Electronically Controlled Film Transport Methods And Systems

A film transport system comprising:

• a film transport path for transporting film;
• an input drive assembly for advancing film through the film transport path, wherein the input drive assembly comprises a variable speed drive assembly;
• an output drive assembly for advancing film out of the film transport path;
• an aperture positioned in the film transport path;
• at least one registration pin capable of engaging at least one perforation in the film to secure a portion of the film in the aperture;
• a rotor having at least one rotor gap, wherein the film forms a film loop in the rotor gap and the rotor gap is capable of moving the film loop to engage and disengage the film from the at least one registration pin;
• and
• a controller for controlling a speed profile of the variable speed drive assembly to control a speed at which the film is fed into the rotor gap to form the film loop.

A method of auto loading film in a film transport system, comprising:

• engaging the film with an input drive assembly;
• threading film through a film transport path automatically by the input drive assembly;
• receiving the film at an output drive assembly;
• threading the film on to a film take-up system;
• and
• automatically creating at least one film loop and engaging at least one registration pin into at least one film perforation.

A film transport system comprising:

• a film transport path for transporting film;
• an input drive assembly for advancing film through the film transport path, wherein the input drive assembly comprises a variable speed input drive assembly;
• an output drive assembly for advancing film out of the film transport path;
• an aperture positioned in the film transport path;
• a film loop transport;
• at least one registration pin capable of engaging at least one perforation in the film to secure a portion of the film in the aperture;
• and
• a controller for controlling a speed profile of the variable speed drive assembly to control a speed at which the film is fed into the film transport.