Adjustable interlacing of drying rollers in a print system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9605900-B2
Application number	US-201514693020-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 22, 2015
Priority date	Apr 22, 2015
Publication date	Mar 28, 2017
Grant date	Mar 28, 2017

Abstract

Systems and methods for adjustable interlacing of drying rollers in a print system. One system is an apparatus that includes first rollers that conduct heat from a heat source, and dry a web of print media as the web travels over a front side of the first rollers in a first direction. A last roller of the first rollers turns the web in a second direction. The apparatus also includes second rollers disposed a distance above the first rollers and that transport the web in the second direction. The apparatus further includes a movement mechanism that reduces the distance between the second rollers and the first rollers to cause the second rollers to occupy spaces between the first rollers so that the web traveling in the second direction contacts a back side of the first rollers to further dry the web.

First claim

We claim:

1. An apparatus comprising:
first rollers, at least one of which is configured to conduct heat from a heat source, and to dry a web of print media as the web travels over a front side of the first rollers in a first direction, wherein a last roller of the first rollers turns the web in a second direction;
second rollers disposed a distance above the first rollers and configured to transport the web in the second direction; and
a movement mechanism configured to reduce the distance between the second rollers and the first rollers to cause the second rollers to occupy spaces between the first rollers so that the web traveling in the second direction contacts a back side of the first rollers to further dry the web.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein:
the first direction and the second direction of the web are substantially opposite in direction.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein:
when the second rollers are disposed at the distance above the first rollers, the web travelling in the second direction does not contact the back side of the first rollers.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein:
an unmarked side of the web contacts the front side of the first rollers as the web travels in the first direction.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein:
when the second rollers occupy spaces between the first rollers, the unmarked side of the web contacts the back side of the first rollers as the web travels in the second direction.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein:
a marked side of the web contacts the second rollers as the web travels in the second direction.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein:
the first rollers are positioned in a semi-circular configuration so that the web travels in an arch that follows a semi-circular path in the first direction; and
the second rollers are positioned in a semi-circular configuration above the first rollers.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein:
the first rollers are positioned in a spiral configuration so that the web travels in an arch that follows a spiral path in the first direction; and
the second rollers are positioned in a spiral configuration inside the spiral configuration of the first rollers.

9. A system comprising:
a dryer of a print system comprising:
first rollers configured to transport a web of print media along a first path, wherein at least one of the first rollers is configured to heat the web to dry ink applied on the web;

second rollers configured to transport the web of print media along a second path above the first path; and
a controller configured to direct a movement mechanism to adjust the second rollers with respect to the first rollers in a direction perpendicular to a traveling direction of the web.

10. The system of claim 9 further comprising:
a graphical user interface configured to receive an instruction from an operator of the print system.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein:
the controller is configured to direct the movement mechanism to increase an amount of interlacing between the first rollers and the second rollers when the instruction indicates to increase heat applied to the web.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein:
when the first rollers and the second rollers are interlacing, the second rollers are disposed in spaces between the first rollers and the web contacts the first rollers again as it travels along the second path.

13. The system of claim 10 wherein:
the controller is configured to direct the movement mechanism to decrease an amount of interlacing between the first rollers and the second rollers when the instruction indicates to decrease heat applied to the web.

14. The system of claim 9 wherein:
the controller is configured to direct the movement mechanism to move the first rollers and the second rollers to a non-interlacing position when the instruction indicates that transportation of the web is to halt.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein:
when the first rollers and the second rollers are in the non-interlacing position, the second rollers do not occupy spaces between the first rollers and the web does not contact the first rollers as it travels along the second path.

16. The system of claim 9 wherein:
the first path comprises a semi-circular pattern.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein:
the second path comprises a semi-circular pattern above the first path.

18. The system of claim 9 wherein:
the first path comprises a spiral pattern.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein:
the second path comprises a spiral pattern inside the first path.

20. A system comprising:
a thermally conductive roller configured to turn a direction of a web, and to heat ink applied to the web via a heated surface;
a transportation roller disposed near the thermally conductive roller, the transportation roller configured to move in a direction perpendicular to a travel direction of the web between a first position near the thermally conductive roller and a second position away from the thermally conductive roller; and
a movement mechanism coupled to the transportation roller and configured to move the transportation roller to the first position to increase an amount of heated contact between the web and the thermally conductive roller, and to move the transportation roller to the second position to decrease the amount of heated contact between the web and the thermally conductive roller.

Assignees

• Hazard Alyne
• Ricoh Co Ltd

Inventors

• Boland Stuart J
• Fernando Dilan Nirushan
• Johnson Scott R
• Walker Casey E

Classifications

• F26B13/14 Primary

  Rollers, {drums, cylinders}(sorbent surfaces F26B13/26); {Arrangement of drives, supports, bearings, cleaning} · CPC title

• B41J11/002

  Curing or drying the ink on the copy materials, e.g. by heating or irradiating · CPC title

• B41J11/0024

  using conduction means, e.g. by using a heated platen · CPC title

• B41J11/00242

  Controlling the temperature of the conduction means · CPC title

• B41J11/00216

  using infrared [IR] radiation or microwaves · CPC title