Pressurized roller
AssigneeHewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
InventorsSrinivas Guddanti, Chet Butikofer
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A roller for use in an imaging system includes a variable hardness, fluid-pressurizable roller core, and a roller cover surrounding the roller core. A source of pressurized fluid can be used to pressurize the roller core to a fixed, predetermined pressure prior to installation of the roller core in an imaging system. Alternatively, a variable-pressure source of pressurized air can be used to variably pressurize the roller core during operation of the imaging system.
Claims17
A media transport roller for use in an imaging system, the media transport roller comprising:
- a fluid-pressurizable, generally cylindrical roller core;
- a generally cylindrical roller cover surrounding the roller core, the roller cover including an outer surface for contacting the media during transport, wherein the roller cover is constructed of a flexible material including one of foam rubber and plastic;
- a source of pressurized fluid adapted for selective fluid communication with the roller core;
- and
- a control mechanism adapted and constructed to selectively vary pressure of the pressurized fluid within the roller core based on characteristics of the media.
A media transport roller for use in an imaging system, the media transport roller comprising:
- a variable hardness, fluid-pressurizable roller core;
- and
- a roller cover surrounding the roller core, the roller cover including an outer surface for contacting the media during transport, wherein the roller cover is constructed of a flexible material including one of foam rubber and plastic,
- wherein pressure within the roller core is selectively varied based on characteristics of the media.
A method of determining an effective surface hardness of a media transport roller for use in an imaging system, the method comprising:
- gripping a sheet of media with a media transport roller, the media transport roller including a fluid-pressurizable, generally cylindrical roller core and a generally cylindrical roller cover surrounding the roller core, the roller cover including an outer surface for contacting the media during transport, wherein the roller cover is constructed of a flexible material including one of foam rubber and plastic;
- and
- supplying fluid under pressure to pressurize the roller core to a level sufficient to bring a surface flexibility of the roller cover to a desired hardness, including selectively varying the hardness of the roller cover based on characteristics of the media.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.