Skewing detection mechanism for printer employing continuous recording form

A skewing detection mechanism for a printer of the type wherein an image is formed on a continuous recording form, said mechanism comprising:

• pivotally moveable sensor means arranged in abutted and biased relation to said continuous recording form as said form is transported along a predetermined transport path;
• means for detecting pivotal movement of said sensor means;
• said sensor means being pivotally moveable about an axis extending perpendicularly to said predetermined path, said skewing detecting mechanism further comprising spring means associated with said sensor means for biasing said sensor means in such a manner that said sensor means is abutted against said continuous recording form, said detecting means being associated with said sensor means for detecting pivotal movement of said sensor means about said axis under biasing force of said spring means at the time said sensor means is released from abutting against said continuous recording form;
• said sensor means including a pair of sensor elements arranged for pivotally moving about said axis in spaced relation to each other along said axis, said spring means having a pair of spring members associated with said pair of sensor elements, said pair of sensor elements being positioned to abut, respectively, against opposite side edge portions of said continuous recording from under biasing forces of the respective spring members, such that when at least one of said pair of sensor elements is released from abutting against a corresponding one of said opposite side edge portions of the continuous recording form and is pivotally moved about said axis under the biasing force of a corresponding one of said spring members, said detecting means detects the pivotal movement of the sensor element so as to output a signal that is representative of the occurrence of an abnormality in transporting the continuous recording form;
• each of said pair of sensor elements comprising a boss arranged for angularly about said axis and a first arm that extends from said boss, said first being abutted against a corresponding one of said opposite side edge portions of said continuous recording form under the biasing force of a corresponding one of said pair of spring members;
• said detecting includes a moveable element and a detector for detecting means movement of said moveable element, said skewing detecting mechanism further comprising means for transmitting the pivotal movement of at least one of said pair of sensor elements to said moveable element of said detecting means, wherein pivotal movement of the at least one sensor element is transmitted to said moveable element of said detecting means through said transmission means so as to move said moveable element;
• said moveable element of said detecting means comprising a shutter arm having a shutter, said detector of said detecting means comprising a photointerrupter, said shutter arm being moveable between an inoperative position where said shutter is within a detecting region of said photointerrupter and an operative position where said shutter is out of said detecting region, the arrangement being such that said shutter arm is normally in said inoperative position, while when said shutter arm is moved to said operative position, said photointerrupter outputs a signal that is indicative of the occurrence of an abnormality in transporting the continuous recording form;
• and
• wherein each of said sensor elements further comprises a second arm projecting from said boss of said sensor element in a direction that is substantially opposite to that which said first arm of said sensor element extends from said boss, wherein such transmission means includes a crank bar that is angularly moveable about a second axis that extends perpendicularly to said predetermined transport path, said crank bar having an eccentric shaft section, said shutter arm being moveable about said second axis, said eccentric shaft section being engageable with said second arm of said respective sensor elements, the arrangement being such that said pivotal movement of at least one of said pair of said sensor elements causes that second arm to angularly move said crank bar about said second axis, thereby angularly moving said shutter arm about said second axis from said inoperative position to said operative position.

A skew detection mechanism for a continuous web transported in a predetermined direction, said mechanism comprising:

• means for sensing the web, said means positioned in abutting relation to the web;
• means for mounting, said means for sensing the web, for movement in response to movement of the web in a direction substantially transverse to the predetermined direction;
• means for detecting movement of said means for sensing;
• and
• means for transmitting movement of said means for sensing to said means for detecting, wherein said means for mounting permits movement of said means for sensing in a transverse direction, independently of said means for transmitting.

A skewing detection mechanism for a continuous web comprising:

• a shaft having an axis that extends generally perpendicularly to a predetermined web transport path;
• means for sensing movement of the transport web arranged in abutted and biased relation to the continuous web as the web is transported along the predetermined web transport path, said means for sensing comprising a plurality of sensors mounted for pivotal movement about said shaft, and at least one of said plurality of sensors being adjustably moveable along said shaftf
• means for biasing associated with said plurality of sensors for biasing said plurality of sensors against the continuous web;
• means for detecting pivotal movement of said sensors;
• means for transmitting pivotal movement of at least one of said sensors to said detecting means, said transmitting means extending in a direction generally perpendicularly to the web transport path and fixed against movement in a direction perpendicular to said web transport path;
• said plurality of sensors bearing against said means for transmitting under the bias of said biasing means;
• and
• wherein said at least one adjustably moveable sensor is moveable along said shaft independently of said transmitting means and said detecting means.