Self-aligning low profile spring-biased media feed roll assembly for an imaging device

摘要

A low profile, alignment assembly for a media feed roll assembly using torsion spring biasing. The alignment assembly has a first and a second spaced bushings mountable to a frame. Each bushing has a circular collar and a cradle positioned along a common centerline for rotatably holding a driven first and an opposed second shaft on the common centerline. A first and a second torsion spring mount around the second shaft adjacent to the first and second bushing, respectively, and each has a pair of legs extending tangentially therefrom, attachable to the frame or respective bushing and forming a substantially planar profile. Each torsion spring biases the second shaft toward the first shaft along the common centerline and, as a media sheet moves between the first and second shafts, allows the second shaft to move within the cradles radially away from the first shaft along the common centerline.

主权项

1. An alignment assembly mountable in a frame for axially aligning and rotatably holding a first shaft and a second shaft forming a nip therebetween for feeding a media sheet, the first shaft coupleable to a drive source, the alignment assembly comprising:
a first and a second bushing mountable to the frame in a spaced relationship, the first and second bushings each having a circular collar and a cradle positioned along a common centerline for rotatably holding respective centers of the first and the second shafts on the common centerline, the collars of the first and second bushings receiving the first shaft and the cradles of the first and second bushings receiving the second shaft; and a first and a second torsion spring mountable around the second shaft adjacent to the first and second bushing, respectively, the first and second torsion springs each having a pair of legs extending therefrom and attachable to one of the frame and the respective bushing; wherein, with the first and second bushings attached to the frame and the pairs of legs of the first and second torsion springs attached to one of the frame and respective bushings, the pair of legs of the first and second torsion springs forming a substantially planar profile for biasing the second shaft toward the first shaft along the common centerline while allowing the second shaft to move within the cradles radially away from the first shaft along the common centerline as the media sheet moves through the nip.