Abstract: A system for transporting media in a printer is provided having a media roller rotatably mounted to the printer housing, a motor, a drive belt looped about the motor drive shaft and the roller so as to impart the motor rotational driving force to the roller, a tensioning member pivotally mounted to the housing for contacting and thereby tensioning the drive belt about the motor drive shaft and roller, a brace member mounted to the housing about a slotted arm of the tensioning member, and a locking screw fixed to the housing through the brace member and slotted arm. The pivoted position of the tensioning member relative determines the tension imparted on the drive belt. The locking screw locks the pivoted position and the brace member is fixedly mounted so that rotation of the locking screw is not imparted to the slotted arm during fixing of the locking screw.

Abstract: A drive belt tensioning apparatus for a printer is provided having a tensioning member pivotally mounted to the printer housing so as to contact and thereby tension a drive belt about a drive shaft of a motor and a roller so as to impart rotational driving force of the motor to the roller for transporting media through the printer, a brace member mounted to the housing about a slotted arm of the tensioning member, and a locking screw fixed to the housing through the brace member and slotted arm. The pivoted position of the tensioning member relative to the housing determines the amount of tension imparted on the drive belt. The locking screw locks the pivoted position of the tensioning member. The brace member is fixedly mounted to the housing so that rotation of the locking screw is not imparted to the slotted arm during fixing of the locking screw.

Abstract: A system for transporting media in a printer is provided having a media roller rotatably mounted to the printer housing, a motor, a drive belt looped about the motor drive shaft and the roller so as to impart the motor rotational driving force to the roller, a tensioning member pivotally mounted to the housing for contacting and thereby tensioning the drive belt about the motor drive shaft and roller, a brace member mounted to the housing about a slotted arm of the tensioning member, and a locking screw fixed to the housing through the brace member and slotted arm. The pivoted position of the tensioning member relative determines the tension imparted on the drive belt. The locking screw locks the pivoted position and the brace member is fixedly mounted so that rotation of the locking screw is not imparted to the slotted arm during fixing of the locking screw.

Abstract: The invention is a rapid prototype apparatus having a removable build chamber and a plurality of alignments surfaces that can be used to properly align the build chamber with the process chamber with minimal adjustments by a user. In one embodiment, the apparatus comprises a process chamber attached to a support housing and a build chamber that is removably attached to the support housing. The build chamber may be inserted into the support housing and is moveable between a load position and a build position. The build chamber includes a moveable build platform and a plurality of alignment surfaces that are each adapted to releasably engage a corresponding surface on the support housing. As the build chamber moves into the build position, the alignment surfaces align the build platform the process chamber. As a result, the apparatus may be used to accurately align the build chamber with the process chamber.