IMAGE-FORMING APPARATUS

Abstract: Apparatus for forming images on a substrate, using a belt-like medium (1) that is moved past a number of processing stations. The apparatus comprises at least two sections, in which the belt (1) can be driven at different speeds (V₁, V₂) by drive rollers (15, 16) at the same time. A buffer unit between the sections compensates for the belt length shortage and surplus rising from the speed difference. The buffer unit consists of two freely rotatable rollers (11, 12) secured to a rotatable frame (40, 41).

Description: This invention relates to an image-forming apparatus comprising a belt-like medium on which an image can be formed, at least two pro­ cessing stations for forming the image on the medium, a first system for conveying the belt-like medium past at least one processing sta­ tion, said system comprising a number of mutually parallel, freely rotable rollers and a drive device for driving the medium at a first constant speed, at least a second system for conveying the belt-like medium past at least one other processing station, said second system comprising a number of mutually parallel, freely rotatable rollers and a drive device for driving the medium at a second speed which at least temporarily differs from the first speed, in which, in the second system, two rollers, one of which is situated in front of and one after the processing station as considered in the direction of movement of the medium, are interconnected and are displaceable as a set. An apparatus of this kind is known from US patent 4,046,473. In this known apparatus, the two displaceable rollers in the second system are interconnected by two mutually parallel connecting arms which can be displaced in the plane of the rollers in a direction perpendicular to the rollers. When the speed of the belt-like medium in the second system differs from that in the first system, the displaceable roller system will move in the said direction in order to compensate for the speed difference in the belt. A disadvantage of this known apparatus is that the displacement of the movable roller system requires a complex construction comprising linear guides, counterweights and springs. A construction of this kind is by its nature slack and accordingly skewing can readily occur in the connected rollers if the belt is not ideally flat and linear. Fouling of the linear guides may also result in obstruction to the movement of the movable roller system. The object of the invention is to provide an image-forming apparatus without the disadvantages of the known apparatus. According to the invention, this object is attained in that in an image-forming apparatus of the kind referred to in the preamble, the said two rollers are secured to a lever mechanism, the centre-line of which is parallel to the rollers and is equidistant from said rollers. Consequently, movement of the said two rollers is obtained with a simpler construction, which construction in addition is suf­ ficiently stiff, is practically frictionless, has a small mass and requires no extra maintenance. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the centre-­ line of the lever mechanism is situated in the plane defined by the two rollers. Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein: Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic section of an apparatus according to the invention. Fig. 2 is a detail of the movable roller system. Fig. 3 is a graphical representation of the curve of the belt speed in the second system. Fig. 1 represents an embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention in the form of an electrophotographic laser printer. A belt 1 having a layer of photoconductive material thereon is taken over a number of rollers 2, 3, 4, 5, 13, 6, 16, 7, 8, 9, 10 and 15 rotatably supported by a frame (not shown), and rollers 11 and 12 rotatably supported in a mechanism 60 which is described hereinafter. The belt can move past a number of processing stations, such as a charging station 20, an exposure station 21, a developing station 22, an image transfer station 23, an integral exposure station 24 and a cleaning station 25. As represented in Fig. 2, the rollers 11 and 12 are mounted, freely rotatable, in the respective ends of two mutually parallel arms 40 and 41. The arms 40 and 41 are secured to a shaft 42 rota­ tably mounted in the frame (not shown), the arrangement being such that the centre-line 43 of the shaft 42 is equidistant from the rollers 11 and 12. Roller 15 is driven by motor 30, the speed of which is controlled by a control unit 32 by means of a pulse generator 31. Roller 16 is driven by motor 33, whose speed can be controlled by a control unit 35 by means of a pulse generator 34. The exposure sta­ tion 21 consists of a laser 26 and a rotatable polygonal mirror 27 driven by motor 28. The speed of motor 28 is also controlled by control unit 35. To make a print, the photoconductive layer on belt 1 is first provided with a homogeneous surface charge in the charging station 20 and then exposed imagewise in the exposure station 21, the laser beam being continually moved afresh over the moving belt by the rotating polygonal mirror 27 in a direction perpendicular to the direction of movement of the belt. By switching the laser 26 on and off rapidly a light pattern is built up on the belt corresponding to the required image. Where light strikes on the belt the surface charge flows off so that the remaining charge pattern corresponds to the required image. This charge pattern is developed in known manner with black powder in developing device 22 and the resulting powder image is then transferred in transfer station 23 to a receiving material 29, and is fixed thereon to give the required print. The photoconductive belt is then integrally exposed in station 24 and the remaining powder is removed in cleaning station 25, whereafter it is ready for the next print cycle. The said operations are sufficiently known from the literature and therefore require no further explanation here. The processing stations, except for the exposure station, allow a high belt speed without reducing the quality of their operation. Phenomena arising during switching on and off make it necessary to give some intermediate space between the imaging sections (i.e. the belt zones on which an image is formed). The presence of these intermediate spaces enables the belt to be moved at a high speed V₁ in a part of the apparatus and at a lower speed V₂ at the exposure station 21. To compensate for the belt speed difference a movable roller system is used formed by the rollers 11 and 12 and the construction 40, 41 and 42. The operation of this roller system will be explained in the following description. In the inoperative position the roller system 11, 12 is in the position indicated in full lines in Fig. 1. In this condition, the bottom end of the arms 40 and 41 near roller 12 rests against an abutment 36 provided with a switch. When the belt moves but no print is being made, motor 33 of drive roller 16 is controlled to a constant torque sufficient to hold the roller system 11, 12 in the said full-line position but not sufficient to accelerate the belt. The belt is therefore now driven by motor 30 by means of drive roller 15. When the print cycle is now started, the photoconductive belt 1 is provided with a uniform surface charge by the charging unit 20 and when the charged area of the belt reaches the exposure station the control unit 32 delivers a start signal to the separate control unit 35. Control unit 35 now takes over control of the belt in the expo­ sure station to which end it starts to accurately control motor 33 which drives drive roller 16, the control being provided by means of pulse generator 34 which is fixed on the shaft of motor 33. This control system is linked to the speed control of the polygonal mirror 27 in order to avoid any image distortion. The belt speed in the exposure station, i.e. the speed of the drive roller 16, is now reduced to a speed V₂ suitable for the exposure unit. By means of the pulses from the pulse generator 34 control unit 35 continually determines the position of the belt. When the charged part of the belt has arrived in the exposure zone, the control unit 35 delivers the exposure station 21 a command to start the image-wise exposure. The system inertia is taken into account so that the start command is not given until the belt speed is constant. The difference in the belt speed in the exposure station and in the rest of the apparatus means that there will be a shortage of belt length between the rollers 16 and 7 and an (equal) surplus between the rollers 6 and 16. Consequently, the roller system 11, 12 will move into the position indicated in broken lines in Fig. 1. It should be noted that this movement is completely passive and that the belt tension required to obviate slip over the drive rollers 16 and 15 does not change appreciably. The passive character of the roller system 11, 12 offers the possibility to short-circuit vibrations in the belt movement in the first system, so that they are not percep­ tible in the second system. This is a result of the relatively small mass and frictionless movement of the roller system 11, 12 and the relatively large mass of the drive-roller 16. The exposed part of the belt leaves the exposure station and continues on its way from roller 11 to the subsequent processing stations at the normal apparatus speed V₁. The roller system 11, 12 is so designed that when the exposure unit has completed its task the roller system just reaches its maxi­ mum displacement. This position is indicated in broken lines in Fig. 1. Before a new part of the belt can be exposed, the roller system 11, 12 must now be returned to the inoperative position. This can be done in the time which elapses when an intermediate space between two imaging sections (as described hereinbefore) passes the exposure station. To this end, the control unit 35 raises the speed of motor 33, and hence of drive roller 16, to a value V₃ which is higher than the normal apparatus speed V₁ and the roller system 11, 12 will auto­ matically - and passively - return to the inoperative position. When the switch in the abutment 36 is energized, this is the signal to the control unit 35 that its task is done and it will again control motor 33 to a constant torque so that the belt speed in the whole apparatus becomes equal to V₁. Fig. 3 diagrammatically represents the belt speed curve in the exposure station at the drive roller 16. In practice the speed changes will be less abrupt than indicated. Although the invention has been explained with reference to a laser printer the invention is of course not restricted thereto. In principle, the roller system described can also be used for other processing stations if they operate significantly more inertly than the other stations. With the converse operation of the roller system the processing station can of course also operate faster than the other stations.

Claims: 1. An image-forming apparatus comprising - a belt-like medium (1) on which an image can be formed - at least two processing stations for forming the image on the medium (1) - a first system for conveying the belt-like medium (1) past at least one processing station, said system comprising a number of mutually parallel, freely rotatable rollers (2 - 10, 13, 15, 16) and a drive device (30) for driving the medium (1) at a first constant speed - at least a second system for conveying the belt-like medium (1) past at least one other processing station (21), said second system comprising a number of mutually parallel, freely rotatable rollers (11, 12) and a drive device (33) for driving the medium (1) at a second speed which at least temporarily differs from the first speed, in which, in the second system, two rollers (11, 12), one of which (12) is situated in front of and one (11) after the processing sta­ tion (21) as considered in the direction of movement of the medium (1), are interconnected and are displaceable as a set, characterised in that the said two rollers (11, 12) are secured to a lever mecha­ nism (60), the centre-line (43) of which is parallel to the rollers (11, 12) and is equidistant from said rollers. 2. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterised in that the centre-line (43) of the lever mechanism (60) is situated in the plane defined by the two rollers (11, 12). 3. Apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the speed of the belt-like medium (1) in the second system is controlled, during a part of the time, as function of the operation of the said other processing station (21) and, during the rest of the time, is determined by the speed of the medium (1) in the first system. 4. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the processing stations situated at the first system are switched on and off as a function of the movement of the medium (1) in the first system and in that the other processing sta­ tion situated at the second system is switched on and off as a func­ tion of the movement of the medium (1) in the second system.

Inventors: GROOTENTRAAST, JOHANNES PAULINARDUS, POTHAST, LAMBERTUS ANTHONY, VERDONSCHOT, JOANNES FRANCISCUS JOSEPH
Applicants: OCE-NEDERLAND B.V.
Application year: 1986
Main classification: G03G15
IPC codes: G03G15, G03G21