Patent ID: 7384043

Claim:
An actuator system for use with a sheet transport system having a first roller and a second roller, the actuator system comprising: an idler assembly coupled to the first roller and biased to hold the first roller in a closed position engaging the second roller for transporting a sheet; and a drive assembly configured to engage the idler assembly to move the first roller between an open position spaced from the second roller and the closed position and to disengage from the idler assembly when the first roller is in the closed position so that first roller is held in the closed position solely by the idler assembly; wherein the idler assembly includes a pair of a spring-driven idler cams, each idler cam rotatably coupled to an opposite end of the first roller and biased to provide a substantially same closing force at the opposite ends of the first roller so as to maintain a uniform closing pressure independent of the drive assembly between the ends of the first roller and the second roller when the first roller is in the closed position; and wherein the idler assembly further comprises: a pair of idler shafts rotatably mounted to the sheet transport system and spaced apart along an axis, wherein each idler cam is axially mounted to a different one of the idler shafts; a pair of idler links, each idler link having a first end axially mounted to a different one of the idler shafts and a second end rotatably coupled to the opposite ends of the first roller; and a pair of torsion springs, each torsion spring axially mounted about a different one of the idler shafts and configured to engage the associated idler cam so that the pair of torsion springs bias the idler cams so as to hold the first roller in the closed position.