US3623805A

US3623805A - Drive mechanism for imaging apparatus

Info

Publication number: US3623805A
Application number: US876636A
Authority: US
Inventors: Raymond K Egnaczak; Charles H Myers
Original assignee: Xerox Corp
Current assignee: Xerox Corp
Priority date: 1969-11-14
Filing date: 1969-11-14
Publication date: 1971-11-30
Anticipated expiration: 1988-11-30

Abstract

An electrical-mechanical drive mechanism is employed in a photoelectrophoretic imaging system to propel a flat plate electrode on which images are formed along a generally linear path and to rotate roller electrodes that contact the flat plate during its travel. The angular speed of the rollers and the translational speed of the flat plate are synchronized to minimize disturbing an image on the flat plate electrode. Separate drive mechanisms rotate the rollers prior to the arrival of the flat plate adjacent a roller to overcome inertia of the roller and to perform operations secondary to the imaging process.

Description

United States Patent [72] Inventors Raymond K. Egnaczak Williamson; Charles H. Myers, Palmyra, both of NY.

21 1 Appl. N0. 876,636

[22] Filed Nov. 14, 1969 [45] Patented Nov. 30, 1971 [73] Assignee Xerox Corporation Rochester, N.Y.

[ 54] DRIVE MECHANISM FOR IMAGING APPARATUS 16 Claims, 34 Drawing Figs.

[52 us. Cl 355/3,

232, 233. 234, 235; 355/3, 84 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,854,920 10/1958 Frankle et a1 1/1969 Grobman et a1.

3,422,757 101/232 3,427,242 2/1969 Mihajlov 355/3 UX 3,486,819 12/1969 Di Giulio 355/8 X 3,397,628 8/1968 Granzow et a1 355/8 Primary Examiner-Samuel 8. Matthews Assistant E.\'aminer Kenneth C. Hutchison Allorneys.lames J. Ralabate, David C Petre and Michael H.

Shanahan ABSTRACT: An electrical-mechanical drive mechanism is employed in a photoelectrophoretic imaging system to propel a flat plate electrode on which images are formed along a generally linear path and to rotate roller electrodes that conrollers and the translational speed of the flat plate are synchronized to minimize disturbing an image on the flat plate electrode. Separate drive mechanisms rotate the rollers prior to the arrival of the flat plate adjacent a roller to overcome inertia of the roller and to perform operations secondary to the imaging process.

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Claims

1. A drive mechanism comprising main drive means for propelling a plate member back and forth along a generally linear path past a first roller with which it makes contact, first auxiliary drive means for rotating the first roller, and clutch means for alternately coupling the first roller to the main and auxiliary drive means to have the first roller rotated by the main drive means when the plate member and first roller are in contact at an angular velocity directly related to the linear velocity of the plate and to have the first roller rotated by the auxiliary drive means when the plate and first roller are not in contact.

2. The mechanism of claim 1 wherein said auxiliary drive means includes means to rotate said first roller at an angular velocity substantially the same as the velocity produced by said main drive means to minimize the load exerted on the main drive means when the clutch means couples the first roller to the main drive means.

3. The mechanism of claim 1 further including a second roller positioned adjacent the first roller and making contact with the plate member as it travels thereby, and second auxiliary drive means for rotating said second roller and wherein said clutch means includes means for alternately coupling said second roller to said second auxiliary and main drive means to have the second roller rotated by the main drive means when the second roller and plate member are in contact at an angular velocity directly related to the linear velocity of the plate member and to have the second roller rotated by the second auxiliary drive means when the second roller and plate member are not in contact.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said main drive means includes a first continuous belt member rotated clockwise and counterclockwise by a first motor coupled thereto and having means for reversing its direction of rotation.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said first auxiliary drive means includes a second continuous belt member rotated clockwise and counterclockwise by a second motor coupled thereto and having means for reversing its direction of rotation.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said clutch means includes main clutch means for coupling said first continuous belt member to said first roller and auxiliary clutch means for coupling said second continuous belt member to said first roller.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 further including switch means actuated as said plate member travels thereby to engage said main clutch means when the plate and first roller are in contact and to engage said auxiliary clutch means when the plate and said first roller are not in contact.

8. The mechanism of claim 1 wherein said clutch means includes solenoid-operated main clutch means coupled to the main drive means and the first roller for transmitting power thereto when a first solenoid is energized, solenoid-operated auxiliary clutch means coupled to the auxiliary drive means and the first roller for transmitting power thereto when a second solenoid is energized, first cam-operated switch means to prevent the simultaneous application of power to the first roller member by the main and auxiliary drive means having a first switch position to energize said first solenoid when the plate member contacts the first roller and a second switch position to energize said second solenoid when the plate Member is not in contact with the roller member.

9. The mechanism of claim 1 further including inking means to apply a fluid to the surface of said roller as it is rotated by the auxiliary drive means to coat the surface of the roller with said fluid before the plate member contacts the first roller.

10. The mechanism of claim 9 wherein said fluid is a photoelectrophoretic ink and further including means for coupling the plate member and first roller to a voltage source to establish an electric field across ink between the plate member and roller and exposure means for exposing the ink between the plate member and roller to electromagnetic radiation to form an image on the plate member from ink subjected to electric field and exposed to radiation.

11. The mechanism of claim 10 wherein said first roller is rotated by said main drive means at an angular velocity such that a point on the periphery of the roller has substantially the same velocity as a point on the platen.

12. The mechanism of claim 9 further including elevator means for moving the first roller generally perpendicular to the path of said plate member when activated, to enable the first roller to contact the plate member as it travels thereby.

13. The mechanism of claim 12 further including second cam-operated switch means thrown to a first position as the plate member approaches the first roller to activate said elevator means and thrown to a second switch position as the plate member clears the first roller to deactivate said elevator means.

14. The mechanism of claim 1 further including first and second spray means for spraying a fluid onto the surface of said first roller, when activated, at least when it is in contact with the plate member, and third cam-operated switch means thrown to a first switch position to activate said first spray means as the plate member passes the first roller from right to left and thrown to a second switch position to activate the second spray means as the plate member passes the first roller from left to right.

15. The mechanism of claim 1 further including a second roller coupled to said main drive means by an auxiliary clutch means and positioned to compress a web against the plate member as it travels thereby causing the web to be advanced with said plate member, and web feed means for dispensing said web from a spool when the web is advanced with said plate member.

16. The mechanism of claim 15 further including elevator means for moving said second roller generally perpendicular to the path of said plate member, when activated, to compress the web against the plate member as it travels thereby, and fourth cam-operated switch means to activate said elevator means as said plate member approaches the second roller.