Patent ID: 6587667
Filing Date: 2003-07-01
Classification: G03G

Abstract:
Deformation device, for use in a digital printing or copying machine, for bending a flexible substrate (11) being transported by a transport device in a direction to pass a fixing device for fixing toner which has been transferred to said flexible substrate (11), before said flexible substrate (11) passes said fixing device, comprising:at least two stationary guide rails (7,9), parallel to the transport direction (5) of said flexible substrate (11), each being assigned to one lengthwise edge (13,15) or one lengthwise edge area of said flexible substrate (11), to exert a force on said flexible substrate (11), transverse to the transport direction (5) of said flexible substrate (11), thereby bending said flexible substrate (11) into an arc out of contact with said transport device everywhere except at said lengthwise edges (13,15) of said flexible substrate (11); at least one wedge-shaped guide element (17), located in the free space between said at least two guide rails (7,9), to act as a ramp for said flexible substrate (11); and at least one nozzle (21), located in the free space between said at least two stationary guide rails (7,9), to direct a jet of a gaseous medium against a first side of said flexible substrate adjacent to said transport device.