The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 26, 1981
Filed:
Jul. 27, 1979
Charles W Wright, Los Angeles, CA (US);
Scentex Corporation, Los Angeles, CA (US);
Abstract
A lost-motion drive mechanism is provided which is particularly, although not exclusively, adapted for use as a high speed transport for an X-ray film, or the like, in an X-ray camera. The drive mechanism includes an input shaft for coupling a drive motor to the drive shaft of the transport. Actuators are interposed between the input shaft and the drive shaft. As the input shaft is driven through one complete revolution (360.degree.) by the drive motor, the actuators cause the drive shaft to turn with an angular velocity which rises gradually from zero to a maximum for the first 180.degree. of rotation of the input shaft, and then with an angular velocity which decreases gradually from a maximum to zero for the next 180.degree. of rotation of the input shaft. The assembly of the invention overcomes inertia problems which are encountered, for example, in X-ray cameras when relatively large X-ray films (105 mm, for example) are used; and for providing a high speed transport for such films (for example, 44 milliseconds from one frame to another), without any danger of shock or breakage to the film or to the drive elements of the transports. The lost motion is achieved by two actuators which rotate about intersecting orbits on a 1:1 ratio. A unique self-tightening clutch is provided which is controlled to permit one rotation of the drive shaft each time the mechanism is activated.