# US 10,955,771 B2 · Belt control device and image forming apparatus incorporating same

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- Number: US 10,955,771 B2
- Document ID: US10955771B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/816,266
- Filed: 2020-03-12
- Published: 2020-09-24
- Granted: 2021-03-23
- Earliest claimed: 2019-03-18
- Assignees: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
- Applicants: Naohiro Kumagai; Masanari Fujita; Katsuya Kawagoe; Masaharu Furuya; Hiroki Nakamatsu; Yoshiki Hozumi
- Inventors: Naohiro Kumagai; Masanari Fujita; Katsuya Kawagoe; Masaharu Furuya; Hiroki Nakamatsu; Yoshiki Hozumi
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10955771B2

## CPC

- G03G 15/1615: {relating to the driving mechanism for the intermediate support, e.g. gears, couplings, belt tensioning}
- G03G 2215/00151: using edge limitations
- G03G 2215/00156: by controlling drive mechanism
- G03G 2215/00168: by friction
- G03G: ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY

## Abstract

A belt control device includes a plurality of rollers, a belt wound around the plurality of rollers and configured to rotate along with the plurality of rollers, a belt contact member that the belt contacts when the belt moves in an axial direction of the plurality of rollers, and a shaft displacement member movable in the axial direction and including an inclined face inclined with respect to a surface of the belt to control movement of the belt in the axial direction. The belt, the belt contact member, and the shaft displacement member are configured to make a frictional force between an edge of the belt and the belt contact member greater than a frictional force between the belt contact member and the shaft displacement member.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A belt control device, comprising:
a plurality of rollers;
a belt wound around the plurality of rollers and configured to rotate along with the plurality of rollers;
a belt contact member that the belt contacts when the belt moves in an axial direction of the plurality of rollers; and
a shaft displacement member movable in the axial direction and including an inclined face inclined with respect to a surface of the belt to control movement of the belt in the axial direction, wherein
the belt, the belt contact member, and the shaft displacement member being configured to make a frictional force between an edge of the belt and the belt contact member greater than a frictional force between the belt contact member and the shaft displacement member.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The belt control device according to claim 1, wherein the belt contact member includes a projection on a face of the belt contact member opposite the shaft displacement member, the projection protruding toward the shaft displacement member.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The belt control device according to claim 1, further comprising:
a sliding member disposed between the belt contact member and the shaft displacement member.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The belt control device according to claim 3, wherein the sliding member is a film or a sheet.

### Claim 5 (depends on 3)

The belt control device according to claim 3, wherein the sliding member is a lubricant.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

An image forming apparatus comprising the belt control device according to claim 1.

### Claim 7 (depends on 3)

An image forming apparatus comprising the belt control device according to claim 3.