Compact active steering roll for belt loops

An apparatus for controlling a web moving along a predetermined path, including:

• a web steering roll for supporting said web, said web steering roll being adapted for rotational movement about a first axis and tilting movement about a second axis transverse to the first axis;
• means for sensing movement of the web in a direction substantially normal to the predetermined path and generating a signal indicative thereof;
• means, responsive to the signal generated by said sensing and generating means, for tilting said steering roll about the second axis, to return the web to the predetermined path, said tilting means being disposed internally within said steering roll, said tilting means comprising means for displacing an end of said steering roll in a direction substantially perpendicular to the first axis;
• and
• means, connected to said displacing means, for actuating said displacing means, responsive to the signal from said sensing and generating means, said displacing means including a first pin extending outwardly from one end of said steering roll, said first pin being positioned eccentrically of the first axis and connected to said actuating means, a connecting member attached to said actuating means and a second pin extending outwardly from the other end of said steering roll, said second pin being positioned eccentrically of the first axis, said second pin, attached to said connecting member, being adapted to rotate in a direction opposed to that of said first pin in response to said actuating means being actuated.

An apparatus for controlling a web moving along a predetermined path, including:

• a web steering roll for supporting said web, said web steering roll being adapted for rotational movement about a first axis and tilting movement about a second axis transverse to the first axis;
• means for sensing movement of the web in a direction substantially normal to the predetermined path and generating a signal indicative thereof;
• means, responsive to the signal generated by said sensing and generating means, for tilting said steering roll about the second axis, to return the web to the predetermined path, said tilting means being disposed internally within said steering roll, said tilting means comprising means for displacing an end of said steering roll in a direction substantially perpendicular to the first axis;
• means, connected to said displacing means, for actuating said displacing means, responsive to the signal from said sensing and generating means, said displacing means including a first pin extending outwardly from one end of said steering roll, said first pin being positioned eccentrically of the first axis and connected to said actuating means, a connecting member attached to said actuating means and a second pin extending outwardly from the other end of said steering roll, said second pin being positioned eccentrically of the first axis, said second pin, attached to said connecting member, being adapted to rotate in a direction opposed to that of said first pin in response to said actuating means being actuated, said actuating means including a motor mounted internal to said steering roll, coupled to said first pin with said motor being adapted to rotate said first pin and said connecting member incrementally in opposite directions in response to the signal from said sensing and generating means;
• a first guide supporting said first pin and limiting the movement of said first pin along a first path;
• and
• a second guide supporting said second pin and limiting the movement of said second pin to a second path substantially parallel to the first path.

An electrophotographic printing machine of the type having an endless photoreceptor belt supported by a plurality of rolls and arranged to move in a predetermined path through a plurality of processing stations disposed therealong, including:

• a belt steering roll for supporting said belt, said belt steering roll being adapted for rotational movement about a first axis and tilting movement about a second axis transverse to the first axis;
• means for sensing movement of the belt in a direction substantially normal to the predetermined path and generating a signal indicative thereof;
• and
• means, responsive to the signal generated by said sensing and generating means, for tilting said steering roll about the second axis, to return the belt to the predetermined path, said tilting means being disposed internally within said steering roll.

An electrophotographic printing machine of the type having an endless photoreceptor belt supported by a plurality of rolls and arranged to move in a predetermined path through a plurality of processing stations disposed therealong, including:

• a belt steering roll for supporting said belt, said belt steering roll being adapted for rotational movement about a first axis and tilting movement about a second axis transverse to the first axis;
• means for sensing movement of the belt in a direction substantially normal to the predetermined path and generating a signal indicative thereof;
• means, responsive to the signal generated by said sensing and generating means, for tilting said steering roll about the second axis, to return the belt to the predetermined path, said tilting means being disposed internally within said steering roll and comprising means for displacing an end of said steering roll in a direction substantially perpendicular to the first axis;
• and
• means, connected to said displacing means, for actuating said displacing means, responsive to the signal from said sensing and generating means, said displacing means including a first pin extending outwardly from one end of said steering roll, said first pin being positioned eccentrically of the first axis and connected to said actuating means, a connecting member attached to said actuating means and a second pin extending outwardly from the other end of said steering roll, said second pin being positioned eccentrically of the first axis, said second pin, attached to said connecting member, being adapted to rotate in a direction opposed to that of said first pin in response to said actuating means being actuated.

An electrophotographic printing machine of the type having an endless photoreceptor belt supported by a plurality of rolls and arranged to move in a predetermined path through a plurality of processing stations disposed therealong, including:

• a belt steering roll for supporting said belt, said belt steering roll being adapted for rotational movement about a first axis and tilting movement about a second axis transverse to the first axis;
• means for sensing movement of the belt in a direction substantially normal to the predetermined path and generating a signal indicative thereof;
• means, responsive to the signal generated by said sensing and generating means, for tilting said steering roll about the second axis, to return the belt to the predetermined path, said tilting means being disposed internally within said steering roll, said tilting means comprising means for displacing an end of said steering roll in a direction substantially perpendicular to the first axis;
• means, connected to said displacing means, for actuating said displacing means, responsive to the signal from said sensing and generating means, said displacing means includes a first pin extending outwardly from one end of said steering roll, said first pin being positioned eccentrically of the first axis and connected to said actuating means, a connecting member attached to said actuating means and a second pin extending outwardly from the other end of said steering roll, said second pin being positioned eccentrically of the first axis, said second pin, attached to said connecting member, being adapted to rotate in a direction opposed to that of said first pin in response to said actuating means being actuated, said actuating means including a motor mounted internal to said steering roll, coupled to said first pin with said motor being adapted to rotate said first pin and said connecting member incrementally in opposite directions in response to the signal from said sensing and generating means;
• a first guide supporting said first pin and limiting the movement of said first pin along a first path;
• and
• a second guide supporting said second pin and limiting the movement of said second pin to a second path substantially parallel to the first path.