Patent ID: 6622582
Filing Date: 2003-09-23
Classification: B41J,F16C,F16H,Y10T

Abstract:
An assembly for limiting axial motion of a shaft in an imaging apparatus, said imaging apparatus having a frame, a drive system including a helical drive gear, a shaft supported by said frame, and a driven helical gear attached to said shaft and positioned to engage said helical drive gear, wherein driving said driven helical gear in a first rotational direction results in an axial thrust of said shaft in a first axial direction, said assembly comprising:a thrust member having an engagement end and a mounting end, said engagement end having a first cross-sectional dimension and said mounting end having a second cross-sectional dimension that is larger than said first cross-sectional dimension, said thrust member being positioned to be co-axial with said shaft and coupled to at least one of said shaft and said driven helical gear; and a thrust bracket mounted to said frame, said bracket having a contact surface which is engaged by said engagement end of said thrust member when said driven helical gear is driven in said first rotational direction.