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:
Mar. 23, 1999
Filed:
Nov. 29, 1996
Kazumasa Ishikawa, Kawasaki, JP;
Akihiro Fujita, Isehara, JP;
Ricoh Company, Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
An image forming apparatus which uses rolled paper pulls the paper around a decurling roller in order to straighten the paper to allow the paper to remain flat. One or more torque limiting devices which provides a constant angular force against the unrolling of the paper is utilized to provide a force which straightens out or decurls the rolled paper which increases as the radius of the roll of paper decreases. The torque limiting device can be implemented using a spring which grips a rotating cylindrical surface as the surface rotates, a viscous-elastic fluid which provides a resistance against rotation, frictional surfaces, or magnets. The torque limiting device may also be implemented using two springs which provide different resistance against rotation in order to provide different rotational resistance, depending on the direction the roll of paper is rotating.