# US 8,570,607 B2 · Scanner with a multiple lead worm gear

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- Number: US 8,570,607 B2
- Document ID: US8570607B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/205,709
- Filed: 2011-08-09
- Published: 2013-02-14
- Granted: 2013-10-29
- Earliest claimed: 2011-08-09
- Assignees: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
- Applicants: Eric L Andersen
- Inventors: Eric L Andersen
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8570607B2

## CPC

- H04N 1/1017: {the main-scanning components remaining positionally invariant with respect to one another in the sub-scanning direction}
- H04N 1/1026: {using a belt or cable}
- H04N 1/193: using electrically scanned linear arrays {, e.g. linear CCD arrays}
- H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION

## Abstract

A scanner drive system is disclosed. The scanner drive system has a drive motor. The drive motor has a worm gear attached to the motor spindle. The worm gear has multiple leads. The worm gear is meshed with a helical gear. The helical gear is coupled to a drive train that moves a scanning module.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A scanner, comprising:
a scanner base and a top cover, the top cover having a flatbed glass attached thereto, the top cover mounted to the scanner base, the scanner base forming a cavity;
a drive motor attached to the scanner base inside the cavity, the drive motor having a spindle;
a worm gear attached to the spindle, the worm gear having at least four leads;
a helical gear meshed with the worm gear and coupled to a drive train;
a scanning module located inside the cavity and coupled to the drive train, the scanner module movable along a scanning direction by the drive train.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The scanner of claim 1, wherein the scanner size is a size selected from the group of sizes comprising: an A3 size and an A4 size.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The scanner of claim 1, wherein the drive motor is a DC motor.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The scanner of claim 1, further comprising:
a gear coupled to the helical gear and having a common axis of rotation; and
wherein the drive train comprises a belt drive and the belt is driven by the gear.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The scanner of claim 1, wherein the worm gear and the helical gear self-lock the drive train.

### Claim 6

A scanner drive system, comprising:
a drive motor, the drive motor having a spindle;
a worm gear attached to the spindle, the worm gear having multiple leads;
a helical gear meshed to the worm gear and coupled to a drive train;
a scanning module coupled to the drive train, the scanner module movable along a scanning direction by the drive train; and
wherein the worm gear has four leads.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The scanner drive system of claim 6, wherein the drive motor is a DC motor.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The scanner drive system of claim 6, wherein the drive train comprises a belt drive.

### Claim 9 (depends on 6)

The scanner drive system of claim 6, wherein the worm gear and the helical gear self-lock the drive train.

### Claim 10 (depends on 6)

The scanner drive system of claim 6, further comprises:
a scanner base, the drive motor attached to the scanner base.

### Claim 11

A method of driving a scanning module, comprising:
rotating a worm gear attached to a motor spindle at a first rotational speed;
reducing the first rotational speed to a second rotational speed using a helical gear meshed with the worm gear, wherein the worm gear has it least four leads and wherein the helical gear turns at the second rotational speed;
moving a drive train with the helical gear;
moving the scanning module along a scanning direction with the drive train.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The method of driving a scanning, module of claim 11, wherein the chive train comprises a belt drive and the belt is driven by a gear and where the gear is coupled to the helical gear with a common axis of rotation.