Advancing material of indeterminate length – By orbitally traveling material-engaging surface – Comprising rotary pinch pair
Reexamination Certificate
1998-05-18
2001-03-27
Mansen, Michael R. (Department: 3653)
Advancing material of indeterminate length
By orbitally traveling material-engaging surface
Comprising rotary pinch pair
C226S193000, C492S059000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06206264
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to an apparatus and method for conveying abrasive media. More particularly, the invention concerns a polymeric/inorganic composite roller apparatus and method having durable and abrasion resistant surfaces for conveying abrasive web, such as photographic media, of indeterminate length during processing.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Conventional web converting equipment uses some sort of transport mechanism for moving the web at high rates of speeds through a series of processing stations. Typically such processing stations includes corrosive environments through which the web must be transported. For instance, in existing photographic film processors used to develop and fix photosensitive elements which are subjected to x-ray, visible and other radiation, the web is transported via a series of rollers defining a web transport path through a sequence of processing stations including wash and dry stations.
Very often during processing, photosensitive media are coated with a magnetic layer to enable it to gather digital information. The magnetic layer often contains a small fraction of hard inorganic particles to facilitate cleaning of the magnetic head which are used for reading digital information in a read-out device. Photographic films are also coated with an “anti-stat” layer for dissipating static charges from the moving web. The anti-stat layers generally contain hard abrasive particles like tin oxide, antimony oxide, vanadium oxide and the like.
Moreover, process and transport apparatus for photosensitive web or other media is another well known applications requiring a web transport mechanism. Such equipment may include automatic processing of the media for thermal, ink jet or silver halide-based photographic printing, and the like. The apparatus automatically transports sheets or webs or strips of photosensitive films, photosensitive papers or specially coated papers or plain papers. For photosensitive elements, this apparatus transports from a feed end of a film transport path, through a sequence of chemical processing tanks in which the media is developed, fixed, and washed, and then through a dryer to a discharge or receiving end. The processing equipment typically has a fixed film (media) path length, so final image quality depends on factors including transport speed which determines length of time the media is in solution, and the temperature and composition of the processing chemicals.
In general, many elements of devices (such as, photographic film processors and thermal and ink jet printers) exposed to harsh chemicals are made from AISI 300 series stainless steel or engineering plastic for reasons of mechanical strength, lower cost, and relatively good corrosion resistance. Engineering plastics are typically used as bushings and gears because of their relatively low coefficient of friction against stainless steel. Furthermore, photographic transport apparatus exposed in normal ambient conditions are also prone to wear and corrosion because of the abrasive and corrosive nature (depending on their relative humidity) of the photographic elements. Although stainless steel shafts have considerable strength and corrosion resistance, they are prone to wear with time and are also susceptible to corrosion when they come in contact with harsh chemicals which are used in “fixer” solution for developing photographic films. To overcome these drawbacks, many engineering plastics are reinforced with glass and carbon fibers or other hard inorganic particles to improve the strength and wear resistance at the expense of proneness to corrosion. Another problem associated with plastic components operating in a fluid environment is that they tend to swell and become dimensionally unstable.
Therefore, a need persists for an apparatus having a polymeric/inorganic composite media bearing surface for conveying abrasive web such as, photographic media.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is, therefore, an object of the invention to provide an apparatus for conveying abrasive web, such as photographic media, of indeterminate length that utilizes a polymeric/inorganic media bearing surface.
Another object of the invention is provide an apparatus for conveying abrasive media that includes compliant media conveyance rollers having a media bearing surface comprising hard wear and abrasion resistant particulate inorganic materials embedded therein.
Still another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for conveying abrasive media that includes compliant media conveyance rollers having a media bearing surface comprising hard, wear and abrasion resistant and electrically conductive particulate inorganic materials embedded therein for dissipating static charges.
It is, therefore, a feature of the invention that a media bearing surface of an apparatus and method for conveying abrasive media comprises inorganic particulates in a polymeric material matrix.
Accordingly, for accomplishing these and other objects, features and advantages of the invention, there is provided, in one aspect of the invention, an apparatus for conveying abrasive media of indeterminate length comprising a mounting means, such as a frame, and first and second rollers mounted for synchronous rotation in the frame. According to the invention, any one of the first and second rollers has a media bearing surface comprising, in a mixture, a polymeric matrix and an inorganic particulate material. Moreover, first and second rollers are closely space to form a nip therebetween. As the web or media is squeezed for movement between the nip, the media bearing surface of at least one of the first and second rollers is in contact therewith. Drive means, such as a motor, operably connected to any one of the first and second rollers rotates the roller and causes the other of first and second rollers to synchronously rotate therewith. Thus, when abrasive media of indeterminate length is disposed between the nip, the media is squeezed for movement between the first and second rollers while contacting the composite media bearing surface.
In another aspect of the invention, a method of conveying abrasive media of indeterminate length includes providing the apparatus described above and then disposing the abrasive media between the nip of the first and second rollers. The media, while moving through the nip, remains in moving contact with the composite media bearing surface of at least one of the conveyance rollers, as described above.
It is, therefore, an advantage of the invention that an apparatus for conveying abrasive web, such as photographic media, is simple to produce, assemble and operate. Another advantage of the invention is that the media bearing surface is sufficiently compliant to accommodate abrasive media of varying thickness. Further, the conveyance apparatus of the invention offers the advantage of providing sufficient friction to enable the movement of abrasive media between independent processing stations in a corrosive environment.
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Chatterjee Dilip K.
Furlani Edward P.
Ghosh Syamal K.
Bailey, Sr. Clyde E.
Eastman Kodak Company
Mansen Michael R.
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