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AssigneeXerox Corporation
InventorsLucille M. Sharf, Laurence J. Lynd, James F. Smith, Edward L. Schlueter, Jr.
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An endless flexible seamed belt formed by joining two ends of material from which the belt is fabricated each end of which has a plurality of mutually mating elements in a puzzle cut pattern the opposite surfaces of which are in interlocking relationship to prevent separation of the ends and which form a seam when joined mechanically to enable the seamed flexible belt to essentially function as an endless belt having a substantially uniform thickness, said seam having voids between the surfaces of mutually mating elements, the opposite surfaces of the puzzle cut pattern being bound by an adhesive which has been cured by exposure to ultraviolet radiation and joined together to enable the seamed flexible belt to essentially function as an endless belt.
An endless, seamed, flexible belt comprising a strip of a flexible material having two ends that are joined to form the endless belt having a substantially uniform thickness and only a single seam, the two ends having a plurality of mutually mating elements in a puzzle cut pattern, the opposite surfaces of the two ends being in an interlocking relationship to prevent separation of the two ends, the surfaces of the mutually mating elements defining voids therebetween to permit the presence of an ultraviolet radiation cured adhesive, the seam including the ultraviolet radiation cured adhesive in the voids between the surfaces of the mutually mating elements, wherein there is absent any substantial thickness differential between the seam and the adjacent interlocking mating elements, wherein the seam extends linearly across the entire width of the belt, and wherein there are absent thermally induced distortions in the belt caused by the curing of the adhesive.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.