TRANSPORT USING PEAKED WEB GUIDE AND ROLLER

• US 20150166290A1
• Filed: 12/16/2013
• Published: 06/18/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
• Original Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
• Inventors: Piatt, Michael Joseph, Bulathsinghalage, Harsha S., Hryhorenko, John Leonard
• Granted Patent: US 9,573,784 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 15/046 for the guidance of continuous copy material, e.g. for preventing skewed conveyance of the continuous copy material
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 15/16 Means for tensioning or winding the web
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 20/14 by direct action on web of moving fluid
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 23/0251 with a straight axis
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 23/0258 with a bowed axis
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 23/26 by transverse stationary or adjustable bars or rollers
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2404/1313 concave
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2404/1314 convex
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2601/254 Permanent deformation
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2801/15 Digital printing machines

Abstract

A print media moving apparatus includes a web guide positioned immediately upstream relative to a roller. The web guide has an arcuate surface including three sections with the second section located between the first and third sections. The arcuate surface includes a peak in the second section. The roller, having a diameter and rotational axis, includes three sections with the second section located between the first and third section as viewed along the rotational axis. The diameter of the roller in the first and third sections is greater than in the second section. The three sections of the web guide correspond to the three sections of the roller such that the contour of the arcuate surface causes the print media, after leaving the web guide, to contact the first and third sections of the roller prior to contacting the second section of the roller.

Claims

1. An apparatus for moving a continuous web of print media comprising:

a web guide having an arcuate surface including a first section, a second section, and a third section, the second section being located between the first section and the third section, the arcuate surface including a peak located in the second section; and

a roller having an axis of rotation and a diameter, the roller including a first section, a second section, and a third section, the second section being located between the first section and the third section as viewed along the axis of rotation, the roller including a profile as viewed along the axis of rotation in which the diameter of the roller in the first section and the diameter of the roller in the third section are each greater than the diameter of the roller in the second section, the web guide being positioned along a media travel path immediately upstream relative to the roller, the first section, the second section, and the third section of the web guide corresponding to the first section, the second section, and the third section of the roller such that the contour of the arcuate surface causes the print media, after leaving the web guide, to contact the first section and the third section of the roller prior to contacting the second section of the roller.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the web guide is a convex roller.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, the convex roller including a wrap angle, wherein the wrap angle is less than or equal to 20°

.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, the convex roller including a wrap angle, wherein the wrap angle is less than or equal to 5°

.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, the web guide and the roller being spaced apart from each other by a distance of less than or equal to 5 times the diameter of the second section of the roller.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the web guide and the roller are positioned relative to each other such that both of the web guide and the print media contact the same side of the print media.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the web guide is a non-rotating web guide.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the non-rotating web guide includes an air bearing.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second section of the web guide and the second section of the roller are centered relative to each other and the print media.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the web guide and the roller both include a contour of continuous curvature.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the web guide and the roller both include a contour of continuous curvature.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the position of the web guide is adjustable to adjust a wrap angle of the print media around the web guide.