bar arranged in a common mechanical coupling with the second roller; wherein the cam is in contact with the bar and is movable relative to the bar to leverage the second roller.
  • 9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first roller comprises a capstan roller and the second roller comprises a pinch roller.
  • 10. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:a member which is in a common mechanical coupling with plural pinch rollers including the second roller; and a bar which couples to the member and which is in contact with the cam; wherein the cam is rotatable relative to the bar to leverage the plural pinch rollers via the bar and the member.
  • 11. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising:a second cam located on an opposite side of the member as the first cam; and a second bar which couples to the member and which is in contact with the second cam; wherein in the second cam is rotatable relative to the second bar to leverage the plural pinch rollers via the second bar and the member.
  • 12. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:a mounting block which is coupled to the second roller; a member which is coupled to the mounting block; and a bar which is coupled to the member and which is in contact with the cam; wherein the cam is rotatable relative to the bar to leverage the second roller via the bar, the member, and the mounting block, and wherein the mounting block includes a spring in contact with the member and the second roller for controlling motion of the second roller during leveraging.
  • 13. A laser imaging system which includes the apparatus of claim 1.
  • 14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cam which leverages the second roller to vary an amount of force applied to the recording medium between a first nonzero force, a second nonzero force, and a zero force.
  • 15. An apparatus for conveying a recording medium, comprising:conveying means for conveying the recording medium, the conveying means applying an amount of force to the recording medium; and changing means for changing the amount of force from a first nonzero force to a second nonzero force, the changing means including a cam having plural surfaces each having a different radius, wherein a first one of the plural surfaces provides the first nonzero force and a second one of the plural surfaces provides the second nonzero force.
  • 16. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising controlling means for controlling the changing means manually.
US Referenced Citations (6)
Number Name Date Kind
3148819 Frick et al. Sep 1964
3257056 Cederberg et al. Jun 1966
3572571 Mori Mar 1971
3669331 Renold Jun 1972
5129749 Sato Jul 1992
5913470 Scribner Jun 1999