Apparatus for creating back tension in a printer/plotter system
AssigneeHewlett-Packard Company
InventorsAntonio Hinojosa, Richard Lewis
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A roll-feed apparatus which is removably attached to a printer/plotter that has a self-alignment feature. Media, such as paper, vellum or film is pulled through the printer/plotter. However, a back-tension is created in the roll-feed apparatus by creating a pre-determined force on the shaft to which a roll of media is mounted. By increasing the force on the shaft, frictional drag is induced impeding the shaft's rotation. It has been found that the rotational impedance, in conjunction with the pull of the printer/plotter, corrects any misalignment of the media in approximately six meters of media run.
Claims8
An apparatus for aligning media in a printer/plotter system comprising in combination:
- a base;
- a pair of brackets connected to said base and being supported thereby, each of said brackets including:
- a first opening for forming a first bearing;
- a second opening spaced from said first opening for forming a second bearing;
- said second opening being formed between a lower fixed arm having an elongated top surface and a first recess forming part of the second bearing, and an upper pivotal arm having a bottom cam follower surface and a second recess forming another part of the second bearing;
- a spring connected to said fixed arm and to said pivotal arm for biasing said arms toward each other;
- a first shaft adapted to be received by the first openings of said pair of brackets;
- and
- a second shaft adapted to be received by the second openings of said pair of brackets, said second shaft acting as a cam against the bottom surface of said upper pivotal arm.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.