Spindle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016297637-A1
Application number	US-201615185607-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 17, 2016
Priority date	Jan 13, 2011
Publication date	Oct 13, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

In one embodiment, a roll spindle comprises two roll supports and a differential.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . Roll spindle, comprising
an axis of rotation, two roll supports extending along the axis of rotation, and a differential arranged to distribute a torque to each of the supports, wherein an outer dimension of the differential is equal to or less than an outer dimension of the supports so that a roll can slide over the differential.

2 . Roll spindle according to claim 1 , wherein the differential s arranged in a middle portion of the roll spindle between the two roll supports.

3 . Roll spindle according to claim 1 , wherein the two roll supports are sized to allow one single roll to be slipped onto the spindle from either end, with the single roll then being supported with a first part of the single roll on a first of the roll supports and a second part of the single roll on a second of the roll supports.

4 . Roll spindle according to claim 1 , comprising a drive transmission for transmitting a drive movement from an external drive to the differential, the drive transmission comprising a transmission shaft extending within one of the supports, from an end portion of the spindle to the differential and connected to an input of the differential.

5 . Roll spindle according to claim 1 , comprising a blocking arrangement arranged to block the supports from rotating with respect to each other so that both have equal rotational speed when the spindle is rotated by an external drive.

6 . Roll spindle according to claim 5 , comprising a drive transmission for transmitting a drive movement from an external drive to the differential, wherein the blocking arrangement is arranged to block at least one of said roll supports from rotating with respect to the drive transmission.

7 . Roll spindle according to claim 5 , wherein the blocking arrangement extends near an end portion of the spindle.

8 . Roll spindle according to claim 1 , wherein the differential comprises a ball differential.

9 . Roll spindle according to claim 1 , arranged to support large format printing media rolls.

10 . Large format printer, comprising a roll spindle according to claim 1 .

11 . A method of processing rolls, comprising
in a first action, mounting multiple rolls onto a spindle having multiple supports, so that each roll is supported by a respective one of the supports, and using a differential to simultaneously drive the supports so that each support has an equal torque.

12 . The method according to claim 11 , comprising sliding at least one of said rolls over the differential.

13 . The method according to claim 11 , comprising, in a second action, removing the multiple rolls and mounting a single roll, a portion of which is supported on each of the multiple supports, and blocking one of the supports from rotation with respect to the other support.

Assignees

• Hewlett Packard Development Co Lp

Inventors

• Castells De Monet Raimon
• Alvarez Tapia Jose Antonio
• Claramunt Morera David

Classifications

• B65H16/021

  Multiple web roll supports · CPC title

• F16H13/08

  with balls or with rollers acting in a similar manner · CPC title

• B65H2403/483

  Differential gearing · CPC title

• B65H16/06 Primary

  both-ends type · CPC title

• B65H75/30

  Arrangements to facilitate driving or braking · CPC title