Paper guides for continuous feed printing

Abstract

A system for providing damage-free travel of media on media path in an image-forming apparatus is described. The system includes a roller configured to transport media on the media path and one or more guides positioned at either end of the roller. Each guide includes an inner end extending into the media path, and an outer end extending beyond the media path, the outer end having a height greater than the height of the inner end. Moreover, the surface between the inner end and the outer end is concave in shape.

1 . A system for promoting damage-free travel of media on media path in an image-forming apparatus, the system comprising:
 a roller configured to transport media on the media path; and   one or more guides positioned at either end of the roller and extending in a direction transverse to the media path, each guide having:
 an inner end extending into the media path; and 
 an outer end extending beyond the media path, the outer end having a height greater than the height of the inner end; and 
 a substantially concave guide surface between the inner end and the outer end. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the guide surface is substantially parabolic. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the curvature of the guide surface is determined based on:
 young's modulus of the media;   thickness of the media;   tension in the media path; or   configuration of the paper path.   
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein each guide is positioned at either end of the roller such that the longitudinal axis of the guide is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the roller. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the guides are positioned at both the ends of the roller. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the guides are laterally displaceable on the roller to accommodate media of variable width. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the guides are positioned at the two ends of the roller such that the distance between the two guides is approximately equal to the width of the media traversing over the roller. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the guides are manufactured from a metallic material. 
     
     
         9 . A guide for promoting damage-free travel of media on media path, the guide comprising:
 an inner end displaceably positioned at either end of a roller, the inner end extending into the media path;   an outer end extending outwards from the media path, the outer end having a height greater than the height of the inner end; and   a substantially parabolic guide surface between the inner end and the outer end, the parabolic surface prevents lateral displacement of the media on the media path.   
     
     
         10 . The guide of  claim 9 , wherein the guide is positioned at both the ends of the roller. 
     
     
         11 . The guide of  claim 9 , wherein media traverses over the roller such that a portion of the media passes over the curved guides. 
     
     
         12 . The guide of  claim 10 , wherein the guides are positioned at the either end of the roller such that the distance between the two guides is approximately equal to the width of the media traversing over the roller. 
     
     
         13 . The guide of  claim 9 , wherein the guides are laterally displaceable on the roller to accommodate variable width media. 
     
     
         14 . The guide of  claim 9 , wherein the parabolic surface of the guide directs media towards the center of roller. 
     
     
         15 . The guides of  claim 9 , wherein the parabolic curve of the guides is determined based on:
 young's modulus of the media;   thickness of the media;   tension in the media path;   configuration of the paper path.