US 2002/0170667 A1 · Electrostatographic seamed belt

Abstract

A process for fabricating an endless flexible seamed belt, substantially equivalent in performance to a seamless belt, includes forming the belt by joining two ends of a substrate material. Each end of the substrate has mutually mating elements in interlocking relationship. The surfaces of the mutually mating elements have a gap therebetween into which bonding material is applied such that there is no substantial thickness differential between the seam and the portions of the belt adjacent the seam. The bonding material is then cured by any known means and post-cured to improve the stability of the bonding material and to achieve an effectively electrically invisible seam for an electrostatographic imaging system operating at high temperatures.

Claims20

Dependent claims

An improved process for fabricating an endless flexible seamed belt for an electrostatographic imaging system formed by joining two ends of a flexible substrate, each end of which has mutually mating elements, comprising:

interlocking the two ends of the flexible substrate, the surfaces of the mutually mating element defining a gap therebetween;
applying bonding material to the gap between the surfaces of the two ends such that there is absent any substantial thickness differential between the seam and the portions of the belt adjacent the seam;
curing said bonding material applied to said gap between the surfaces of said two ends;
and then additionally
post-curing said bonding material applied to said gap between the surfaces of said two ends to improve the stability of said bonding material to achieve an effectively electrically invisible seam for an electrostatographic imaging system operating at high temperatures.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Electrostatographic seamed belt

Life of this patent

Electrostatographic seamed belt

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20