Patent ID: 6315235
Filing Date: 2001-11-13
Classification: B41J

Abstract:
A device adapted to be coupled into an imaging device, comprising:a tubular sleeve, said sleeve being adapted to rotate bidirectionally;a shaft rotatably inserted in said sleeve;a first end cap coupled to said shaft at a first end, said first end cap having an inner tunnel adapted to allow said shaft to pass through and having a center section of generally hexagonal shape on outer periphery;a second end cap coupled to said shaft at a second end, opposite to the first, said second end cap having an inner tunnel adapted to allow said shaft to pass through and having a center section of generally cylindrical shape on the outer periphery;a torsion mechanism positioned in said sleeve and encircling said shaft; anda slip mechanism positioned in said sleeve and coupled to said torsion mechanism, said slip mechanism being adapted to cause said torsion mechanism to rotate freely in a first rotational direction relative to said tubular sleeve and being adapted to cause said torsion mechanism to resist rotation in a second rotational direction, opposite to the first, until a torsion in the torsion mechanism is increased to reach a predetermined threshold value, said slip mechanism maintaining the torsion of the torsion mechanism at approximately the threshold value when the torsion reaches the threshold value.