The Mead Corporation

Jack Beery

Ronald J Duke

Matthew Mark Mikolajczak

Erik K Nelson

John J Shelton

David A Boyer

Charles W Joiner, Jr

John E Jamison

David S Brookstein

Cassette for a photosensitive media

The present invention provides a method of registering to an imaging web moving within an imaging web handling apparatus along an imaging web path. The imaging web comprises a support having a coating of photosensitive microcapsules on the surface thereof. The photosensitive microcapsules have an internal phase of a photosensitive composition and a color former. Exposure of the imaging web to actinic radiation defines an image area and a border area. A registration mark is formed on the web by exposing a portion of the web area to actinic radiation so that the portion undergoes a color or reflection change, or exposing all but a portion of the border area to actinic radiation so that the exposed area undergoes a color or reflection change. The registration mark is detected and in response to detection of the registration mark, an operation is performed on the imaging web.

System for registering to a moving web

A glosser, and method of glossing, includes a belt-type glosser in which resin-coated web or sheet material is pressed or molded against a casting surface of the belt under heat and pressure, and is thereafter removed. A matte surface is provided by forming a non-locking grooved pattern on the casting surface of the belt in the form of a diffraction grating. The grating configuration is formed with a series of lands, separated by grooves or depressions, in which the side walls of the depressions are tapered to provide a valley narrower at the bottom than at the top adjacent the land surfaces so as to be free of resin-trapping overhanging projections or portions. The spacing between the grooves may be randomized.

Method and apapratus for forming a matte finish on resin-coated webs or

A sheet-feed mechanism for feeding paper or the like from a stack of paper sheets in a tray in which the sheets have a soft or pressure-sensitive coating, includes a sheet-engaging apparatus which distributes the load over a substantial area of the sheet, in order to control the pressure on the sheet. Simultaneously, the apparatus is moved in a direction to cause buckling of the exposed or first sheet, for separation from the stack and subsequent removal. Two embodiments are disclosed. One embodiment employs a pair of feed wheels and another embodiment employs a sheet-engaging flat pad. The wide feed wheels or the pad are caused to be moved, following engagement with the exposed sheet, in a direction generally parallel to the plane of the sheet, for causing the separation of the sheet. In this manner, the loading imprint is not confined to a specific area, with respect to the underlying sheets, thereby preventing pressure marking or scuffing of the sheet immediately under the first sheet removed by the feed mechanism.

Sheet feeders for soft coated sheet material

A cartirdge or cassette for containing light-sensitive web material for application to utilization apparatus is provided with mechanical encoding on one of the cartridge end caps, in the form of a series of protrusions and/or recesses. The protrusions or recesses are formed by injection molding in one of the exposed walls of the end cap and provide a binary code which, in cooperation with utilization apparatus, prevents the improper insertion and utilization of the cartridge. The code positions are formed during set-up of the mold in which the end cap is formed by injection molding by the selection of cooperation pairs of mold pins in recesses provided in the mold halves, to form either a recess or a protrusion in the form of a pin in each of four possible code positions. The protrusions have closed ends and are hollow, so that the breaking off of a protrusion by attempted improper utilization permits light to enter the interior of the cartridge through the protrusion and end cap.

Encoded cartridge

A cartridge or cassette for light and pressure sensitive web-type media material includes a generally rectangular housing board received between a pair of identical housing ends, to retain a spool of such media material therein. The housing is formed with an exit opening in a front wall defined by an inwardly-extending flap parallel to the top forming a light-trap passage. Media material from the spool is guided through the light-trap passage with the outer pressure sensitive surface in non-contacting relation to the housing. The spool is formed with a central core which has an outer cylindrical surface free of discontinuities or irregularities. A pair of end flanges are received on the core having radial surfaces in close relation to the convolutions of the web. The housing ends are formed with annular inwardly-extending rings which terminate in close running relation to the adjacent outside surface of a spool end flange to support the media material and to prevent telescoping in the event the cartridge or cassette is mishandled or dropped.

Cartridge for web-type media material

Apparatus for controlling tension in a movable web includes a frame supporting a web supply roll, and a torque motor connected to the supply roll. The web is supported along a web path. Web position is measured by a dancer roll biased against the web. A signal representative of the web position is generated and supplied to a control system, which receives the position signal and generates in response a torque signal representative of a torque value to be applied to the roll to cause the actual web position to equal a nominal position. The control system is connected to the torque motor to control the motor in accordance with the torque signal.

Apparatus and method for controlling tension in a movable web

A cartridge or cassette for light and pressure sensitive web-type media material includes a generally rectangular housing board received between a pair of identical housing ends, to retain a spool of such media material therein. The housing is formed with an exit opening in a front wall defined by an inwardly-extending flap parallel to the top forming a light-trap passage. Media material from the spool is guided through the light-trap passage with the outer pressure sensitive surface in noncontacting relation to the housing. The spool is formed with a central core which has an outer cylindrical surface free of discontinuities or irregularities. A pair of end flanges are received on the core having radial surfaces in close relation to the convolutions of the web. The housing ends are formed with annular inwardly-extending rings which terminate in close running relation to the adjacent outside surface of a spool end flange to support the media material and to prevent telescoping in the event the cartridge or cassette is mishandled or dropped.

A sheet feed mechanism for feeding single sheets from a stack of sheets in a feed tray is adapted to feed such sheets, even though the sheets may be bowed, curved, or wavy in a direction transverse to the process or feed direction. The mechanism includes a pad support body. A plurality of individual sheet-engaging pressure pads are mounted on a lower surface of the body by connecting webs. The connecting webs have a fore and aft axis in the process direction and bend to permit the individual pads to move in the transverse direction so that the lower friction surface of the pad will conform to the non-planar or curved surface of the sheet to be fed from the stack of sheets.

Sheet feeder with articulated feed pads

Roll-type presses or pressure developers include a pressure roll in which one of the load bearing and transmitting materials is a carbon fiber and epoxy composite. The pressure roll has an outer metal tubular sleeve which is filled or substantially filled with a composite material. In one form, an axially central loading shaft is employed and is bonded to the composite material. The material may be tapered from a central loading region on the shaft and outwardly toward the open ends of the sleeve. In another embodiment, the composite material itself forms the support shaft for the roll.

Pressure developer or press having a pressure roll containing composite

A method and corresponding apparatus for identifying a series of lengths along a moving web are disclosed, especially for use in registering sheets with the web. The method is used with a device operating on the web including an element rotating synchronously with advance of the web. The method includes generating a data signal in response to rotation of the element, the signal including a series of pulses, with each pulse corresponding to an increment of rotation. A first of the lengths is converted to a first real number of increments, which number is adjusted to a first integer number of increments. The error is retained. A first length is then identified as corresponding to the first integer number of increments within the data signal. A second length is then converted to a second real number of increments. This value is adjusted to an integer number, and the cumulative error is used to correct the value if necessary. The second length is identified along the web as corresponding to the second integer number of increments within the data signal.

Sheet feeder synchronization system having error correction means

The spool of a cartridge or cassette of web material is locked against rotation during shipping and handling by a 'one-shot' locking member which has a fixed portion and a movable portion joined along a bendable connection. The movable portion is in engagement with the spool while the movable portion is mounted on the body of the cartridge. The locking member is released by bending the movable portion about the connection and stressing the material of the connection beyond its elastic limit. In one embodiment the locking member has a sector gear portion on its movable end normally engaged with a bull gear on the spool. In a second embodiment, the leaf-like locking member has a partially cut-out fixed portion intermediate its ends, joined to the member by a bendable hinge, and has ratchet teeth which engage ratchet teeth on the spool, permitting the spool to be rotated in only one direction while the locking member is engaged. A protuberance on the locking member extends into a pin access opening as a light seal and as a push surface for an operating pin. A frangible connection secures the movable portion in place and is broken during release and requires a higher intial force to disengage the locking member from its locking position than that required to bend the locking member about the hinge.

Movable cartridge lock

A three-roll press for a web including a pair of pressing rolls forming a nip and a pressure roll bearing on one of the pressing rolls in which the deflection curve of one of the pressing rolls is matched to that of the other pressing roll by the application of a biasing force to the one pressing roll urging its end toward the pressure roll by an amount which is proportional to the internal moment in the one pressing roll at locations corresponding to the edges of a web in the nip therebetween. A compensating spring is employed to urge the one pressing roll toward the pressure roll. The pressing roll may be a crowned roll or a skewed roll.

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Centerville, OH, United States of America

Jack Beery