Paper feeding mechanism for continuous form printer
AssigneePENTAX Corporation
InventorYutaka Ishikawa
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A paper feeding mechanism for a printer includes a discharging unit located on a downstream side of a paper feed path, a feeding unit located on an upstream side with respect to the image transfer station, a tension applying unit that operates to apply tension to the continuous form paper at a position between the image transfer station and the discharging unit. Further provided is a displacement preventing system that prevents a displacement of the continuous form paper in a feeding direction of the continuous form paper when the tension applying unit operates to apply the tension to the continuous form paper.
Claims18
A paper feeding mechanism for a printer in which an image is transferred, at an image transfer station, onto continuous form paper which is fed along a paper feed path defined in the printer, the paper feeding mechanism comprising:
- a discharging unit located on a downstream side of the paper feed path, the discharging unit feeding the continuous form paper to discharge from the printer;
- a feeding unit located on an upstream side with respect to the image transfer station, the feeding unit feeding the continuous form paper toward the image transfer station;
- a tension applying unit that operates to apply tension to the continuous form paper at a position between the image transfer station and the discharging unit;
- and
- a displacement preventing system that prevents a displacement of the continuous form paper in a feeding direction of the continuous form paper when the tension applying unit operates to apply the tension to the continuous form paper, wherein the displacement preventing system is configured to shift the continuous form paper in a downstream direction prior to operation of the tension applying unit.
An electrophotographic printer that forms an image on continuous form paper in accordance with an electrophotographic imaging method, the printer comprising:
- a scanning unit that emits a scanning beam which is modulated in accordance with print information;
- a photoconductive drum which is exposed to the scanning beam, a latent image being formed on the photoconductive drum as scanned by the scanning beam;
- a developing unit that develops the latent image by applying toner to the latent image to form a toner image;
- a transfer unit that transfers the toner image on the continuous form paper which is fed along a paper feed path defined in the printer;
- a fixing unit that fixes the toner image transferred onto the continuous form paper;
- a discharging unit located on a downstream side of the paper feed path, the discharging unit feeding the continuous form paper to discharge from the printer;
- a feeding unit located on an upstream side with respect to the transfer unit, the feeding unit feeding the continuous form paper toward the transfer unit;
- a tension applying unit that operates to apply tension to the continuous form paper at a position between the transfer unit and the discharging unit;
- and
- a displacement preventing system that prevents a displacement of the continuous form paper in a feeding direction of the continuous form paper when the tension applying unit operates to apply the tension to the continuous form paper, wherein the displacement preventing system is configured to shift the continuous form paper in a downstream direction prior to operation of the tension applying unit.
A method of feeding continuous form paper in a printer in which an image is transferred, at an image transfer station, onto continuous form paper which is fed along a paper feed path defined in the printer, the printer including a discharging unit located on a downstream side of the paper feed path, the discharging unit feeding the continuous form paper to discharge from the printer, a feeding unit located on an upstream side with respect to the image transfer station, the feeding unit feeding the continuous form paper toward the image transfer station, a tension applying unit that operates to apply tension to the continuous form paper at a position between the image transfer station and the discharging unit, an auxiliary feeding unit located between the feeding unit and the transfer station, the method comprising:
- detecting a leading end of the continuous form paper at a position on the upstream side of the auxiliary feeding unit;
- activating the auxiliary feeding unit to feed the continuous paper at a speed higher than the feeding speed of the feeding unit;
- allowing the image transfer onto the continuous form paper;
- detecting the leading end of the continuous form paper at a position in the vicinity of the discharging unit;
- activating the tension applying unit to apply tension to the continuous form paper;
- and
- deactivating the auxiliary feeding unit after the tension applying unit has been activated to apply the tension to the continuous form paper.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.