Sheet recording apparatus with dual nip transport

• US 7,244,072 B2
• Filed: 10/29/2004
• Issued: 07/17/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: CareStream Health Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
• Inventors: Hawver, Jeffery R., Milton, Scott C., Bedzyk, Mark D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Colilla; Daniel J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): FERGUSON SAMRETH, MARISSA LIANA
• Application Number:
  US10/977,841
• Publication Number:
  US 20060104702A1
• Time in Patent Office: 991 Days
• Field of Search: 347/104, 400/625, 400/624
• US Class Current: 400/625
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 11/42 Controlling printing material conveyance for accurate alignment of the printing material with the printhead; Print registering
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 13/0009 control of the transport of the copy material
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2403/10 Friction gearings
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 29/12 by means of the nip between two, or between two sets of, moving tapes or bands or rollers
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 5/062 between rollers or balls

Abstract

An apparatus for recording an image onto a sheet medium (12) has an entrance nip (14) for transporting the sheet medium (12) into an image recording section (20). A write head (56) records onto a portion of the sheet medium (12) between the entrance nip (14) and exit nip (24). The exit nip (24) is formed by a drive roller (26) paired with a corresponding exit pressure roller (28). A motor (60) provides rotary motion to either the entrance drive roller (16) or the exit drive roller (26). A coupling apparatus (54) has a coupling roller (36) and a loading mechanism providing a loading force to nest the coupling roller (36) into continuous rotational contact against the entrance and exit drive rollers (16,26), whereby rotation is transferred between the exit drive roller (26) and the entrance drive roller (16).

Claims

1. An apparatus for recording an image on a sheet medium, comprising:

a) an entrance drive roller paired with a corresponding entrance pressure roller to form an entrance nip for transporting the sheet medium into an image recording section;

b) an image recording section comprising a write head for recording on a portion of the sheet medium being transported between the entrance nip and an exit nip;

c) the exit nip formed by an exit drive roller paired with a corresponding exit pressure roller, for transporting the sheet medium out of the image recording section;

d) a motor for providing rotary motion;

e) a coupling apparatus for coupling rotary motion between the exit drive roller and the entrance drive roller, the coupling apparatus comprising;

i) a coupling roller elongated in a width dimension of the sheet medium;

ii) a loading mechanism providing a loading force to nest the coupling roller into continuous rotational contact against the entrance and exit drive rollers;

whereby rotation is transferred between the exit drive roller and the entrance drive roller by the coupling roller; and

wherein the coupling apparatus further comprises a counter roller coupling the exit drive roller with the entrance drive roller.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the motor drives the entrance drive roller.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the motor drives the exit drive roller.

4. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the loading force provided by the loading mechanism is magnetic.

5. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the loading force provided by the loading mechanism is spring force.

6. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the loading mechanism comprises an electromagnet.

7. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the write head comprises a light source.

8. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the write head comprises a laser.

9. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the coupling apparatus further comprises a belt coupling the exit drive roller with the entrance drive roller.

10. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the counter roller is subject to a magnetic loading force.

11. An apparatus according to claim 10 wherein the magnetic force is provided by a permanent magnet.

12. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the counter roller is subject to an electromagnetic loading force.

13. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the counter roller is subject to a spring loading force.

14. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the counter roller is hollow.

15. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the coupling roller is hollow.

16. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the counter roller comprises a plurality of individual roller sections.

17. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the coupling roller comprises a plurality of individual roller sections.

18. An apparatus for recording an image onto a sheet medium, comprising:

a) an entrance drive roller paired with a corresponding entrance pressure roller to form an entrance nip for transporting the sheet medium into an image recording section;

b) the image recording section comprising a write head for recording onto a portion of the sheet medium being transported between the entrance nip and an exit nip;

c) the exit nip formed by a drive roller paired with a corresponding exit pressure roller, for transporting the sheet medium out from the image recording section;

d) a motor for rotating the exit drive roller;

e) a coupling apparatus for coupling rotary motion between the exit drive roller and the entrance drive roller, the coupling apparatus comprising;

i) a coupling roller elongated in the width dimension of the sheet medium;

ii) a loading mechanism providing a loading force to nest the coupling roller into continuous rotational contact against the entrance and exit drive rollers;

whereby rotation is transferred between the exit drive roller and the entrance drive roller by the coupling roller; and

wherein the coupling apparatus further comprises a counter roller coupling the exit drive roller with the entrance drive roller.

19. An apparatus according to claim 18 wherein the loading force provided by the loading mechanism is magnetic.

20. An apparatus according to claim 18 wherein the loading force provided by the loading mechanism is spring force.

21. An apparatus according to claim 18 wherein the loading mechanism comprises an electromagnet.

22. An apparatus according to claim 18 wherein the write head comprises a light source.

23. An apparatus according to claim 18 wherein the write head comprises a laser.

24. An apparatus according to claim 18 wherein the coupling apparatus further comprises a belt coupling the exit drive roller with the entrance drive roller.

25. An apparatus according to claim 18 wherein the counter roller is subject to a magnetic loading force.

26. An apparatus according to claim 18 wherein the coupling roller is subject to an electromagnetic loading force.

27. An apparatus according to claim 18 wherein the counter roller is subject to an electromagnetic loading force.

28. An apparatus according to claim 18 wherein the counter roller is subject to a spring loading force.

29. An apparatus according to claim 18 wherein the counter roller is hollow.

30. An apparatus according to claim 18 wherein the coupling roller is hollow.

31. An apparatus according to claim 18 wherein the counter roller comprises a plurality of individual roller sections.

32. An apparatus according to claim 18 wherein the coupling roller comprises a plurality of individual roller sections.

33. An apparatus according to claim 18 wherein the loading force is provided by a permanent magnet.

34. An apparatus for recording an image onto a sheet medium, comprising:

a) an entrance drive roller paired with a corresponding entrance pressure roller to form an entrance nip for transporting the sheet medium into an image recording section;

b) the image recording section comprising a write head for recording onto a portion of the sheet medium being transported between the entrance nip and an exit nip;

c) the exit nip formed by a drive roller paired with a corresponding exit pressure roller, for transporting the sheet medium out from the image recording section;

d) a coupling apparatus for coupling rotary motion to the exit drive roller and the entrance drive roller, the coupling apparatus comprising;

i) a coupling roller elongated in the width dimension of the sheet medium;

ii) a motor for driving the coupling roller;

iii) a loading mechanism providing a loading force to nest the coupling roller into continuous rotational contact against the entrance and exit drive rollers; and

wherein the coupling apparatus further comprises a counter roller coupling the exit drive roller with the entrance drive roller.

35. An apparatus according to claim 34 wherein the loading force provided by the loading mechanism is magnetic.

36. An apparatus according to claim 34 wherein the loading force provided by the loading mechanism is spring force.

37. An apparatus according to claim 34 wherein the loading mechanism comprises an electromagnet.

38. An apparatus according to claim 34 wherein the write head comprises a light source.

39. An apparatus according to claim 34 wherein the write head comprises a laser.

40. An apparatus according to claim 34 wherein the coupling apparatus further comprises a belt coupling the exit drive roller with the entrance drive roller.

41. An apparatus according to claim 34 wherein the counter roller is subject to a magnetic loading force.

42. An apparatus according to claim 34 wherein the counter roller is subject to an electromagnetic loading force.

43. An apparatus according to claim 34 wherein the coupling roller is subject to an electromagnetic loading force.

44. An apparatus according to claim 34 wherein the counter roller is subject to a spring loading force.

45. An apparatus according to claim 34 wherein the counter roller is hollow.

46. An apparatus according to claim 34 wherein the coupling roller is hollow.

47. An apparatus according to claim 34 wherein the counter roller comprises a plurality of individual roller sections.

48. An apparatus according to claim 34 wherein the coupling roller comprises a plurality of individual roller sections.

49. An apparatus for recording an image onto a sheet medium, comprising:

a) a first drive roller paired with a corresponding first pressure roller to form a first nip for transporting the sheet medium;

b) a second drive roller paired with a corresponding second pressure roller to form a second nip for transporting the sheet medium;

c) an image recording section comprising a write head for recording onto a portion of the sheet medium being transported between the first and second nips;

d) a motor for rotating the first drive roller;

e) a coupling apparatus for coupling rotary motion between the first and second drive rollers, the coupling apparatus comprising;

i) a coupling roller elongated in the width dimension of the sheet medium;

ii) a loading mechanism providing a loading force to nest the coupling roller into continuous rotational contact against the first and second drive rollers;

whereby rotation is transferred between the first and second drive rollers by the coupling roller; and

wherein the coupling apparatus further comprises a counter roller coupling the exit drive roller with the entrance drive roller.

50. An apparatus according to claim 49 wherein the first drive roller is an entrance drive roller.

51. An apparatus according to claim 49 wherein the first drive roller is an exit drive roller.

52. A method for image recording onto a sheet medium comprising:

a) transporting the sheet medium into an image recording section through an entrance nip formed by pairing an entrance drive roller with a corresponding entrance pressure roller;

b) recording the image onto a portion of the sheet medium being transported between the entrance nip and an exit nip;

c) transporting the sheet medium out from the image recording section through the exit nip formed by pairing a drive roller with a corresponding exit pressure roller;

d) rotating either the entrance drive roller or the exit drive roller from a motor;

e) coupling rotary motion between the exit drive roller and the entrance drive roller by nesting a coupling roller into continuous rotational contact against the entrance and exit drive rollers, the coupling roller elongated in the width dimension of the sheet medium;

transferring rotation between the exit drive roller and the entrance drive roller by the coupling roller thereby; and

nesting a counter roller into contact with a portion of the surface of the entrance drive roller and a portion of the surface of the exit drive roller, providing additional coupling stiffness thereby.

53. The method of claim 52 wherein the step of nesting a coupling roller comprises the step of applying a magnetic force.

54. The method of claim 52 wherein the step of nesting a counter roller comprises the step of applying a magnetic force.