US 6,626,343 B2Granted

Method and apparatus for pinless feeding of web to a utilization device

AssigneeRoll Systems, Inc.

InventorsH. W. Crowley, Barry M. Jackson, William F. Bolza

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Abstract

A system and method for utilizing web that is free of tractor pin feed holes comprises the driving of the web along a predetermined path within the utilization device. A web guide is provided in an upstream location from a utilization device element. The guide engages width-wise edges of the web and forms the web into a trough to stiffen the web. A drive roller and a follower roller impinge upon opposing sides of the web and rotate to drive the web through the guide. The drive roller is located adjacent to the guide according to a preferred embodiment. A registration controller is utilized to synchronize the movement of the web with the operation of the utilization device element. The controller includes a drive controller that controls the speed of either the drive roller or the utilization device element to maintain the web and the utilization device element in appropriate synchronization.

Claims36

Dependent claims

A utilization device adapted to feed a pinless continuous web devoid of pin holes and having marks disposed in an upstream-to-downstream direction therealong at predetermined length intervals, the utilization device comprising:

a feed unit, wherein the feed unit includes side guides located outwardly of opposing side edges of the pinless continuous web;
a high volume moving utilization device element, located downstream of the feed unit that rotates at a element movement speed and that thereby performs a predetermined operation at selected locations onto the pinless continuous web;
a drive roller in the feed unit that engages the pinless continuous web at a location upstream of the utilization device element and that drives the pinless continuous web toward the utilization device element;
a central drive motor that drives the feed unit at a speed that matches the element movement speed of the utilization device element;
a differential having a drive motor input and a differential input, the differential being operatively interconnected with the drive roller and the differential being constructed and arranged so that the drive roller rotates in conjunction with the central drive motor at a roller rotational speed, wherein the roller rotational speed is varied based upon input movement at the differential input;
a mark sensor located at a predetermined distance from the utilization device element that reads occurrences of the marks on the pinless continuous web as the pinless continuous web passes therethrough and that generates a mark sensor signal in response to a sensed occurrence of each of the marks;
a signal generator responsive to movement of the pinless continuous web, the signal generator being constructed and arranged to provide a movement signal that indicates an amount of movement of the pinless continuous web;
and
a registration controller assembly that receives the mark signal and the movement signal, the registration controller being constructed and arranged to compare the mark sensor signal to the movement signal and thereby generate a control signal that causes driving of the differential to thereby vary the roller rotational speed of the drive roller in response to the control signal.

6 more elements

A controller for a utilization device, the utilization device being adapted to feed a pinless continuous web devoid of pin holes and having marks disposed in an upstream-to-downstream direction therealong at predetermined length intervals, the utilization device further comprising (a) a feed unit, wherein the feed unit includes side guides located outwardly of opposing side edges of the pinless continuous web;

(b) a high volume moving utilization device element, located downstream of the feed unit that rotates at a element movement speed and that thereby performs a predetermined operation at selected locations onto the pinless continuous web;
(c) a drive roller in the feed unit that engages the pinless continuous web at a location upstream of the utilization device element and that drives the pinless continuous web toward the utilization device element;
(d) a central drive motor that drives the feed unit at a speed that matches the element movement speed of the utilization device element;
(e) a differential having a drive motor input and a differential input, the differential being operatively interconnected with the drive roller and the differential being constructed and arranged so that the drive roller rotates in conjunction with the central drive motor at a roller rotational speed, wherein the roller rotational speed is varied based upon input movement at the differential input;
(f) a mark sensor located at a predetermined distance from the image transfer drum that reads occurrences of the marks on the pinless continuous web as the pinless continuous web passes therethrough and that generates a mark sensor signal in response to a sensed occurrence of each of the marks;
and (g) a signal generator responsive to movement of the pinless continuous web, the signal generator being constructed and arranged to provide a movement signal that indicates an amount of movement of the pinless continuous web;
the controller comprising:
an input that receives the mark sensor signal;
an input that receives the movement signal;
and
a comparing circuit that compares the mark sensor signal to the movement signal and thereby generate an output control signal that causes driving of the differential to thereby vary the roller rotational speed of the drive roller in response to the control signal.

8 more elements

A method for controlling a utilization device, the utilization device being adapted to feed a pinless continuous web devoid of pin holes and having marks disposed in an upstream-to-downstream direction therealong at predetermined length intervals, the utilization device further comprising (a) a feed unit, wherein the feed unit includes side guides located outwardly of opposing side edges of the pinless continuous web:

(b) a high volume moving utilization device element located downstream of the feed unit that rotates at a element movement speed and that thereby performs a predetermined operation at selected locations onto the pinless continuous web:
(c) a drive roller in the feed unit that engages the pinless continuous web at a location upstream of the utilization device element and that drives the pinless continuous web toward the utilization device element:
(d) a central drive motor that drives the feed unit at a speed that matches the element movement speed of the utilization device element:
(e) a differential having a drive motor input and a differential input, the differential being operatively interconnected with the drive roller and the differential being constructed and arranged so that the drive roller rotates in conjunction with the central drive motor at a roller rotational speed, wherein the roller rotational speed is varied based upon in is put movement at the differential input:
(f) a mark sensor located at a predetermined distance from the image transfer drum that reads occurrences of the marks on the pinless continuous web as the pinless continuous web passes therethrough and that generates a mark sensor signal in response to sensed occurrence of each of the marks:
and (g) a signal generator responsive to movement of the pinless continuous web, the signal generator being constructed and arranged to provide a movement signal that indicates an amount of movement of the pinless continuous web:
the method comprising the steps of:
receiving the mark sensor signal:
receiving the movement signal:
and
comparing the mark sensor signal to the movement signal and thereby generating an output control signal that causes driving of the differential to thereby vary the roller rotational speed of the drive roller in response to the control signal.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 10/245,535Filed 17 Sep 2002 · continuation
Priority: 4 Nov 1994
Published: US 2003/0015564 A123 Jan 2003
Granted: 30 Sep 2003
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification23 codes

G03G 15/6517
Apparatus which relate to the handling of copy material: apparatus for continuous web copy material of plain paper, e.g. supply rolls; Roll…
B41J 11/0005
Devices or arrangements of selective printing mechanisms, e.g. ink-jet printers or thermal printers, for supporting or handling copy material in…:…
B41J 11/46
Controlling printing material conveyance for accurate alignment of the printing material with the printhead; Print registering: by marks or…
B41J 15/04
Devices or arrangements of selective printing mechanisms, e.g. ink-jet printers or thermal printers, specially adapted for supporting or…

Family

Application08/334,730Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 4 Nov 1994
Application08/632,524Parent of this continuation · filed 12 Apr 1996
Application09/420,761Parent of this continuation · filed 18 Oct 1999
Application09/939,426Parent of this continuation · filed 24 Aug 2001
US 2003/0015564 A1Pre-grant publication · published 23 Jan 2003
US 6,450,383 B2Parent of this continuation
US 6,279,807 B1Parent of this continuation
US 5,967,394 AParent of this continuation
Application08/632,524Parent of this continuation-in-part
US 2002/0000457 A1Published application
US 6,626,343 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.