BELT TENSIONING DEVICE

Abstract: A belt tensioning device for use in a copying machine. In front of and behind the place of application of the contact pressure of the first transfer step a floating roller (9,10) tensions the belt (1) with the formation of a loop. Each floating roller is suspended in the ends of the short arms (19a, 21a) of a pair of identical two-armed levers (19,21). The end of each long arm (19b, 21b) of one pair of levers is connected to the end of the corresponding long arm of the other pair of levers by a tension spring system (24). One pair of levers has a larger transmission ratio than the other, so that the floating rollers return into their old positions after the transfer stage. As a result of this construction the forces exerted on the floating rollers are sufficient to keep the belt tensioned, but are not so great as to cause impacts and vibrations in the belt when the floating rollers move from one position to the other. Difficulties which occur in practice with the known belt ten­ sioning devices due to the cumulation of deviations in the forces caused by manufacturing tolerances of the various components are obviated.

Description: This invention relates to a device for use in a copying machine comprising a belt driven at a first speed, a revolving element driven at a second speed, means arranged to press the belt intermittently into engagement with the element, the belt being driven at the second speed at the place of the engagement as a result of friction with the element, and two floating rollers which, as considered in the direction of advance of the belt, respectively in front of and after the place of engagement, tension the belt with the formation of loops, one of the floating rollers providing a greater tensioning force than the other roller. A device of this kind used in a copying machine is known from US Patent 4 183 658. In this known device a photoconductive belt on which an image is formed electrophotographically is pressed against an intermediate support in order to transfer the formed image to said intermediate support. In these conditions, at the place where the contact pressure is applied the belt assumes the speed of the intermediate support so that the image transfer takes place without the image being smeared. Since in this known device the intermediate support is driven at a speed slightly lower than that of the photoconductive belt, during the image transfer the loop formed in the belt by the first floating roller in front of the place where the contact pressure is applied will become larger and the loop formed by the second floating roller after the such place will become smaller. If the contact pressure is eliminated after the image transfer, the second floating roller, which exerts a tensioning force greater than that of the first floating roller, will enlarge the loop it forms in the belt after the place of application of the contact pressure and at the same time reduce the loop that the first floating roller forms in the belt in front of the such place. Thus after each image transfer the original position of the photoconductive belt with respect to the intermediate support is restored while the belt remains tensioned. In order to avoid disturbing impacts and vibrations in the belt during the movement of the floating rollers from one position to the other, the difference between the forces exerted by the two floating rollers will preferably not be made larger than the force required to move the rollers and the part of the belt therebetween. Also, the force which each roller exerts separately will preferably not be made larger than necessary to keep the associated belt loop sufficiently taut. When, as is the case in the known device, the forces which are involved are derived from the weight of the floating rollers and/or from the tensioning force of springs acting on the floating rollers, difficulties may occur in practice in the production of such devices due to the cumulation of deviations in those forces due to manufacturing tolerances which have to be accepted for the various components. The object of the invention is to obviate such difficulties, and this is attained in a device of the kind referred to in the preamble, in that each of the floating rollers is mounted to first arms of a pair of identical two-armed levers, in that each of the ends of second arms of one pair of levers is connected to the end of the corresponding second arm of the other pair of levers by means of a tensioning spring system and in that the mechanical advantage of one pair of levers differs from the mechanical advantage of the other pair of levers. As will be explained in detail hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawing, in the device according to the invention the forces involved are derived primarily from one tensioning spring system so that there is no cumulation of tolerance deviations. Also, the floating rollers can be made very light in weight so that only little force is required to move them. Disturbing impacts and vibrations in the belts are thus obviated. The accompanying Figure is a diagrammatic cross-section of a copying machine in which the device according to the invention is used. In the Figure 1 is an endless photoconductive belt which is tightened over a continuously rotating drive roller 2, a pressure roller 3, guide rollers 4, 5 and 6, auxiliary rollers 7 and 8 and floating rollers 9 and 10. With the aid of narrow rollers 11, only engaging with the edges of belt 1, belt 1 is kept in contact with the surface of roller 2, and in this way belt 1 is driven with a speed of for instance 20 m/min. Pressure roller 3 is freely rotatably supported in bearings in arms 12 which can swivel about a shaft 13. The arm 12 visible in the Figure is provided with a cam follower 14 which co-operates with a cam 15 rotatably supported in bearings. Springs 16 exert a pulling force on the arms 12, so that cam follower 14 is continuously kept in contact with cam 15. Guide roller 4 is continuously driven in the direction indicated with an arrow with a circumferential speed which is slightly lower than the speed of movement of belt 1, for instance with a circumferential speed of 19.8 m/min. Because of the difference in speed belt 1 slips over the surface of roller 4. Whilst using this slip, belt 1 is aligned with the aid of the guide plates 17 being present on roller 4 at either side of belt 1; all this according to the principle that is described in the Dutch patent specification 148 418. The guide rollers 5 and 6 and the auxiliary rollers 7 and 8 are freely rotatably supported in bearings. Floating roller 9 consists of two narrow discs, engaging only with the edges of belt 1, which discs are rotatably supported in bearings on a rod 18, which is fixed to arms 19a of two-armed levers 19 which can swivel about a shaft 20. Floating roller 10 comprises similar discs which are freely rotatably supported in bearings on a shaft 22, which at either side is supported in bearings in arms 21a of two-armed levers 21 which are supported in bearings in a swivelling way on a shaft 23. The arm 19b of each lever 19 is connected by a tensioning spring 24 to the arm 21b of the corresponding lever 21. For technological reasons associated with the construction it is possible to provide tensioning wires, which may run over pulleys, between the levers and the springs. Since the dimensions of the levers 21 differ from those of the levers 19 (the short arms 21a and 19a are, for example, each 50 mm long, the long arms 19b 95 mm and the long arms 21b 100 mm), the mechanical advantage of the levers 21 is greater than that of the levers 19 (about 5% with the lengths given). Since the tensioning springs 24 pull on the arms 19b and 21b with equal force, a greater force is exterted on floating roller 10 than on floating roller 9. In order to prevent floating roller 10 from completely cancelling the belt loop formed by the floating roller 9, the arms 19a of the levers 19 are limited in their movement by a stop 25. Since the forces for tensioning the belt are derived from the tensioning spring system, the floating rollers 9 and 10 can be made very light in weight. The tensioning spring used in the above-described example has a spring constant of 0.15 N/mm, a prestressing of 2.35 N and a length, in the unloaded state, of 70 mm. Any deviation within the tolerance limits does not affect operation. Above pressure roller 3 an intermediate support is installed consisting of an endless belt 26 which is provided with a thin top layer which is manufactured of soft silicone rubber. In the direction of the arrow the belt 26 is driven by a drive roller 27 with a speed which is slightly lower than that of belt 1 and for instance amounts to 19.8 m/min. Further belt 26 is guided over a roller 28 being freely rotatably supported in bearings. At the inside of roller 28 a heating element 29 is installed, with which the cylinder of roller 28 and consequently also belt 26 coming in contact with it, is heated. With the aid of non-represented, generally known means, the energy supply to element 29 is controlled in such a way, that the temperature at the surface of belt 26 is constantly kept at for instance 105°C. At the side of drive roller 27 a pressure roller 30 is freely rotatably supported in bearings on a shaft 31, which is connected to arms 32 and with these arms forms a rigid unit which is supported in a swivelling way in bearings on a shaft 33. The arm 32 which is visible in the Figure, is provided with a cam follower 34 which co-operates with a rotatable cam 35. Further the copying machine is provided with a copy paper supply which comprises a tray 37 for receiving a pile of sheets 38. Tray 37 is provided with a friction roller 39 with the aid of which the present sheets can be fed away from pile 38 one after another. A spring 40 presses against tray 37 and thus effects, whilst tray 37 swivels about a shaft 41, that the top sheet of the pile is always held against roller 39 with a predetermined pressure. A sheet fed away from pile 38 is guided by guide plate 42 into the nip between the continuously rotating roller 43 and a disc roller 44 resting freely on roller 43. Into the joining passage between guide plates 45 and 46 extends a stop 47 which is connected to arms 48 fixed on a shaft 49 which is supported in a swivelling way in bearings. The arm 48 which is visible in the Figure, is held continuously in contact with a cam 51 which is rotatably supported in bearings, by the force exerted by springs 50. Past stop 47 an endless belt 52 is installed, which belt is tightened about freely rotatable rollers 53 and 54 and about a continuously rotating drive roller 55. Roller 55 drives belt 52 with a speed which is as high as or slightly higher (for instance 5% higher) than the speed of movement of belt 26. Inside roller 53 a heating element 56 is installed with which the cylinder of roller 53 and consequently also belt 52 is heated. With the aid of non-represented, but generally known means the energy supply to element 56 is controlled in such a way, that the temperature at the surface of belt 52 is constantly kept at a predetermined temperature, for instance at 105°C. On belt 52 rests a flexible pressure plate 57, which is fixed to a shaft 58 being supported in bearings in a swivelling way. Along the track followed by belt 1 means of the usual kind are installed in order to form powder images on the photoconductive surface of belt 1 via the xerographic process. These means comprise a light-source 59 with which any charges present on belt 1 are removed, a cleaning brush 60 with which any powder residues present on belt 1 are removed, a charging device 61 with which a uniform electrostatic charge is applied to belt 1, a projection station 62 in which in the way known by itself a light image of an original lying on an exposure plate is projected on belt 1 with the aid of non-represented flash lamps, mirror(s) and an objective, during which projection an image-wise charge pattern is formed on belt 1, a developing device 63 with the aid of which the charge pattern on belt 1 is developed into a powder image, and a light-source 64 with which belt 1 is radiated for reducing the adhesion between image powder and belt 1. Finally the copying machine is provided with non-represented control means with which the operation of the above-mentioned image-forming means 59-64, as well as the operation of cam 15, cam 35, friction roller 39 and cam 51 is synchronized. Control systems which can be used for this, are known in many kinds and many embodiments; a very suitable embodiment of such a system is for instance described in the Dutch patent application 7311992. When a powder image which is formed on belt 1 by successively charging, imagewise exposing and developing, approaches pressure roller 3, cam 15 is rotated through 180°, under influence of a signal emitted by the control system. Consequently the arms 12 swivel and roller 3 is moved upwards. Belt 1 is thus pressed between the rollers 3 and 28 against belt 26. As a result of the friction then occurring belt 1 at the place of the pressure zone accepts the slightly lower speed of belt 26. As belt 1 is driven by roller 2 with a constant and slightly higher speed, the loop in which roller 9 is hanging, will increase. However, by the force exerted by spring 24 via lever 19, roller 9, whilst sagging upon swivelling with the arms 19a, will keep the loop tightened. Since belt 1 is carried away with unchanged speed slipping over roller 4, the loop in which roller 10 is hanging, will decrease and roller 10 will be lifted, upon swivelling with the arms 21a. By the force exerted by spring 24 via lever 21 roller 10 will keep the material tightened in the loop. While the powder image passes through the pressure zone, it is pressed into the soft rubber layer of belt 26, and in this way it is transferred from belt 1 to belt 26, and is carried along by the latter. Although during this transfer a very great part (90-95%) of the image powder is transferred to belt 26, it cannot be prevented, that a residue is left on belt 1. This residue is removed later in the usual way by the operation of lamp 59 and brush 60. While being carried along by belt 26, the transferred powder image is heated from belt 26. During this heating the powder grains are softened and start coalescing, so that the image has become sticky when it approaches the pressure roller 30. In the meantime the control system of the coying machine has also emitted signals with which first friction roller 39 has been activated in order to feed a sheet from pile 38 against stop 47, and with which subsequently cam 51 has been rotated through 180°. During last-mentioned rotation the arms 48 swivel upwards, so that stop 47 is lifted. The sheet supplied is then pushed forward by the rollers 43 and 44 and fed between belt 52 and plate 57. The sheet is then further conveyed by belt 52, during which it is heated so that upon approaching pressure roller 30, at least at the side with which it makes contact with belt 52, it has a temperature which is almost equal to the temperature of the image material supplied by belt 26. When the leading edge of the image present on belt 26 and the leading edge of the copy material have come in the neighbourhood of roller 30, the control system of the copying machine emits a signal with which cam 35 is rotated through 180°. As a result the arms 32 swivel about shaft 33 and roller 30 is pressed against belt 26. When subsequently the image and the sheet of copy material pass through the pressure zone between roller 30 and belt 26, the softened and sticky image material is pressed into the copy material. This explains why when passing the pressure zone the whole image is separated from belt 26 and transferred to the copy material. After cooling the image will have been firmly attached to the copy material and thus have been fixed. After in this way the image formed on belt 1 has been transferred to belt 26 or to the copy sheet respectively, the control system of the copying machine emits signals with which the cams 15, 35 and 51, and consequently also the rollers 3 and 30, as well as stop 47, are again returned into their original positions. When roller 3 is released from belt 26, the force exerted by roller 10 will exceed the force of roller 9 since the mechanical advantage of the levers 21 is greater than the mechanical advantage of the levers 19 and as a consequence of this the loop formed by roller 10 will increase, and the loop formed by roller 9, will decrease. Roller 9 is moved upwards, until its movement is limited by stop 25. At that moment the two loops have again got back exactly the original dimensions.

Claims: A device for use in a copying machine comprising a belt (1) driven at a first speed, a revolving element (26) driven at a second speed, means (3, 12-16) arranged to press the belt (1) intermittently into engagement with the element (26), the belt (1) being driven at the second speed at the place of engagement as a result of friction with the element (26), and two floating rollers (9,10) which, as considered in the direction of advance of the belt (1), respectively in front of and after the place of engagement, tension the belt with the formation of loops, one of the floating rollers (9; 10) providing a greater tensioning force than the other roller (10;9), characterised in that each of the floating rollers (9,10) is mounted to first arms (19a, 21a) of a pair of identical two-armed levers (19,21), in that each of the ends of second arms (19b, 21b) of one pair of levers (19;21) is connected to the end of the corresponding second arm (21b;19b) of the other pair of levers (21;19) by means of a tensioning spring system (24) and in that the mechanical advantage of one pair of levers (19;21) differs from the mechanical advantage of the other pair of levers (21;19). A device according to claim 1, characterised in that the movement of the floating roller (9,10) mounted in the pair of levers (19,21) having the smaller mechanical advantage is limited by a stop (25). A device according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the forces for tensioning the belt are derived from the tensioning spring system (24).

Inventors: BROEREN MARTINUS HENRICUS JOHANNES LAMBERTUS MARIA, IN 'T ZANDT, HUBERTUS WILHELMUS GERARDUS
Applicants: OCE-NEDERLAND B.V.
Application year: 1988
Main classification: G03G15
IPC codes: G03G15, F16H7, B65H5, G03G21