Apparatus for threading an intermediate transfer member of a printing system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10427399-B2
Application number	US-201816118494-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 31, 2018
Priority date	Apr 14, 2015
Publication date	Oct 1, 2019
Grant date	Oct 1, 2019

Abstract

A printing system is described that has an intermediate transfer member in the form of a seamed endless belt for transporting an ink image from an image forming station, at which an ink image is deposited on the intermediate transfer member, to an impression station, where the ink image is transferred onto a printing substrate. The belt has along its edges formations of a greater thickness than the belt. The formations are received in channels to guide the belt and maintain the belt under lateral tension. Two drive members are provided, each located within a respective one of the channels. The two drive members are connected for movement in synchronism with one another and each has a respective laterally projecting gripper shaped for form locking engagement with the formations on a leading end of a strip from which the intermediate transfer member is to be formed. Rotation of the drive members during installation of a new intermediate transfer member serves to thread the strip through the printing system by pulling the strip from its leading end.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An intermediate transfer member (ITM) for a printing system, the ITM comprising an endless belt formed by threading an elongate strip through the printing system and joining the two opposing ends of the strip at a seam, the two opposing ends including a leading end and a trailing end, the elongate strip comprising:
a. a leading edge, such that when the strip is threaded through the printing system it is pulled from the leading edge; and
b. lateral formations provided along the edges of the strip, and adapted to be received in channels of the printing system so as to guide the strip and maintain it under lateral tension when driven by two drive members having respective laterally projecting grippers shaped for form-locking engagement with the lateral formations on the leading end,
wherein the two ends of the strip are formed with rebates for receiving a joining tape to form a seam, and are configured to be joined at a seam while maintaining the thickness of the intermediate transfer member uniform throughout the length of the seam.

2. The intermediate transfer member of claim 1 , wherein the leading edge is V-shaped.

3. The intermediate transfer member of claim 1 , wherein the leading edge is formed as part of a leader that is separably connected to one end of the strip.

4. The intermediate transfer member of claim 1 , operable to transport an ink image from an image forming station at which the ink image is deposited on the ITM, to an impression station where the ink image is transferred onto a printing substrate.

5. The intermediate transfer member of claim 1 , wherein the lateral formations have a greater thickness than that of the strip.

6. A method of forming an intermediate transfer member (ITM) for use in a printing system from an elongate strip having lateral formations provided along the edges thereof, the method comprising:
a. connecting a leading end of the strip to two grippers projecting laterally from respective drive members disposed within respective channels of the printing system, the grippers being shaped for form-locking engagement with the lateral formations;
b. rotating the drive members in synchronism with one another to thread the leading end of the strip through a plurality of stations of the printing system, such that the lateral formations are received in the channels so as to guide the strip and maintain it under lateral tension; and
c. joining the ends of the strip to one another to form an endless belt after the strip has been threaded through the printing system,
wherein:
i. the ends of the strip are rebated, and
ii. the joining comprises adhering a tape within the rebates in the ends of the strip to form a seam while maintaining the uniformity of the thickness of the intermediate transfer member.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein a leading edge of the strip is formed as part of a leader that is separably connected to one end of the strip.

8. The method of claim 7 , additionally comprising the step of separating the leader from the remainder of the strip before the joining.

9. The method of claim 6 , wherein a leading edge of the strip is V-shaped.

10. The method of claim 6 , wherein the lateral formations have a greater thickness than that of the strip.

Assignees

• Landa Corp Ltd

Inventors

• Shmaiser Aharon
• Moskovich Sagi
• Goldenstein Zohar
• Bar-On Matan
• Katzir Yiftach

Classifications

• B41J2/0057 Primary

  where an intermediate transfer member receives the ink before transferring it on the printing material · CPC title

• B41J15/048

  Conveyor belts or like feeding devices (B41J11/007 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B41J2002/012

  with intermediate transfer member · CPC title

• B65G17/323

  Grippers, e.g. suction or magnetic · CPC title

• G03G15/1615

  relating to the driving mechanism for the intermediate support, e.g. gears, couplings, belt tensioning · CPC title