1. A vacuum control assembly for use in an image production device, the assembly comprising:
a plenum having a vacuum inlet;
a perforated plate fluidly connected to the plenum, the perforated plate having a plurality of perforations;
a baffle plate connected to an inside of the plenum such that the baffle plate can slide relative to the perforated plate and can pivot relative to the perforated plate; and
a protrusion on the inside of the plenum,
wherein the baffle plate is capable of sliding relative to the perforated plate between a closed position and an open position,
the closed position being where the baffle plate causes the vacuum inlet to be fluidly connected to a first plurality of the perforations,
the open position being where the baffle plate is pivoted away from the perforated plate, causing the vacuum inlet to be fluidly connected to a maximum number of the perforations,
the maximum number is greater than the first plurality, and
the baffle plate is pivoted into the open position by coming in contact with the protrusion.
2. The assembly of claim 1, further comprising a spring that urges the baffle plate into the closed position.
3. The assembly of claim 2, further compromising a controller that controls the baffle plate to multiple different closed positions, each of which causes a different number of the perforations to be fluidly connected to the vacuum inlet.
4. An image production device, comprising:
a media transport assembly having
a plenum having a vacuum inlet;
a perforated plate fluidly connected to the plenum, the perforated plate having a plurality of perforations;
a baffle plate connected to an inside of the plenum such that the baffle plate can slide relative to the perforated plate and can pivot relative to the perforated plate; and
a protrusion on the inside of the plenum,
wherein the baffle plate is capable of sliding relative to the perforated plate between a closed position and an open position,
the closed position being where the baffle plate causes the vacuum inlet to be fluidly connected to a first plurality of the perforations,
the open position being where the baffle plate is pivoted away from the perforated plate, causing the vacuum inlet to be fluidly connected to a maximum number of the perforations,
the maximum number is greater than the first plurality, and
the baffle plate is pivoted into the open position by coming in contact with the protrusion;
a transport belt for transporting a sheet of media across the perforated plate; and
a media storage compartment for storing sheets of the media.
5. The device of claim 4, further comprising a spring that urges the baffle plate into the closed position.
6. The device of claim 5, wherein the baffle plate has multiple different closed positions, each of which causes a different number of the perforations to be fluidly connected to the vacuum inlet.
7. The device of claim 6, wherein the baffle plate slides in a cross-process direction, the cross-process direction being a direction perpendicular to a direction in which the sheet of media is to be transported by the transport belt.
8. The device of claim 7, further comprising a controller that controls each of the closed positions to correspond to a different width of media to be moved by the transport belt.
9. The device of claim 6, wherein the baffle plate slides in a process direction, the process direction being a direction parallel to a direction in which the sheet of media is to be transported by the transport belt.
10. The device of claim 9, further comprising a controller that controls the position of the baffle plate such that the baffle plate moves ahead of a leading edge position of the sheet of media to be transported by the transport belt.
11. The device of claim 10, further comprising at least one fixed baffle positioned inside the plenum.
12. The device of claim 11, wherein the at least one fixed baffle is parallel to the process direction and divides the plenum into at least two separate chambers.
13. The device of claim 12, wherein each separate chamber is fluidly connected to a separate vacuum inlet.
14. The device of claim 13, wherein the position of each of the fixed baffles corresponds to a width of media to be transported by the transport belt.
15. A method for controlling vacuum in an image production device, the method comprising:
providing an image production device having
a plenum having a vacuum inlet;
a perforated plate fluidly connected to the plenum, the perforated plate having a plurality of perforations;
a baffle plate connected to an inside of the plenum such that the baffle plate can slide relative to the perforated plate and can pivot relative to the perforated plate;
a protrusion on the inside of the plenum;
a transport belt for transporting a sheet of media across the perforated plate; and
a media storage compartment for storing sheets of the media;
sliding the baffle plate relative to the perforated plate between a closed position and an open position, the closed position being where the baffle plate causes the vacuum inlet to be fluidly connected to a first plurality of the perforations, the open position being where the baffle plate is pivoted away from the perforated plate, causing the vacuum inlet to be fluidly connected to a maximum number of the perforations, the maximum number is greater than the first plurality, and the baffle plate is pivoted into the open position by coming in contact with the protrusion.
16. The method of claim 15, wherein the baffle plate is urged into the closed position by a spring.
17. The method of claim 16, further comprising moving the baffle plate into multiple different closed positions, each of which causes a different number of the perforations to be fluidly connected to the vacuum inlet.
18. The method of claim 17, wherein the baffle plate is moved in a cross-process direction, the cross-process direction being a direction perpendicular to a direction in which the sheet of media is to be transported by the transport belt.
19. The method of claim 18, wherein each of the closed positions corresponds to a different width of media to be moved by the transport belt.
20. The method of claim 17, wherein the baffle plate is moved in a process direction, the process direction being a direction parallel to a direction in which the sheet of media is to be transported by the transport belt.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A method for assembling a gas turbine engine, said method comprising:
coupling a low-pressure turbine to a core turbine engine;
coupling a gearbox to the low-pressure turbine using a drive shaft;
coupling a first fan assembly to the gearbox such that the first fan assembly rotates in a first direction;
coupling a second fan assembly directly to the low-pressure turbine such that the second fan assembly rotates in a second direction opposite the first direction; and
coupling a mechanical fuse that is approximately disk-shaped between the first fan assembly and the low-pressure turbine such that the mechanical fuse fails at a predetermined moment load, after the mechanical fuse fails at the predetermined moment load, second fan assembly remains driven by the low pressure turbine and the first fan assembly is decoupled from the low pressure turbine.
2. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein coupling a mechanical fuse further comprises coupling a mechanical fuse between the first fan assembly and the gearbox such that the mechanical fuse fails between approximately 45% and approximately 55% of the total torque load on the low-pressure turbine drive shaft.
3. A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising coupling a second fan assembly to the low-pressure turbine such that the first fan assembly rotates at a first rotational speed and the second fan assembly rotates at a second rotational speed that is different than the first rotational speed.
4. A method in accordance with claim 3 further comprising coupling a second fan assembly to the low-pressure turbine such that the first fan assembly rotates at a first rotational speed and the second fan assembly rotates at a second rotational speed that is approximately one-half the first rotational speed.
5. A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising coupling a booster compressor to the second fan assembly such that the booster compressor rotates at the same rotational speed as the second fan assembly.
6. A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising positioning the gearbox within an engine sump.
7. A counter-rotating fan assembly comprising:
a gearbox coupled to a low-pressure turbine using a drive shaft;
a first fan assembly coupled to said gearbox, said first fan assembly comprising a disk and a plurality of rotor blades coupled to said disk and configured to rotate in a first rotational direction;
a second fan assembly coupled to said low-pressure turbine such that said second fan assembly rotates in a second direction opposite the first direction; and
a mechanical fuse that is approximately disk-shaped coupled between said first fan assembly and said low-pressure turbine such that said mechanical fuse fails at a predetermined moment load, after the mechanical fuse fails at the predetermined moment load, second fan assembly remains driven by the low pressure turbine and the first fan assembly is decoupled from the low pressure turbine.
8. A counter-rotating fan assembly in accordance with claim 7 wherein said mechanical fuse is configured to fail between approximately 45% and approximately 55% of the total torque load on the low-pressure turbine drive shaft.
9. A counter-rotating fan assembly in accordance with claim 7 wherein said second fan assembly rotates at a second rotational speed that is different than the rotational speed of said first fan assembly.
10. A turbine engine assembly comprising:
a core turbine engine;
a low-pressure turbine coupled to said core turbine engine;
a gearbox coupled to said low-pressure turbine using a drive shaft;
a first fan assembly coupled to said gearbox, said first fan assembly comprising a disk and a plurality of rotor blades coupled to said disk and configured to rotate in a first rotational direction;
a second fan assembly coupled to said low-pressure turbine such that said second fan assembly rotates in a second direction opposite the first direction; and
a mechanical fuse that is approximately disk-shaped coupled between said first fan assembly and said low-pressure turbine such that said mechanical fuse fails at a predetermined moment load, after the mechanical fuse fails at the predetermined moment load, second fan assembly remains driven by the low pressure turbine and the first fan assembly is decoupled from the low pressure turbine.
11. turbine engine assembly in accordance with claim 10 wherein said mechanical fuse is coupled between a gearbox input and said low-pressure turbine.
12. turbine engine assembly in accordance with claim 10 wherein said mechanical fuse is configured to fail between approximately 45% and approximately 55% of the total torque load on the low-pressure turbine drive shaft.
13. A turbine engine assembly in accordance with claim 10 wherein said first fan assembly is configured to rotate at a first rotational speed and a second fan assembly is configured to rotate at a second rotational speed that is different than the first rotational speed.
14. turbine engine assembly in accordance with claim 13 wherein said second fan assembly is configured to rotate at a first rotational speed that is approximately one-half the rotational speed of the first fan assembly.
15. turbine engine assembly in accordance with claim 13 further comprising a booster compressor coupled to said second fan assembly such that said second fan assembly rotates at a rotational speed that is exactly the same as the rotational speed of the booster compressor.
16. turbine engine assembly in accordance with claim 10 wherein said gearbox is coupled within an engine sump.