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United States Patent 6,437,282
Thornton ,   et al. August 20, 2002
Laser micro-machining of seamed belts

Abstract

Puzzle-cut imageable seam intermediate transfer belts having a large seam surface area, and marking machines that use such imageable seam intermediate transfer belts. A belt is formed from a semiconductive substrate having a puzzle-cut first end and a puzzle-cut second end that are mated to form a seam. The first end includes a first tongue and the second end includes a second tongue that form a rabbeted joint such that the outer surface of the belt is substantially smooth across the seam. An adhesive is disposed over the rabbeted joint. The tongues may include mechanical locking features, such a protrusion and a channel, that mate. The mechanical locking features may be continuous along the seam.

Inventors: Thornton; Constance J. (Ontario, NY); Freeman; T. Edwin (Webster, NY); Lovallo; Theodore (Williamson, NY); Schlueter, Jr.; Edward L. (Rochester, NY); Swift; Joseph A. (Ontario, NY); Yuan; Xiaoying Elizabeth (Fairport, NY); Badesha; Santokh S. (Pittsford, NY)
Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Stamford, CT)
Appl. No.: 676123
Filed: September 29, 2000

Current U.S. Class: 219/121.69
Intern'l Class: B23K 026/38
Field of Search: 219/121.68,121.69,121.72 156/272.8

References Cited
U.S. Patent Documents
5487707Jan., 1996Sharf et al.474/253.
5514436May., 1996Schlueter, Jr. et al.428/57.
5549193Aug., 1996Schlueter, Jr. et al.198/844.
5688355Nov., 1997Yu156/272.
5721032Feb., 1998Parker et al.428/57.
5961860Oct., 1999Lu et al.219/121.
6068722May., 2000Yu et al.156/137.
6318223Nov., 2001Yu et al.83/13.
Foreign Patent Documents
11-263415Sep., 1999JP.

Primary Examiner: Evans; Geoffrey S.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Kelly; John M., Young; Joseph M.
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