Patent ID: 8630569
Filing Date: 2014-01-14
Classification: B65G,G03G

Abstract:
1. An apparatus comprising: an endless belt member; a stretching member configured to stretch said endless belt member; a driving member configured to move the endless belt member along an endless path; a steering member configured to stretch and steer said endless belt member, said steering member including, a rotatable member contacted to an inner side of said endless belt member and configured to be rotatable with moving of said endless belt member around a rotational axis of said rotatable member, wherein the rotational axis extending in a direction substantially perpendicular to a direction of moving of said endless belt member, frictional members contacted to an inner side of said endless belt member, provided at each opposite axial end of said rotatable member, and configured not to be rotatable with moving of said endless belt member, said frictional members each provided with such an inclined portion that a distance between the rotational axis of said rotatable member and the inclined portion increases toward an outside with respect to a direction of the rotational axis, and a supporting member configured to support said rotatable member and each said frictional member, wherein said supporting member is capable of being inclined to steer said endless belt member by a frictional force arising from sliding between said endless belt member and said frictional member around an axis perpendicular to the rotational axis of said rotatable member,