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AssigneeXerox Corporation
InventorsThomas C. Parker, Edward L. Schlueter, Jr., Laurence J. Lynd, Lucille M. Sharf
Estimating the term…
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 which are in interlocking relationship to prevent separation of the ends and which form a seam when joined mechanically to enable the flexible belt to essentially function as an endless belt having a substantially uniform thickness, said seam having voids between mutually mating elements at least partially filled with a seam strength enhancing material which is chemically and physically compatible with the material from which the belt is fabricated and which substance applied as a strip or on a strip over the seam and is bound to said belt material, said bond having been formed by the application of heat and/or pressure to a strip of said compatible placed material on at least one side of the seam at least substantially covering the seam. The strip may include a substrate with a coating of the compatible material which is removed after the bond is formed.
An endless, seamed, flexible belt comprising 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 a gap therebetween, the seam including a seam strength enhancing material in the gap which is bound to 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, the shape of the mutually mating elements and the seam strength enhancing material resulting in the seam having a tensile strength at least about 80% of the tensile strength of the flexible material, and wherein the seam strength enhancing material is deposited in the gap by placing a nonpermanent strip comprising the strength enhancing material over at least one side of the seam at least substantially covering the seam and applying heat, pressure, or both, to the strip, thereby depositing the seam strength enhancing material into the gap.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.