Method for fabricating a flexible belt with a puzzle-cut seam

Abstract

A flexible electrostatographic imaging member belt comprises two ends with matching puzzle-cut fingers arranged to be joined. The belt is fabricated by a method comprising the steps of: first, joining the two belt ends to form a juncture; second, applying an adhesive layer to the juncture; third, applying a compressing force to the adhesive layer; fourth, heating the adhesive layer for a heating period; fifth, cooling the adhesive layer for a cooling period; thus forming a puzzle-cut seam; and, sixth, determining when the puzzle-cut seam is satisfactory. When it is determined the puzzle-cut seam is not satisfactory, the heating and cooling steps are repeated. When it is determined the puzzle-cut seam is satisfactory, the compressing force is removed. In one embodiment, the method determines when the puzzle-cut seam is satisfactory based on the total time heat is applied to the adhesive layer.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method for fabricating a flexible belt with a puzzle-cut seam, the flexible belt having an outer belt surface, an inner belt surface, a first end terminating in a first set of puzzle-cut fingers, a second end terminating in a second set of matching puzzle-cut fingers, a length therebetween, the first and second sets of puzzle-cut fingers arranged to be mated and joined together, the method comprising the steps of: 
 join the first and second sets of puzzle-cut fingers to form a juncture;    apply an adhesive strip on the outer belt surface to cover the juncture, the adhesive strip comprising an adhesive surface;    compress the adhesive surface and the inner belt surface together at a point proximate to the juncture and, while compressing:    heat the adhesive layer for a fixed heating period to melt and fill a crevice between the mated fingers;    cool the adhesive layer for a fixed cooling period; and    determine when a puzzle-cut seam formed by the foregoing joining, applying, compressing, heating and cooling steps is satisfactory.    
     
     
         2 . The method of    claim 1    where the adhesive strip has a width that is sized to only sufficiently enough cover the juncture.  
     
     
         3 . The method of    claim 2   , where the width is approximately between about 1 millimeter and about 10 millimeters.  
     
     
         4 . The method of    claim 1   , where the compressing step comprises a pressure of approximately between about 40 pounds per square inch and about 80 pounds per square inch.  
     
     
         5 . The method of    claim 1   , where the heating step comprises a temperature of approximately between about 70 degrees Celsius and about 100 degrees Celsius.  
     
     
         6 . The method of    claim 1    including repeating the heating, cooling and determining steps until the determining step determines that the puzzle-cut seam is satisfactory.  
     
     
         7 . The method of    claim 6   , including a step of ceasing the compressing when the determining step determines that the puzzle-cut seam is satisfactory.  
     
     
         8 . The method of    claim 1   , where the determining step includes a step of determining a total period during which the adhesive layer has been heated.  
     
     
         9 . The method of    claim 1   , the heating step including a step of applying heat to the adhesive surface.  
     
     
         10 . The method of    claim 5   , the heating step including a step of applying heat to the inner belt surface at a point proximate to the juncture.  
     
     
         11 . The method of    claim 1   , the heating applied by a heating element, the cooling step including a step of cooling the heating element with a fluid.  
     
     
         12 . The method of    claim 11   , where the fluid is water.  
     
     
         13 . The method of    claim 1   , including a subsequent step of polishing the treated or processed puzzle-cut seam.  
     
     
         14 . The method of    claim 1   , the flexible belt comprising a photoreceptor belt.  
     
     
         15 . The method of    claim 1   , the flexible belt comprising an electroreceptor belt.  
     
     
         16 . The method of    claim 1   , the flexible belt comprising an intermediate image transfer belt.  
     
     
         17 . A method for fabricating a flexible belt with a puzzle-cut seam, the flexible belt having an outer belt surface, an inner belt surface, a first end terminating in a first set of puzzle-cut fingers, a second end terminating in a second set of matching puzzle-cut fingers, a length therebetween, the first and second sets of puzzle-cut fingers arranged to be mated and joined together, the method comprising the steps of: 
 join the first and second sets of puzzle-cut fingers to form a juncture;    compress the outer belt surface and the inner belt surface together in the vicinity of the juncture and, while compressing:    heat the belt in the vicinity of the juncture for a fixed heating period;    cool the belt in the vicinity of the juncture for a fixed cooling period; and    determine when a puzzle-cut seam formed by the foregoing joining, compressing, heating and cooling steps is satisfactory.    
     
     
         18 . The method of    claim 17    including repeating the heating, cooling and determining steps until the determining step determines that the puzzle-cut seam is satisfactory.  
     
     
         19 . The method of    claim 18   , where the compressing step comprises a pressure of approximately between about 70 pounds per square inch and about 120 pounds per square inch.  
     
     
         20 . The method of    claim 19   , where the heating step comprises a temperature of approximately between about 160 degrees Celsius and about 240 degrees Celsius.  
     
     
         21 . The method of    claim 20   , where the heat is applied for a total heating period between about 1 second and about 7 seconds.