COMPACT METAL AND PLASTIC OLDHAM COUPLER WITH AN INTEGRAL GEAR ON AN INPUT PLATE AND A RETRACTION SPLINE ON AN OUTPUT PLATE

摘要

An Oldham coupler assembly for transferring rotary power between two shafts in an imaging device. The Oldham coupler includes an input plate and an output plate made of plastic and a star plate made of metal mechanically coupled and positioned in between the input plate and the output plate. A plastic retraction spline assembly is slidably retained in the output plate and engages with a drive member in an imaging unit. The location of the retraction spline assembly on the output plate allows for an increased diameter leading to increased torsional stiffness. The input plate includes gear teeth integrally molded into the outer circumference thereof helped to decrease the overall width of the Oldham coupler. Pairs of wheels are fastened to inner faces of the input and output plates and used to moveably couple the star plate to the input and output plates.