Pressure roller plate with force distribution

Abstract

Printer ( 1 ) feeds paper or other media sheets ( 5 ) to pinch rollers ( 9 a, 9 b ), which further feed the sheets into an imaging station ( 7 ). Pressure rollers ( 9 b ) are held by plate 22 which is biased by a spring ( 33 ) and pivots on extensions ( 37 a , 37 ) to moves pressure rollers ( 9 b ) into nip relationship with nip roller ( 9 a ). To evenly distribute the forces across pressure rollers ( 9 b ), plate 22 is weakened by depressed lines ( 27 a, 27 b ) located between the spring and the pressure rollers ( 9 b ).

1 . An imaging device comprising 
 a sheet feed path,    a drive roller in said sheet feed path,    a pressure roller,    a plate holding said pressure roller by spring force for rotation in nip relationship with said drive roller, said plate comprising 
 a spring connection location to receive a spring to provide said spring force,  
 a pressure roller holding location on a side opposite side spring connection location, said pressure roller being held at said pressure roller hold location in nip with said drive roller, and  
 a weakened portion between said print connection location and said pressure roller holding location.  
   
   
   
       2 . The imaging device as in  claim 1  in which said plate holds two pressure rollers and said spring connection location is located generally intermediate said two pressure rollers.  
   
   
       3 . The imaging device as in  claim 1  in which said weakened portion is a depressed portion in said plate.  
   
   
       4 . The imaging device as in  claim 3  in which said depressed portion in said plate is a line extending generally between the center of said pressure roller holding location to one lateral side of said plate and a line extending generally between the center of said pressure roller holding location and the other lateral side of said plate, thereby forming a somewhat V shape when viewed from the top of said plate.  
   
   
       5 . An imaging device comprising 
 a sheet feed path,    a drive roller in said sheet feed path,    two pressure rollers,    a plate holding said pressure rollers by spring force for rotation in nip relationship with said drive roller, said plate comprising 
 a spring connection side having a generally central spring connection location,  
 a pressure roller holding side opposite said spring connection side holding said two rollers generally from the center of said plate to the lateral sides of said plate, and  
 a weakened portion between said print connection side and said pressure roller holding side.  
   
   
   
       6 . The imaging device as in  claim 5  in which said weakened portion is a depressed portion in said plate.  
   
   
       7 . The imaging device as in  claim 6  in which said depressed portion in said plate is a line extending generally between the center of said pressure roller holding location to one lateral side of said plate and a line extending generally between the center of said pressure roller holding location and the other lateral side of said plate, thereby forming a somewhat V shape when viewed from the top of said plate.