Advancing material of indeterminate length – Shiftable part allowing hand loading – With shiftable roller
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-16
2001-10-09
Mansen, Michael R. (Department: 3653)
Advancing material of indeterminate length
Shiftable part allowing hand loading
With shiftable roller
C355S047000, C355S072000, C346S136000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06299045
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to the field of imaging systems, and particularly relates to imaging systems in which a continuous web of media is fed through an imaging apparatus.
Imaging systems that feed recording media through an imaging apparatus may include a movable optical carriage that displaces a beam of light from an imaging source, such as a laser. The carriage moves in a direction transverse to the direction of movement of the web in a slow scan to expose a supply of recording media to the light beam. The carriage itself typically includes a beam deflector assembly such as a deflector mirror and a spin motor for rotating the deflector mirror. Such a carriage for use in an imaging system including an internal imaging drum for supporting the recording media, is disclosed for example in U.S. Pat. No. 5,598,739, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated reference.
As shown in
FIG. 1
, in a conventional imaging system
10
including an imaging drum
12
, a web of image recording media
14
travels from a supply cassette roll
16
around the inner support surface
18
of the drum
12
to a take up cassette roll
20
. The media generally has sufficient inherent stiffness that it maintains the cylindrical shape of the inner surface
18
of the drum
12
when coupled to cassette rolls
16
and
20
. A movable carriage
22
may be used to position a beam of laser light
24
on desired portions of the recording surface
26
of the media
14
. The imaging system
10
is typically coupled to a computer controlled image processor (not shown). Although it is important that as few components as possible contact the recording surface
26
of the media
14
, the media
14
may be driven by nip rollers
28
and
30
. The desired direction of movement of the web through the drum is shown generally at A.
The media
14
may also be indexed to register separate images by punching holes in the media at specific places such as by punches
32
. The punch holes are later used to precisely register the media on printing equipment. Precise alignment of the media on printing equipment is critical for a number of reasons, including the fact that multiple passes may be undertaken to print a multi-color image of high resolution. The media, however, must be aligned on a printing device, such as a drum, either in the orientation dictated by the punch holes, or new punch holes must be created along at least one of the sides of the media. The process of providing the additional punch holes in recorded media requires additional steps that must be undertaken with care and precision, and introduces added costs and potential for error into the overall printing process.
It has been discovered that if punches such as those disclosed above are employed along a side edge of the web in the direction of travel of the web, then several problems persist that reduce the quality and/or consistency of recorded media. In particular, if the opening in such a punch is too large, then the media may jump (and possibly shift) as the punch element is removed from the media, and if the punch opening is too small, then the media may bind as it enters the punch (and even as it travels through the punch). Movement of even a small amount may cause misalignment due to the stringent alignment requirements of such imaging systems.
The use of punches having variable size openings that are adapted to provide a large size opening when the media is entering the punch and thereafter a smaller size opening, may overcome certain of the above difficulties. However, the use of a variable size opening punch also introduces the potential of alignment error as portions of the punch move relative one another. Again, movement of even a small amount may cause misalignment. Moreover, the use of punches having variable size openings increases mechanical complexities and risks damaging expensive recording media if mechanical failure occurs with respect to the punch.
There is a need, therefore, for an imaging system that permits alignment holes for aligning images to be provided along at least one side of recording media in the direction of travel of the web. There is further a need for such an imaging system that provides sufficient alignment quality and consistency.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention provides a guide method and apparatus for use in an imaging system in which media is moved through the system in a first direction. The guide apparatus includes a roller unit for contacting a surface of the media and maintaining contact with the media as the media moves in the first direction, and a retraction unit for separating the roller unit from the media. In an embodiment, the guide apparatus includes a carriage that moves radially toward and away from an internal drum so that the leading portion of media may be held against the internal drum. In other embodiments the guide apparatus includes a carriage that moves along the inner surface of an internal drum together with the leading portion of media.
The guide method guides media in an imaging system in which media having a curled leading edge is moved through the system in a first direction along an inner surface of a cylindrical drum. The method includes the steps of: radially outwardly moving a roller toward the inner surface of the cylindrical drum; contacting a surface of the media that is proximate to the curled leading edge, and maintaining contact with the surface of the media as the media moves in the first direction along the inner surface of the cylindrical drum while inhibiting movement of the media in a direction transverse to the first direction; and radially inwardly moving the roller away from the inner surface of the cylindrical drum.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3576283 (1971-04-01), MacDonald, Jr.
patent: 3958250 (1976-05-01), Rolon
patent: 5709139 (1998-01-01), Shimizu et al.
patent: 5721582 (1998-02-01), Bridges
patent: 5734408 (1998-03-01), Rombult et al.
patent: 5775563 (1998-07-01), Kojima
patent: 5865118 (1999-02-01), Fromson et al.
patent: 5938187 (1999-08-01), Colan et al.
patent: 6042101 (2000-03-01), Menard et al.
patent: 6097475 (2000-08-01), Jakul et al.
Argiros James
Hebert Thomas K.
Agfa Corporation
Hilton William E.
Mansen Michael R.
Saboutin Robert A.
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