Method for extending the lifetime of an endless belt
AssigneeXerox Corporation
InventorsSteven J. Fiore, Diego Alejandro Pereda, Michael Nicholas Soures, Jennifer Kciuk, Michael Povio, David R. Kamprath
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Abstract
An apparatus and method for extending the lifetime of belts, especially photoreceptor belts inside of a printing device, which includes detensioning the belt during periods where the belt is not in use, such as where a printing device is in an idle state.
Claims11
A method for extending the lifetime of a photoreceptor belt, wherein a spring-loaded mechanism supplies a force to a tensioning member that tensions the belt when in its operational position inside of a printing device, comprising reducing the tension in the belt by substantially completely removing the force supplied by the spring-loaded mechanism from the tensioning member when the printing device enters an idle state without substantially completely removing the tension in the belt.
An endless belt tensioning apparatus, wherein the belt is wrapped around a support apparatus including at least one support for the belt, a tensioning member, and a biasing means acting on the tensioning member, the tension control apparatus comprising:
- a frame connected to the support apparatus;
- a cam connected to the frame;
- a first lever arm having first and second ends;
- wherein the biasing means includes a first spring-loaded mechanism for providing a biasing force and a first sleeve for transmitting the biasing force to the tensioning member,
- wherein the first lever arm is pivotally connected to the frame at a pivot point between the first and second ends of the first lever arm,
- wherein the first end of the first lever arm is positioned such that when the cam is rotated, the cam causes the first lever arm to pivot about the pivot point such that the second end of the first lever arm engages the first sleeve of the biasing means such that the biasing force from the first spring-loaded mechanism is no longer transmitted to the tensioning member.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.