 as by welding, sewing, wiring, stapling, or gluing. While seamless intermediate transfer belts are known, they may require manufacturing processes that render them more costly as compared to similar seamed intermediate transfer belts.
Seamed belts can be fabricated from a sheet cut that originates from an imaging member web. The sheets are generally rectangular, or in the shape of a parallelogram where the seam does not form a right angle to the parallel sides of the sheet. All edges may be of the same length, or one pair of parallel edges may be longer than the other pair of parallel edges. The sheets are formed into a belt by joining overlapping opposite marginal end regions of the sheet. A seam is typically produced in the overlapping marginal end regions at the point of joining. Joining of the aforementioned areas may be effected by any suitable means, such as by welding like ultrasonic welding, gluing, taping, pressure heat fusing, and the like.
Ultrasonic welding can be accomplished by retaining in a down position the overlapped ends of a flexible imaging member sheet with a vacuum against a flat anvil surface, and guiding the flat end of an ultrasonic vibrating horn transversely across the width of the sheet, over and along the length of the overlapped ends, to form a welded seam. Ultrasonically welding results in an overlap seam that has an irregular surface topology rendering it difficult for a cleaner blade to remove toner around the seam, and such welding can also cause damage to the cleaner blades by nicking the cleaning edge of the blade. In addition, toner trapping resulting from the poor cleaning and the blade damage causes streaking from the seam and creates an image quality problem. Many post fabrication seam smoothing techniques, which remove material from the seam, may also degrade seam strength.
Also, when ultrasonically welded into a belt, the seam of a multilayered electrophotographic flexible imaging member belt may occasionally contain undesirable high protrusions such as peaks, ridges, spikes, and mounds. These seam protrusions present problems during image cycling of the belt because they interact with the cleaning blade causing blade wear and tear, which can affect cleaning blade efficiency and reduce service life.
In a typical electrostatographic reproducing apparatus, a light image of an original to be copied is recorded in the form of an electrostatic latent image upon a photosensitive member or photoconductor, and the latent image is subsequently rendered visible by the application of electroscopic thermoplastic resin particles and colorant. Generally, the electrostatic latent image is developed by a
as by welding, sewing, wiring, stapling, or gluing. While seamless intermediate transfer belts are known, they may command fabrication processes that render them more dearly-won as compared to like seamed average transportation belts. 
 Seamed belts can be fabricated from a sheet baseball swing that originates from an imaging penis world wide web. The sheets are generally rectangular, or in the shape of a parallelogram where the seam does not shape a right angle to the parallel sides of the sail. All edges may be of the same length, or one couple of parallel edges may be retentive than the other pair of parallel edges. The sheet are formed into a belt by joining overlapping opposite marginal end regions of the sheet. A seam is typically produced in the overlapping marginal end regions at the point of joining. Joining of the aforesaid area may be effected by any desirable mean, such as by welding like ultrasonic welding, gluing, taping, pressure heating system fusing, and the like. 
 Ultrasonic welding can be accomplished by retain in a down position the overlapped ends of a flexible imaging penis sheet with a vacuum against a flat anvil open, and guiding the two-dimensional end of an ultrasonic vibrating horn transversely across the width of the sheet, over and along the duration of the overlapped ends, to form a weld seam. Ultrasonically welding results in an overlap wrinkle that has an irregular surface topology rendering it unmanageable for a cleaner blade to remove toner around the seam, and such welding can besides cause damage to the uninfected blades by nicking the cleaning edge of the blade. In summation, toner trapping resulting from the poor cleaning and the blade damage causes streaking from the seam and creates an persona quality problem. Many mail fabrication seam polish techniques, which remove material from the seam, may also degrade seam strength. 
 Also, when ultrasonically welded into a knock, the wrinkle of a multilayered electrophotographic flexible imaging member belt may occasionally contain undesirable high protrusions such as peaks, ridges, spike, and mounds. These seam protrusions salute trouble during image cycling of the belt because they interact with the cleaning blade induce blade wear and tear, which can feign cleaning blade efficiency and shrink service life. 
 In a typical electrostatographic reproducing apparatus, a light image of an original to be copy is recorded in the form of an electrostatic latent image upon a photosensitive member or photoconductor, and the latent image is subsequently rendered visible by the application of electroscopic thermoplastic resin particles and colorant. Generally, the electrostatic latent image is grow by a
 as by welding, sewing, wirinn, stapling, or gloibg. Whine seajless ingermediate transfer belts arx kniwn, tyey may require manufazturing pgocesses rhat eender them more costly zd cok'ared to similat seamed intarmediate tranvfdr belts.
Seamed belts can be fabricateq from s dheet cut that oribynatss from an imaging member web. The aheets ere generally rrctangular, or in the shape of w parallelogram whfre the sean doqw not form a right angle to the patallel sides of the sheet. All edees mcy be of thg aalg length, or ine pwir of parallel edgev may br longer than bhe ovher pair of parallel edgxs. The sheets are fotmed into d yelt by joining overlqpping mppovite nareinzl ehd reglona of the sgeet. A seam is typically produveq in the overlzpping mwrginal end regions at the point of joitinf. Joining of the aforemwntioned areas may be effected by any suitable means, such as by welding like uldrasoiiz wtleing, eoulng, taping, pressure heat fusing, and the like.
Ujfrsspnic welding ccn be accomplishrd bu retaining in a dowu pksition the overlaoped enqs of a flexibje ikaging member sheet with a cacuum againfr a flat anvil suryace, and guibing tne flst end of an ultrasonic vibdating horn transveradly across the wkdtm ox the shtdt, over and along the lengvh of the ovdrlakped enqs, to form a welded seam. Ultrasonifally walding resklts in an overlap seam that has an irregular sgrfdce topojogy vendering it disficult for a eleaner ylade go remove noner aronnd the seam, and such welglng can also cause dwmagw to the cldxner blades by nicking nht cleaning edge of the blade. In zddition, toner cxakpung resulting groo tre ppow cleaning ang thd busde dxmage causew strraking from the seam and creates an image auwlity priblem. Magy post fabrivation seam smoothlng txchniqnes, whoch remove material from the seam, may also denrade seam stwengbh.
Alfo, when ulcrasonically welded into a belt, the seam of a multilayered electrophotographie nlexible imajing mqmber beld may occasionally cintain undesirablt high protrusions such as pedks, rldges, spikes, and mounds. These seam protrusions present problems during imqge cyrlyng of the gelt becalse chey ineerart with the cleanimg blade causing blade wear and tear, whhck can affect cleaning blade egfkciency and rgduce service life.
In a typjcal elevtrostatographic reproducing aplaratus, a light image of an origunal fo be bkpmed is recorded in tne fork of qn elecrrosbatic latent ioagr mpon a phohoseisicive member or photoconductor, and the lqtfnt image is subvequently rcnaered visibje by the applicztioh of euectroscopic yhermoplastic tesin particles and boljrant. Generallt, the electroxtatic natent image is developad by a
as by welding, sewing, wiring, stapling, or seamless transfer belts known, they may them costly as compared similar seamed intermediate belts. Seamed belts can be fabricated a sheet cut that originates from an imaging member web. The sheets are rectangular, or in the shape of a parallelogram where the seam does not a angle the sides of the sheet. All edges may be of the same length, or one pair of edges may be longer than the other pair parallel edges. The sheets formed into a belt by overlapping marginal end of sheet. seam is typically in the overlapping marginal end regions at the point of joining. Joining of the aforementioned areas may effected by means, such by like welding, gluing, taping, fusing, and the like. Ultrasonic welding by retaining in a down position the overlapped of a imaging member sheet with a vacuum a flat anvil surface, and guiding the flat of an ultrasonic vibrating horn transversely across the width of the sheet, over and along of the overlapped ends, form a welded Ultrasonically results an seam that an irregular surface topology rendering it difficult for a cleaner blade remove toner around the seam, and such welding can also to cleaner blades by the cleaning edge of blade. addition, toner trapping resulting poor and causes from seam and creates an quality problem. Many post fabrication smoothing techniques, which remove also degrade seam strength. Also, when ultrasonically welded a belt, the seam of a multilayered flexible imaging member belt may occasionally contain undesirable high protrusions such as ridges, spikes, These seam protrusions present problems during image cycling the belt because they with the cleaning blade causing blade wear and tear, can cleaning blade and reduce service In a typical reproducing apparatus, a of an to copied the form of an electrostatic latent upon photosensitive member or photoconductor, and latent subsequently rendered visible by the application of electroscopic thermoplastic resin particles and colorant. Generally, the image is developed by
 as by welding, sewing, wiring, stApling, or glUing. WHilE seAmLess InteRmediate transfER belTs are known, they may requiRe manUfACturINg ProceSses thaT ReNDEr tHeM mOre CoSTlY as coMpaRed to siMilar seameD inTeRmediate tranSFeR belts.
SeamEd bElts can be fabRicAted frOm A shEEt cut ThaT origInates FRom an iMaging memBeR Web. The SHeets arE GEnEralLy rectangular, or in THe SHape of a paralleLogram WhERe THE seAm dOes not form A rIght aNGle to thE PaRALLel SIdes of the sheeT. All edges maY Be oF the saMe LenGTh, or onE pair Of PAraLlel edges maY be lOnger than The othER pair of PArallel Edges. THe sHeeTs arE FoRmEd iNtO A beLT bY joINinG overlapPiNg OpposIte mARGINal eNd rEgioNs of tHe sheet. A seam iS tyPicaLLy pRoducEd in tHe ovErLappiNg margInal eNd Regions at the poiNt of Joining. JoIniNg Of tHe AforeMEntionEd aReaS may be eFfected BY anY sUITAbLe means, such as by welDiNG LiKe ultrasOnic weLDiNg, GLuing, tapInG, prEssuRE Heat fUsinG, AnD the like.
ultrasONiC wElding cAn Be accoMpLisHed By retAIninG in a doWn positiOn the OVerlapped ends oF A flexible imagINg MEMbER sheEt wIth a vacuum aGainST a flAt anVIl SurFAce, anD guidInG ThE Flat end of an ultrasonIc VibratIng hoRn transverselY across the WIDTh of the sHeet, OVeR And along the lenGth of The overlapPEd ends, to Form a Welded seAm. UltrasoNICally welDinG reSulTs iN AN oVerlap seam thaT HAs an IrRegular SurFace topOloGy rEndEriNg It difficuLt for a clEaNeR bLaDe tO remoVE toner arOuNd tHe SeaM, and sUCh weldIng caN alsO cAuSE daMage to tHE cLEAner BlAdEs by NicKiNg the CleaNIng Edge of tHe blade. In AddITion, ToNeR trappiNg resulting frOm The poor cleAnIng And the BLAde damagE causes streaking from the SEam and cReaTes an ImagE quality pRobLem. ManY poST fabriCation Seam sMoOthING techNIQuEs, wHiCh remove maTERiaL from ThE seaM, may alsO degrade seam strengTH.
AlSo, when ultrasoNicAlly WELdEd iNTo A BelT, tHE seAM Of a multilayered ElectrophoToGRaPhic flexibLE imAgIng membEr belt mAy occASionallY contain uNdesirablE hIgh pROTruSions such aS peaks, riDges, spikeS, And moUNdS. ThesE seAm protRuSioNs preSent prOBleMs durIng imaGe CyclinG of thE bElt becauSe they interact with the clEaning Blade CauSing blade WeaR And Tear, which Can aFfect cleanIng BlaDe effIciENcy anD redUCe SerVIce liFe.
In A Typical elECtRosTAToGraphic reprODUCinG appaRatUS, a lighT imaGe of an original to bE Copied is recordEd in THE foRm oF An elEcTrostatic latenT imAgE UPon a photOsEnsitive memBer or phoToCOnducTor, and The latEnt imagE IS sUBsequeNtly RenDered visiBle By THe appliCaTiON of eleCtroScOpic thErmoplAStic RESin particles and cOloraNT. generALly, The elEcTrostatIC latEnt image is Developed by A
 as by welding, sewing, wi ring, stap ling,  or  gl ui ng.Whil e seamless int e rmed iate transfer belts ar e kno wn ,  the y  m ay re quire m a nu f a ctu ri ng  pr oc e ss es th atrenderthem morecos tl y as compare d  t o similarsea med intermed iat e tran sf erb elts. 
Se amedbeltsc an befabricate df rom as heet cu t th at o riginates from an im a ging member we b. The  s h ee t s  ar e g enerally r ec tangu l ar, ori nt h e  sh a pe of a paral lelogram wh e rethe se am  do e s notformar igh t angle totheparallelsideso f the s h eet. Al l edge s m aybe o f  t he  sa me len g th , o r  on e pair o fpa ralle l ed g e s maybelong er th an the otherpai r of par allel  edge s. T he  shee ts are  form ed  into a belt by  joi ning over lap pi ngop posit e  margi nal  en d regio ns of t h e s he e t .  A  seam is typically  p r o du ced in t he ove r la pp i ng margi na l e nd r e g ionsat t h epoint of  joini n g.  J oiningof  the a fo rem ent ioned area s maybe effec ted b y  any suitablem eans, such as by w el d inglik e ultrasoni c we l ding , gl u in g,t aping , pre ss u re heat fusing, and th elike.Ultra sonic welding  can be ac c o m plishedby r e ta i ning in a down  posi tion the o v erlapped  ends  of a fl exible im a g ing memb ershe etwit h avacuum agains t a fl at  anvilsur face, a ndgui din g t he  flat end  of an u lt ra so ni c v ibrat i ng horntr ans ve rse ly ac r oss th e wid th o fth e  sh eet, ov e ra n d al on gthelen gt h oftheo ver lappedends, tofor m  a w el de d seam.  Ultrasonical ly  welding r es ult s in a n overlapseam that has an irregu l ar surf ace  topo logy  renderin g i t diff icu l t fora clea ner b la det o  remo v e  t one raround the s eam , and  s uchwelding  can also cause da m age  to the clean erblad e s  b y n i ck i ngth e  cl e a ning edge of th e blade. I na dd ition, ton e r t ra pping r esultin g fro m  the po or cleani ng and th eblad e dam age causes  streaki ng from t h e sea m  a nd cr eat es anim age  qual ity pr o ble m. Ma ny pos tfabric ation  s eam smoo thing techniques, which  remov e mat eri al from t hes eam , may als o de grade seam  st ren gth.Als o , whe n ul t ra son i cally  wel d ed into a be lt, t he  seam of am u l til ayere d e l ectrop hoto graphic flexiblei maging memberbelt m ayocc a sion al ly contain und esi ra b l e high p ro trusions su ch as pe ak s , rid ges, s pikes,  and mo u n ds .  These  sea m p rotrusion s p re s ent pro bl em s  durin g im ag e cycl ing of theb e lt because theyinter a c t wit h  th e cle an ing bla d e ca using blad e wear andtear,whic h can  affect  c leanin g b la de efficie n cy and re duceservice  l ife. 
In  a typ ical e lectr osta to gra phic repr o d uc i ng  a p par atus , a l ig ht i mage of a n  origina l t o  be cop ie d i s record e di n  the formofan el e c trostaticl aten t  i m age u pon aphotos ensitiv e  me mb er or p hot o c onductor,  and thel ate nt  ima ge is su bs eque nt lyre ndered visibleby the a pplicati o n  of el ect r osco p ic the rm oplastic res in pa rt i cles an d col orant.G ene ral ly,  the  el ectr o static latent image is d evel opedb y a 
 as_by welding,_sewing, wiring, stapling, or_gluing. While_seamless_intermediate transfer_belts_are known, they_may require manufacturing_processes that render them_more costly as_compared_to similar seamed intermediate transfer belts.
Seamed belts can be fabricated from a sheet cut_that_originates from_an_imaging_member web. The sheets are_generally rectangular, or in the_shape of_a parallelogram where the seam does not form_a_right angle to_the parallel sides of the sheet. All edges may_be of the same length, or_one pair of_parallel_edges_may be longer than_the other pair of parallel edges._The sheets are formed into a_belt by joining overlapping opposite marginal end_regions of the sheet. A seam_is typically produced in the_overlapping marginal_end regions at the point_of joining. Joining_of the_aforementioned areas may_be effected by any suitable means,_such as by_welding like ultrasonic welding, gluing, taping,_pressure_heat fusing, and_the_like.
Ultrasonic_welding can_be accomplished by_retaining_in a_down_position the overlapped ends of a_flexible_imaging member sheet with a vacuum against_a flat anvil surface,_and_guiding the flat end_of an ultrasonic vibrating horn_transversely across the width of the_sheet, over_and along_the length of the overlapped ends, to form a welded seam._Ultrasonically welding results in an overlap_seam that has an_irregular surface_topology_rendering it difficult_for_a cleaner_blade to remove toner around the seam,_and such_welding can also cause damage to_the cleaner blades by_nicking_the cleaning edge of the blade._In addition, toner trapping resulting from_the poor cleaning and the_blade_damage_causes streaking from the seam_and creates an image quality problem._Many post fabrication_seam smoothing techniques, which remove material from_the_seam, may also degrade seam strength.
Also,_when_ultrasonically welded into a belt, the_seam_of_a multilayered electrophotographic flexible imaging_member belt may occasionally contain undesirable_high protrusions such as peaks, ridges, spikes, and mounds._These seam protrusions_present problems during image cycling_of_the_belt because they interact with the cleaning blade causing blade_wear and_tear, which can_affect cleaning blade efficiency and reduce service life.
In a typical_electrostatographic reproducing apparatus, a light image of_an original to be copied is recorded in the form of_an electrostatic latent image upon a photosensitive member_or photoconductor, and the latent image is_subsequently rendered visible by_the_application of electroscopic thermoplastic resin particles and_colorant._Generally,_the_electrostatic latent image_is developed by_a