A web path for conveying a web material includes at least two support rollers contacting a single major surface of the web material, wherein the web material is of indefinite length and has a first and a second edge. A first support roller contacts a first edge region of the web material, and a second support roller contacts a second edge region of the web material such that the web material has a substantial un-contacted region between the first and the second support roller including at least about 50% of the width of the web material. At least one of the first support roller and the second support roller are supported on a bowed shaft such that at least one of the first and second support rollers is angled with respect to the direction of motion of the web.

A web transport control device having a plurality of rotary frame units each of which includes a carrier frame, a rotary frame parallel thereto and carrying an input roller and an output roller for a material web, and pivotably supported on the carrier frame, a web guiding system arranged such that each of the material webs is fed to one of the input rollers, deflected thereat and then deflected again at the output roller, wherein the rotary frame units are nested one in the other such that web sections of the webs that extend between respective input and output rollers are parallel to one another and the spacing between two neighboring web sections is not larger than the sum of diameters of the input and output rollers, and the input rollers are offset relative to one another in the direction parallel to the web sections.

A position control system includes a roller rotatable about a longitudinal axis thereof and a pivotable member having a first member end rotatable about a first pivot axis and a second member end coupled to the roller. The second member end is rotatable about a second pivot axis spaced from the first pivot axis and the first and second pivot axes are movable relative to one another. A motor is adapted to move the roller along the longitudinal axis wherein movement of the roller along the longitudinal axis causes the pivotable member to pivot the roller relative to the longitudinal axis. A control system is responsive to a sensed parameter for controlling the motor. A position control method is also disclosed.

A web path for conveying a web material includes at least two support rollers contacting a single major surface of the web material, wherein the web material is of indefinite length and has a first and a second edge. A first support roller contacts a first edge region of the web material, and a second support roller contacts a second edge region of the web material such that the web material has a substantial un-contacted region between the first and the second support roller including at least about 50% of the width of the web material. At least one of the first support roller and the second support roller are supported on a bowed shaft such that at least one of the first and second support rollers is angled with respect to the direction of motion of the web.

A position control system includes a roller rotatable about a longitudinal axis thereof and a pivotable member having a first member end rotatable about a first pivot axis and a second member end coupled to the roller. The second member end is rotatable about a second pivot axis spaced from the first pivot axis and the first and second pivot axes are movable relative to one another. A motor is adapted to move the roller along the longitudinal axis wherein movement of the roller along the longitudinal axis causes the pivotable member to pivot the roller relative to the longitudinal axis. A control system is responsive to a sensed parameter for controlling the motor. A position control method is also disclosed.

A roller-type lateral force generation device includes a roller, a first plate, a second plate, a connection plate, a first spring, a rotation shaft, a second spring, a fixing element and an adjustment element. The connection plate is disposed along a set direction, which is perpendicular to a paper-feeding direction. The first spring is disposed between the first plate and a first shaft portion of a roller shaft of the roller. The second spring is disposed between the second plate and a second shaft portion of the roller shaft. The adjustment element has a limitation plate perpendicular to the first plate. The limitation plate has a limitation groove. The first shaft portion is penetrated through the limitation groove. The set direction and the connection line of the rotation shaft and the roller shaft have an angle larger than 0 degree. A lateral force is generated, thereby avoiding paper squeezing inward.

A position roller for meander control includes, in one example, a roller with a rotational axis; a first ball joint supporting a distal end among both ends of the rotational axis for pivotal movement; an XZ driver that drives a proximal end among both ends of the rotational axis into two-dimensional motion in a plane; and a base supporting the first ball joint and the XZ driver.