Apparatus for threading an intermediate transfer member of a printing system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10703094-B2
Application number	US-201916542362-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 16, 2019
Priority date	Apr 14, 2015
Publication date	Jul 7, 2020
Grant date	Jul 7, 2020

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. A kit for use in a printing system, the kit comprising:
a. an intermediate transfer member (ITM) having leading and trailing ends and
b. a separable leader that is releasably attachable to the leading end of the ITM to longitudinally extend from the ITM at the leading end thereof, wherein:
i. the ITM comprises an endless belt formed by threading an elongate strip through the printing system, the elongate strip comprising ITM-disposed lateral-formations provided along the edges of the strip and adapted to be engaged to guide channels of the printing system so as to guide the strip through the guide channels; and
ii. the separable leader has leader-disposed lateral-formations disposed on opposite lateral sides of the leader; and
iii. the separable leader is configured to thread the ITM through the guide channels when attached to the leading edge of the ITM, and is releasable from the ITM leading edge after threading and while the ITM-disposed lateral formations remain engaged to the guide channels.

2. The kit of claim 1 wherein the formations of the leader-disposed lateral-formations have the form of zipper teeth.

3. The kit of claim 2 wherein the formations of the ITM-disposed lateral-formations have the form of zipper teeth.

4. The kit of claim 1 wherein the leading edge of the ITM is straight and oriented in the lateral direction and wherein the separable leader is V-shaped on its leading end.

5. The kit of claim 4 wherein a trailing end of the separable leader is straight and oriented in the lateral direction.

6. The kit of claim 1 wherein both a trailing end of the separable leader and the leading end of the elongate strip are straight and oriented in the lateral direction.

7. The kit of claim 1 wherein leader and the ITM are constructed of different materials.

8. The kit of claim 1 wherein the leader and the ITM are respectively constructed of first and second materials, the first material having a greater resilience than the second material.

9. The kit of claim 1 , wherein ends of the elongate strip at the leading and trailing edges of the ITM are rebated.

10. The kit of claim 1 , wherein the elongate strip at the leading and trailing edges of the ITM 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.

11. An installation method for a printing system comprising guide channels, the method comprising:
a. releasably attaching a separable leader to the leading edge of an intermediate transfer member (ITM) to longitudinally extend therefrom, the separable leader having leader-disposed lateral formations on opposite lateral sides of the leader, the ITM comprising an elongate strip and ITM-disposed lateral formations provided along the edges of the strip and adapted to be engaged to the guide channels of the printing system so as to guide the strip therethrough;
b. using the attached separable leader to pull the endless strip of the ITM from its leading end so as to thread the ITM through the guide channels of the printing system; and
c. while the ITM-disposed lateral formations remain engaged to the guide channels, releasing the separable leader from the ITM.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the printing system further comprises two endless drive members, each located within a respective one of the channels, the two drive members being connected for movement in synchronism with one another and each having a respective laterally projecting gripper shaped for form locking engagement with the leader-disposal lateral formations of the separable leader.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the threading is performed by rotation of the drive members so as to thread the strip through the printing system by pulling attached separable leader.

14. The method of claim 11 further comprising: after releasing the leader from the remainder of the strip, joining the end of the elongate strip to each other to form an endless belt therefrom.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein the ends of the strip are rebated and wherein, after releasing the leader from the remainder of the strip, the ends of the strip are joined to one another by 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.

16. The method of claim 11 wherein the formations of the leader-disposed lateral-formations have the form of zipper teeth.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the formations of the ITM-disposed lateral-formations have the form of zipper teeth.

18. The method of claim 11 wherein the leading edge of the ITM is straight and oriented in the lateral direction and wherein the separable leader is V-shaped on its leading end.

19. The method of claim 11 wherein both a trailing end of the separable leader and the leading end of the elongate strip are straight and oriented in the lateral direction.

20. The method of claim 11 wherein the leader and the ITM are respectively constructed of first and second materials, the first material having a greater resilience than the second material.

Assignees

• Landa Corp Ltd

Inventors

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

Classifications

• B29L2031/767

  Printing equipment or accessories therefor · CPC title

• B29L2031/709

  Articles shaped in a closed loop, e.g. conveyor belts · CPC title

• B29C66/855

  Belt splicing machines · CPC title

• B29C66/4324

  for making closed loops, e.g. belts · CPC title

• B29C66/4322

  by joining a single sheet to itself (B29C66/4332 takes precedence) · CPC title