Velocity compensation for bead bypass with speed reduction

Abstract

A system employing at least one separation roller continuously contacting the outside surface of a web and tracked to move in a fixed approximately elliptical path, for compensating for web motion during separation of the web from another surface to enable a bead of accumulated material built up at the line of contact between the web and the other surface to pass therebetween without changing the web velocity. During the separation period, the advancing velocity of at least one surface is reduced so that at least one surface is advanced at a slower rate than its rate prior to separation, or stopped. In a preferred embodiment, the system is employed in photoelectrophoretic imaging to bypass a bead of imaging suspension built up at the imaging nip during separation of two webs immediately after completion of imaging to thereby permit dissipation or passage of the liquid bead without changing the advancing web velocity by reason of the separation operation. During the separation period, the surface, preferably a web, which does not carry the desired image, is advanced at a slower rate than its prior rate and slower than the other surface, or stopped.