Patent · US Expired

Apparatus for forming endless loops from sheet material

US4957584A · kind A · utility

1Cited by
10References
10Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMay 18, 1989
Grant dateSep 18, 1990
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 18, 2009

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
  • CPC primaryB29L2031/7644
  • WIPO fieldOther special machines
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

Apparatus for splicing together opposite ends of a sheet of material, such as a photoconductor, to form an endless loop includes a generally cylindrical drum on which the sheet material is wrapped. The drum has edge portions that can be adjusted relative to each other to vary the circumference of the drum, and the sheet is wrapped on the drum with opposite ends of the sheet being in overlapping relationship adjacent the edges of the drum. The drum edges are adjusted relative to each other while a sensor detects the relationship between perforations or other identifiable features on the sheet. When a predetermined relationship is obtained, the opposite ends of the sheet are bonded together to form an endless loop. The apparatus produces a loop that is cylindrical in shape with the pitch of the perforations across the splice being equal to the pitch of the perforations in other portions of the loop.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.