Abstract: A decurler apparatus in a machine changes sheet bending direction away from image (AI) to toward image (TI) direction by use of tandem gates and bending baffles to direct copy papers to different decurling paths to reduce copy curl. A controller automatically determines the optimum decurling path for an individual copy paper according to sensor inputs derived from the paper basis weight, color layers, image area coverage and relative humidity. An operator control feature is included that allows operators to reduce output curl of out-of-specification papers through push-buttons on a machine control panel.

Abstract: An apparatus for adaptive sheet decurling in an electrophotographic printing machine. A plurality of sensors are provided to determine the basis weight of the copy sheet, the density of the image being transferred to the copy sheet and fused thereon, the relative humidity of the machine environment, the process speed of the print engine, and any other relevant parameters. Signals indicative of these parameters are generated and sent to the machine controller which processes these signals and predicts the degree and direction of curl expected in a sheet. Based on the degree of and direction of curl, a bidirectional variable penetration decurler is actuated to a setting which should provide the proper amount of mechanical decurling force.

Abstract: A ribbon curling device to facilitate the curling of a length of decorative ribbon such as gift wrapping ribbon includes a housing for storing the ribbon, a curling edge associated with an exit aperture in a wall of the housing, and a guide spaced from the curling edge to guide the ribbon to the curling edge and determine the approach angle of the ribbon to the curling edge to facilitate the curling of the ribbon as it is drawn along the curling edge. The guide is further provided with an integral drag surface for imparting a frictional drag on a portion of the ribbon as it is drawn along the guide. The ribbon curling device includes several alternative mechanisms for varying the approach angle of the ribbon to the curling edge to thereby vary the amount of curl to the ribbon, including a variable length guide edge, a ribbon guide movable with respect to the curling edge, and a rotatable guide cam having a number of guide faces.

Abstract: A decurling apparatus and method to decurl a substrate in a xerography machine. The invention combines a decurling apparatus having a penetration roller with a small diameter penetrating into a belt. The penetration roller is adjustable and as it pushes into the belt, more decurling of a copy sheet will occur. A controller determines the amount of decurling that is necessary and sends an electrical signal to a driver which operates the penetration roller. The penetration roller is either pressed into or away from the decurling belt. A cam shaft is turned by a motor to cause the cams to move the penetration roller. Although the controller stores the information on the cam location, a home sensor is required to indicate home position. The cam shaft is returned to home position before adjusting the penetration roller to a new level of decurling.

Abstract: A system for decurling a sheet which is being advanced in a predetermined path within a printing machine includes a mechanism for generating a flow of room ambient air. The decurling system further includes a mechanism for directing the flow of room ambient air onto the sheet. Moreover, the decurling system includes a decurler adapted to apply mechanical force to the sheet after the flow of room ambient air has been directed onto the sheet by the directing mechanism. Finally, a mechanism is included for rotating the sheet to advance the sheet to the decurler in a direction substantially perpendicular to the direction of the predetermined path.

Abstract: A support roller disposed on a side of a case main body of a facsimile apparatus is supported by a pair of right and left end holding members with associated coil springs for urging the support roller upward in an elevatable and oscillatable manner. A nose portion of a curl eliminating plate fixed to the lower surface of an upper cover member, which may be opened and closed, is disposed close to the circumferential surface of the support roller when the upper cover member is closed. When the upper cover member is closed, the support roller is inhibited from moving in either direction with respect to a feed path by restricting members projected downward from the upper cover member. The combination of the support roller and the nose portion of a curl eliminating plate define an S-shaped path through which the paper is fed to eliminate curl.

Abstract: Lower, arced decurling guide (1) is pivoted on pin (3) and biased upward by spring (7). Upper stop (11) prevents the lower guide from moving closer to upper decurling roller (15). Paper (9) is guided between these upper and lower guides and the lower guide is moved outward in proportion to the rigidity of the paper being decurled. This automatic adjustment provides good decurling for all papers within a broad range of rigidity.

Abstract: A device incorporated in a facsimile transceiver or similar recording apparatus of the type using a roll of paper for removing the curl of the paper. The device has a regular transport path, an uncurl transport path, and a separator fixed in place at a position where the two transport paths branch off. The separator steers the paper to either of the two transport paths on the basis of the height of a curl existing at the leading edge of the paper. The separator has a generally triangular configuration which has an apex at the center in the widthwise direction perpendicular to an intended direction of paper transport and inclines from the apex toward opposite ends. As a result, the paper is admitted into the regular transport path or the uncurl transport path little by little from part of the leading edge thereof.

Abstract: The invention relates to a sheet curl control apparatus including a decurler (350) for reducing the curl in sheet material passing therethrough and adjusting means coupled to the decurler (350) for adjusting the decurling action of the decurler (350). Sensing means (406) in the form of an infra-red emitter (408) and two infra-red detectors (410 and 412) are employed for sensing the extent of any residual curl left in the sheet material after it has passed through the decurler (350), and for feeding a signal indicative of the residual curl to control means, conveniently including a stepper motor, for automatically adjusting the adjusting means, for example a rack and pinion arrangement, thereby to alter the decurling action of the decurler (350) in a predetermined manner. The sheet curl control apparatus is described in relation to its use in a copier for duplex copying.

Abstract: A strip of paperboard material having a thickness of 170 to 600 .mu.m and a multiplicity of fold lines formed widthwise thereof at a predetermined spacing and U-shaped in cross section is caused to travel as reeved around two prefolding rolls, 5 to 30 mm in diameter, from different directions at a contact angle of 40 to 270 degrees to bring the projecting side of the fold lines into contact with the peripheral suface of one of the rolls and the indented side of the fold lines with the peripheral surface of the other roll. This method imparts increased foldability to the fold lines.

Abstract: A fixing apparatus for use in an electrophotographic copying machine for fixing a toner image on the surface of a recording paper. The fixing apparatus is provided with a fixing means to fix the toner image on a recording paper, ejecting means to eject the recording paper after the fixation of the toner image and a correcting roller located along the ejecting path of the recording paper to correct a curl of the recording paper induced during the fixing process by bending the recording paper in an opposite curvature of the curl.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing silver halide photographic light-sensitive material with little habitual curling is disclosed. The material, after being coated with a silver halide emulsion layer and antistatic layer on the polyester support, is rolled around a core with its emulsion side facing outside, and then heated at the temperature not less than 30.degree. C. After the heat-treatment, the material is cut and re-rolled on a commercial size core with its emulsion side facing inside.

Abstract: A sheet discharging apparatus having a curl generating device wherein a curl is generated in a sheet while the sheet is passing through the curl generating device, and a first guide disposed downstream of the curl generating device and switchingly movable between a first position where the sheet is directed toward a curved sheet path and a second position where the sheet is directed toward a direction the same as a sheet feeding direction from the curl generating device. The apparatus further has a sheet discharge guide disposed between the curl generating device and the first guide and switchingly movable in synchronism with the switching movement of the first guide to change its posture, between a position where the sheet discharged from the curl generating device is curled reversely and a position where the sheet discharged from the curl generating device is not further curled.

Abstract: In an electrophotographic image recording apparatus, a bending correction mechanism is provided for correcting a bending direction of a recording sheet such as fan-fold paper which is fed therethrough. In the mechanism, a pressure roller is provided and is arranged on the upstream side of the feed path of the recording sheet with respect to a photoconductive drum of the apparatus, and on the photoconductive drum side with respect to the feed path of the recording sheet. A guide member arranged opposite to the pressure roller with respect to the feed path of the recording sheet is also provided. The recording sheet is nipped between the pressure roller and the guide member, and the recording sheet is caused to contact the circumferential surface of the pressure roller member by a predetermined amount.

Abstract: An idler roller assembly that prevents jams and image deletion in copier/printers by removing any corrugation in sheets before they reach sharp turns includes a shaft onto which idler rollers are mounted with the shaft having a bend in the middle in order to provide a "toe out" condition to steer out any existing sheet corrugation. An alignment member is attachable to the shaft in order to prevent mis-installation of the shaft in its mounting support.

Abstract: A sheet conveying device includes a fixing unit for fixing an image formed on a sheet by heating the sheet, a conveying path for guiding the sheet fixed by the fixing unit while bending the sheet, and a cooling device for selectively cooling the sheet guided along the conveying path.

Abstract: An apparatus in which sheet material is decurled. The apparatus includes a rod deflecting a belt to define a nip therebetween. The belt is entrained about a part of spaced rollers. A pair of baffle plates are located at the entrance to the nip and at the exit to the nip. The rod is adapted to translate in a vertical direction. As the rod translates, the degree of deflection is varied and the bend of the sheet adjusted. The baffle plates at both the exit and entrance regions to the nip pivot in unison with the translation of the pivot rod so as to adjust the orientation of the sheet entering and leaving the nip.

Abstract: An apparatus for decurling a sheet is disclosed. The apparatus includes a decurler shaft and a first belt positionable to contact an arcuate portion of the decurler shaft. The apparatus further includes a second belt positionable to cantact the first belt and to bend around the arcuate portion of the decurler shaft. Moreover, the apparatus includes a mechanism for advancing the sheet between the first belt and the second belt so as to bend the sheet around the arcuate portion of the decurler shaft.

Abstract: In a single-sheet page printer for both-sided printing of recording media, a flattening device is provided for flattening the curled recording media resulting from pressure and temperature influences in the print fixing station of the printer. The flattening device deforms the recording media in the plastic domain so that the recording media are again lent a smooth and flat form. To this end, the recording medium is pulled over an edge by paper conveyor rollers opposite a pressing power exerted by spring elements and is thereby pulled taut and aligned. When the flattening device is arranged immediately following the fixing station, then it is proposed that the pressure roller be set back in the direction of the recording medium delivery relative to the position of the fixing drum.

Abstract: An image is fixed to a sheet of paper, in an image reproducing machine in a fixing station (GF). This uses heat and pressure to fix the image. A pair of straightening rolls (24, 26) downstream of the fixing station apply tension to the sheets in the direction of advance and forward them in a direction which inclines by a predetermined angle of correction with respect to the direction (21) with which the sheets leave the fixing station. The straightening rolls form a nip (62) therebetween and this may extend around a portion of the periphery of one of the rolls such that sheets passing therethrough are bent in an opposite direction to their natural direction of curl.

Abstract: In an electrostatic printing machine, a paper curl correction apparatus can vary the amount of curl correction provided by rotating paper guide rollers around a shaft on which paper conveying rollers are provided. As a result, angle between the shaft and a circumference of the paper guide rollers can be varied.

Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus for reconveying copy paper sheets carrying an image to a transfer section by suction. Along the transport path to the apparatus is arranged a curl inducing mechanism that induces curls in the copy paper sheets, whereby the copy paper sheets with upwardly curled edges are loaded in the apparatus. With this arrangement, the copy paper sheets are surely separated by injecting air, thereby preventing multi-feeds.

Abstract: Curl removing bars are employed in prior art paper processing such as paper coating to remove the curl from paper stored on a supply or storage roll. The curl removing bar is usually aligned parallel to the axis of rotation of the supply or storage roll. The curl removing bar is subject to wear due to the friction of the paper sliding over the bar. The invention provides a curl removing bar assembly including a ceramic cover which rests upon or is fastened to a curl removing bar for preventing frictional wear of the curl removing bar. The ceramic cover contacts the sheet material to remove the curl.

Abstract: An apparatus for decurling an advancing sheet is disclosed. The apparatus includes a first belt and a second belt spaced apart from the first belt so as to define a space adapted to receive the advancing sheet. The apparatus further includes a roller positioned between the first belt and the second belt, the roller being in contact with the first belt in a first mode of operation so as to define a first nip and being in contact with the second belt in a second mode of operation so as to define a second nip.

Abstract: A device incorporated in an image recorder for removing the curl of a recording sheet being transported along a transport path. A rotatable elastic roller is disposed on the transport path at the inner side with respect to the curl of the recording sheet. A rotatable pressing member has a polygonal cross-section and has a plurality of curved portions each having a particular radius of curvature on the periphery thereof. The pressing member is located at the outer side with respect to the direction of curl. The center of rotation of the pressing member is parallel to the center of rotation of the elastic roller. A fixing device fixes the pressing member in a position where one of the curved portions presses against the periphery of the elastic roller.

Abstract: The apparatus for straightening sheet curls of the present invention is operating in the following processes 1 and 2 when splicing the sheets from the parent rolls:1 The wrap angle adjusting apparatus starts to return one of the main backup rolls and the decurler bar from the position corresponding to the small parent roll to the position corresponding to the large parent roll.2 The apparatus for suddenly changing the wrap angle causes the other of the main backup rolls and the decurler bar to retract from the standard position at which the sheet is pushed inwardly to a position at which the sheet is not pushed inwardly or moderately so as to suddenly change the wrap angle of the sheet substantially at the same timing as the start of return above described in process 1. During this operation, the sheet is guided by the secondary backup rolls, and the wrap angle of the sheet is set to a value appropriate to the diameter of the second parent roll having a large diameter.

Abstract: Disclosed is an image forming apparatus with an image forming device for forming an unfixed image on a recording material and; first and second rotatable members for forming a nip for conveying the recording material supporting the unfixed image. The second rotatable member has its maximum diameters between a longitudinal center and one longitudinal end and between the center and the other longitudinal end thereof.

Abstract: An apparatus in which sheet material is decurled. The apparatus includes a baffle type decurler in which a sheet moving therethrough chooses one of three paths and baffles, depending on the direction and amount of curl. Triangular shaped baffles prevent sheet stubbing and a decurling system reverse bends the sheets in two of the three paths.

Abstract: A web flattening system for holding a filmstrip (web) or filmstrip and paper carrier combination (web) against the aperture of a linear array scanner. The foregoing is accomplished by providing: a platen having at least two orifices over which the bottom surface of a web moves; a plate that is positioned above the top surface of the web and the platen so that the bottom surface of the web will be positioned in close proximity to the orifices; and means for supplying a high velocity gas stream to the orifices so that a pressure differential will exist between the top and bottom surfaces of the web; whereby the pressure differential will push the bottom surface of the web towards the orifices and a thin layer of gas will form between the bottom surface of the web and the platen.

Abstract: A apparatus for recurling, transporting, sorting and stacking individually fed sheets of paper received from devices such as printing or duplicating machinery. A recurler, comprising a plurality of recurleer belts, trained about a drive roller, a feed roller, and a forward roller, against which a recurler roller is urged, is provided for recurling all sheets entering the enclosure of the sorting apparatus. A conveyor belt assembly urges the sheets against the upper surfaces of a plurality of deflectors to convey the sheets through the enclosure. A lower surface of each deflector selectively deflects the sheets into designated receiving trays, or optionally allows the sheets to be expelled from the enclosure.

Abstract: An electrostatographic fusing apparatus includes a sheet decurling mechanism that has a curl indicating device and a pair of selectable sheet decurling nips formed by a set of hard rollers and a soft roller. The curl indicating device predicts the degree of toner particle laydown of a toned image on an image frame from the value of charge on such frame relative to a given standard charge value of charge. A copy sheet receiving toned images from an image frame having a charge value higher than such standard charge value is selectively deflected through a first decurling nip where the soft roller directly contacts the toned image side of such a copy sheet in order to induce therein a convex curl.

Abstract: A fixing device for use in copiers. First and second rotatable members are in contact with each other so as to form a nip region through which a substrate is transported to fix a toner image, supported thereon, by heat and pressure. The fixing device is so constructed that the position of the nip region between the rotatable members is angularly displaced in accordance with the amount of anticipated or actual curl of the substrate.

Abstract: A web decurler for selectively removing the different degrees of curl from a running web. The decurler includes first, second and third relatively large diameter, rotatable rollers and a fourth roller assembly having at least one relatively small diameter, rotatable roller. All of the rollers are disposed adjacent to the web path so that the running web may wrap about a portion of their outer peripheral surfaces. The positions of the first and second rollers remain fixed with respect to the decurler, while the third roller is spaced a fixed predetermined distance and may be moved about the central longitudinal axis of one of the first and second rollers. The fourth roller assembly is spaced from and is movable about a preselected axis that is spaced from the other rollers. A first member supports the fourth roller assembly for movement about the preselected axis.

Abstract: A device is disposed in the path of paper leaving a printing unit or processor such as an office copier, facsimile or non-impact printer and has an arcuate concave guide and a feed roll which causes the paper to pass between the guide and the feed roll to decurl the paper. The space between the guide and the roller is greater than the thickness of the paper and the paper is bent in the direction opposite to its curl as it passes through the arched space, while the beam strength of the paper and the change in direction of the paper maintain adequate drive friction on the paper. The feed roll is mounted for movement laterally of the direction of paper travel to cause it to be laterally displaced or offset.

Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus for straightening sheet curls in which a wrap angle .theta. is provided for a sheet wound off from a winding roll by applying a decurler bar to the sheet between two backup rolls, the apparatus comprising a wrap angle adjusting device for adjusting the wrap angle of the sheet by relatively displacing the backup rolls and the decurler bar, and a controller which serves to calculate an optimum wrap angle in accordance with changes in the diameter of the winding roll using the logical equation: .theta.=A/D.sup.q +B (wherein A, B, q are constants which are previously determined) from which the optimum wrap angle .theta. can be calculated for the diameter D of the winding roll, and to control the wrap angle adjusting device on the basis of the results of this calculation. In consequence, the present invention is able to realize automatization of straightening of curls with a simple configuration and in a rapid and highly precise manner.

Abstract: A print cutter suitable for use in an order finishing station or as a stand-alone unit includes a reel mount for accepting a reel of photographic prints formed in a continuous web. An automatic threader threads the leading end of the web through a loop guide into the first set of drive rollers. A leading end sensor senses the leading end of the web as it is automatically threaded through the loop guide to stop the threading process when the leading end of the web reaches the feed rollers. The same sensor is utilized to monitor the size of the loop of the print web present in the loop guide and to feed additional prints from the reel into the loop guide as required to maintain predetermined loop size. An accurate measure of print length is maintained by feeding the prints to the cutter using a roller pair including a nondeformable roller engaged with the undersurface of the prints and a deformable roller engaging the upper surface of the prints. The nondeformable roller is driven by a stepper motor.

Abstract: An apparatus for correcting curl of a belt-like magnetic recording medium made of a ferromagnetic thin film formed on a flexible substrate, in which the magnetic recording medium fed from a master roll thereof contacts a heating roller so that curl of the magnetic recording medium is corrected. The surface of the heating roller is covered with a material having thermal conductivity lower than that of a material forming the body of the heating roller.

Abstract: A curling prevention device of a thermal developing machine is provided at the outlet of a thermal developing and/or transfer step and thereafter with a correcting guide passage having a bend in the opposite direction to the direction of curling appearing in the step, the device being adapted to permit a thermal developing light-sensitive material to pass with a temperature of 50.degree. C. at least at the inlet portion of the correcting guide passage.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus having an intermediate guide device which is disposed at an intermediate portion between a transfer section and a fixing section for the purpose of guiding a transfer medium while imparting breadthwise tension thereto. This intermediate guide device prevents any wrinkle occurring in the transfer medium near the fixing section from being moved toward the transfer section. In addition, the toner on the transfer medium is prevented from being transferred onto upper-surface rollers of the guide device when the electric charge of the toner leaks to the rollers.

Abstract: To simplify a transverse stretching apparatus and provide rollers which do not require a change in the respective axes of rotation, two rollers are located adjacent, parallel, and spaced from each other, in which each of the rollers have outer cylindrical sections of respectively different diameters, with an intermediate essentially conical section, merging smoothly with the outer cylindrical section. The rollers are so located that the smaller diameter circumferential section of one of the rollers (4) is opposite the larger circumferential section of the other roller (5), and, when in essentially axial alignment, define a neutral position in which the sums of the diameters of the rollers at any axial plane passing transversely through the axes of rotation, will be the same. Upon relatively axially shifting the rollers with respect to each other (compare FIGS.

Abstract: A spreader bar shoe mounted on the spreader bar of a paper making machine to smooth the sheet or web of paper prior to it being wound onto the takeup reel at the end of the paper machine. The spreader shoe is in the form of an elongated base of plastic material mounted on the spreader bar with segmental inserts forming a wear resistant strip in the outer surface of the base for engagement by the paper sheet with the segmental inserts being secured in a recess by a resilient interface material in the form of silicone to permit limited relative movement between the brittle insert segments and the plastic base due to differences in thermal expansion of the dissimilar materials of the brittle ceramic inserts and the plastic base.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus wherein an unfixed image is formed on a recording material at an unfixed image forming station, such as an image transfer station or a station for developing an electrostatic latent image. The unfixed image is fixed by a fixing device including a couple of fixing rollers, one of which is substantially frustoconical. The present invention is effective to avoid the possible disturbance to the image caused by the frustoconical shape of the roller. The preferable arrangement is such that the distance between the image forming station and the nip formed between the rollers is shorter than the length of the recording material, and that the nip is non-parallel with respect to the leading edge of the on-coming recording material. Further, the small diameter side of the conical roller receives the leading edge of the sheet earlier than the large diameter side of the frustoconical roller.

Abstract: An image forming or recording apparatus provided with an image fixing device of a heating type, which may cause curl of the recording material when the recording material is discharged from the fixing means. The causes of the curling are investigated, and a device is provided which can effectively correct or remove the curl of the recording material with a very simple structure. The device includes a passage for applying water vapor to the recording material, immediately after it is discharged from the fixing device. As a supply of the vapor, the moisture contained in the recording material is utilized.

Abstract: A sheet curl control apparatus that includes a pair of coacting rolls and a baffle extending across the path of a sheet exiting the nip between the rolls so as to deflect it about one of the rolls.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for flattening curled ones of a plurality of moving paper sheets subsequent to the printing and at least partial drying thereof is disclosed. The sheets are transported sequentially along a transport path, and the selected sheets are heated to a plasticizing temperature. The selected sheets are then stretched in both a longitudinal and a lateral direction with respect to the transport direction of the sheets.

Abstract: An apparatus and process are disclosed for an efficient decurling system wherein a web material is introduced into a steam environment such that the distance between the web and the steam source is maintained substantially constant.

Abstract: An apparatus in which sheet material is decurled. The apparatus includes a baffle type decurler in which a sheet moving therethrough chooses one of three paths and baffles, depending on the direction and amount of curl. Spring loaded baffles in conjunction with idler rolls reverse bends the sheets in two of the three paths.

Abstract: An apparatus and process are disclosed for an efficient decurling system wherein a web material is introduced into a steam environment such that the distance between the web and the steam source is maintained substantially constant.

Abstract: An automatic decurling apparatus is provided for webs of paper material in which two small diameter decurling bars are adjusted into both sides of the web run between two closely spaced rollers around which the web passes in an S-wrap. The decurling bars can be independently adjusted into the web in varying degrees to compensate for predominant curl in one direction of the web. Additional decurling can be obtained by chilling the rollers, incorporating high-intensity dryers in the web path or by moisturizing one or both sides of the web prior to its passing the decurling bars.

Abstract: A sheet curling/decurling mechanism for decurling copy sheets exiting the fuser apparatus of a copier is disclosed as having a compliant belt of pliable material, a curling roller forming a penetration nip with the compliant belt, the penetration nip being adapted to curl sheets to such an amount as to over curl a sheet leaving the fuser appartus. A decision gate is arranged and shaped to direct the sheet into one of two paths depending upon the degree of over curl. In one path, when slight curl is experienced, a curling device is arranged to compensate for the slight curl. In the other path, when a high degree of curl is present, a curling device is positioned to effect a high degree of reverse curl.