Abstract: A notebook computer is provided with a reduced height keyboard structure mounted on the top side of its base housing and including a horizontally oriented signal pad structure. Spaced apart separate key support and guide structures are individually supported on the top side of the signal pad structure beneath upwardly dished keys mounted thereon by scissored linkage mechanisms which permit the keys to be vertically moved through a stroke distance between upwardly extended and downwardly retracted positions. The keys are upwardly biased toward their extended positions by resilient key return dome members secured to the top side of the signal pad structure and extending upwardly through openings in the key support and guide structures.

Abstract: A notebook computer is provided with a collapsible keyboard structure in which, in response to closing of the computer housing lid, the key return spring portions of the keyboard are shifted away from their normal underlying relationships with the keys and the keys are forcibly retracted to a storage/transport orientation in which the overall thickness of the keyboard structure is reduced by an amount essentially equal to the stroke distance of the keys. When the lid is subsequently opened, the key return spring portions are shifted back to their normal underlying relationships with the keys, and the keys are forced outwardly by the return spring portions to their extended, operative orientations above the return spring portions.

Abstract: A notebook computer is provided with a collapsible keyboard structure having keys supported on scissored linkage arm assemblies in which, in response to closing of the computer housing lid, key return spring portions of the keyboard are shifted away from their normal underlying relationships with the keys, and the scissored linkage arm assemblies and keys are permitted to retract to a storage/transport orientation in which the overall thickness of the keyboard structure is reduced by an amount essentially equal to the stroke distance of the keys. When the lid is subsequently opened, the key return spring portions are shifted back to their normal underlying relationships with the keys, and the keys and scissored linkage arm assemblies are forced outwardly by the return spring portions to their extended, operative orientations above the return spring portions.

Abstract: A collapsible pointing stick structure is mounted on the top side of the keyboard of a notebook computer and is manually pivotable, about a selected axis parallel to the top side of the keyboard, to controllably reposition a cursor being displayed on the lid portion of the computer. When the computer lid is opened, the top end of the pointing stick structure projects upwardly beyond the top sides of the keyboard key cap members to facilitate its manual engagement and manipulation by the user of the computer. However, in response to closing of the computer lid, the top end of the pointing stick structure is automatically collapsed to an elevation generally aligned with the top sides of the key cap members. Due to the collapsible operation of the pointing stick structure its incorporation into the computer does not require that the vertical thickness of the closed computer be increased. A mechanism prevents the pointing stick structure from collapsing when the lid portion is open.

Abstract: A notebook computer is provided with a collapsible keyboard structure in which, in response to closing of the computer housing lid, the key return spring portions of the keyboard are shifted horizontally away from their normal underlying relationships with the keys and the keys are forcibly retracted downwardly to a storage/transport orientation in which the overall vertical thickness of the keyboard structure is reduced by an amount somewhat greater than the stroke distance of the keys. Each key has a relatively rigid top side portion with a periphery around which is secured a downwardly and horizontally outwardly sloped resilient skirt structure.

Abstract: A notebook computer is provided with a collapsible keyboard structure in which, in response to closing of the computer housing lid, the key return spring portions of the keyboard are shifted horizontally and downwardly away from their normal underlying relationships with the keys and the keys are forcibly retracted downwardly to a storage/transport orientation in which the overall vertical thickness of the keyboard structure is reduced bV an amount somewhat greater than the stroke distance of the keys. When the lid is subsequently opened, the key return spring portions are upwardly shifted back to their normal underlying relationships with the keys, and the keys are forced upwardly by the return spring portions to their extended, operative orientations above the return spring portions.

Abstract: A keyboard structure is supported on the top side of a base housing portion of a compact portable computer such as a notebook or laptop computer. In one keyboard embodiment pins on the keyboard are slidably received in slots on upstanding support brackets on the base housing, and in another keyboard embodiment the keyboard is movably secured to the base housing by pivotable support bars. When the lid portion of the computer is opened, the keyboard is in a storage/transport orientation in which it is generally parallel to the bottom wall of the base housing. With the lid portion opened, and the computer resting on a horizontal support surface, the keyboard may be used in this storage/transport orientation.

Abstract: A notebook computer is provided with a collapsible keyboard structure having keys supported on scissored linkage arm assemblies in which, in response to closing of the computer housing lid, key return spring portions of the keyboard are shifted away from their normal underlying relationships with the keys, and the scissored linkage arm assemblies and keys are forcibly retracted to a storage/transport orientation in which the overall thickness of the keyboard structure is reduced by an amount essentially equal to the stroke distance of the keys. When the lid is subsequently opened, the key return spring portions are shifted back to their normal underlying relationships with the keys, and the keys and scissored linkage arm assemblies are forced outwardly by the return spring portions to their extended, operative orientations above the return spring portions.

Abstract: A compact notebook computer, when opened, exposes a keyboard structure in a folded storage and transport orientation in which opposite end segments of the keyboard are inwardly pivoted onto a central segment of the keyboard, and the keys are in fully retracted, inoperative positions. To use the keyboard its end segments are outwardly pivoted to a use orientation in which they project outwardly beyond opposite ends of the computer base housing and are vertically aligned with the central keyboard segment. A top side portion of the keyboard structure is then horizontally shifted in a first direction relative to a base portion thereof. Via an interaction between cammed portions of scissored linkage arm assemblies that movably support the keys, and resilient key return members adjacent thereto, this shifting automatically raises the keyboard keys to fully extended operative positions thereof, thereby readying the keyboard for typing thereon.

Abstract: A laser printer is provided with the ability to receive and sequentially print portions of an image substantially larger than the cut paper sheet size or sizes the printer is ordinarily configured to handle. The outsized image to be printed is input to the printer controller and stored in its memory. An oversized cut paper sheet is then folded in half and placed in the printer's manual feed area with the folded side edge of the sheet against an alignment guide and the doubled front edge of the sheet against the edge sensor portion of the printer. The printer's "PRINT" button is then pressed. Via operation of the printer controller microprocessor, a first signal representative of half the stored image is responsively output to the printer's laser generator, thereby imprinting the image half on the underside of the folded sheet.

Abstract: An apparatus 10 is employed for controllably separating a top sheet of paper 52 from a stack of paper 50 and delivering this top sheet of paper 52 to a printer. A rubber wheel 26 is maneuvered into contact with the top sheet of paper 52 and is rotated in a first direction to urge the top sheet of paper 52 toward a rear surface of a tray 12 in which the stack of paper is positioned. The top sheet of paper 52 contacts the rear surface and bows upward, away from a remaining portion of the stack of paper 50. This bowing action serves to separate the top sheet of paper 52 from the sheets of paper immediately below it. Thus, once the top sheet of paper 52 is separated, the diretion of rotation of the rubber wheel 26 is reversed so as to remove the top sheet of paper 52 and deliver it to the printer.

Abstract: A dual bin paper feed tray is removably insertable into the standard height tray-receiving housing opening of an image reproduction machine such as a printer or copier. The tray has adjacent front and rear paper holding bin areas each configured to hold a stack of approximately 250 cut paper sheets, the overall tray thus being adapted to hold the entire contents of a standard one ream package of cut paper sheets. In operation, the loaded tray is inserted, front end first, into the housing opening and the machine's paper feed system operates to sequentially feed paper sheets from the front tray bin into the machine. When the machine's paper sensing system detects that the front bin has been emptied, a shift structure incorporating a motor-driven gear train and associated cam/follower apparatus is automatically operated to move the rear paper stack into the front tray bin for infeed to the machine.

Abstract: A paper feed system for an image reproduction machine, representatively a printer, has a shelf member disposed within the machine housing and rotatably carrying a turntable on its upper side. Two transversely oriented pairs of diametrically opposite upper and lower paper trays are removably supported on the turntable, with portions of the upper trays overlying the lower trays. The turntable may be rotated to vertically interpose a selected one of the four trays between a stationary picker roller and a lifter structure positioned beneath the picker roller. The lifter structure has a portion which moves upwardly through a shelf opening, and a turntable opening aligned therewith, to engage the selected tray and lift it toward the picker roller to bring a paper stack held in the tray into engagement with the picker roller which operates to successively remove sheets from the stack and deliver them to the machine's paper feed path.

Abstract: A dual bin paper feed tray is removably insertable into the standard height tray-receiving housing opening of an image reproduction machine such as a printer or copier. The tray has adjacent front and rear paper holding bin areas each configured to hold a stack of approximately 250 cut paper sheets, the overall tray thus being adapted to hold the entire contents of a standard one ream package of cut paper sheets. In operation, the loaded tray is inserted, front end first, into the housing opening and the machine's paper feed system operates to sequentially feed paper sheets from the front tray bin into the machine. When the machine's paper sensing system detects that the front bin has been emptied, a drive motor on the rear end of the tray is energized to activate a shift structure which operates to move the rear paper stack into the front tray bin for infeed to the machine.

Abstract: A dual bin envelope tray is adapted to support, in a side-by-side relationship, two stacks of envelopes which may be of different sizes. The envelope tray is configured to be interchangeable with the conventional paper supply tray of a printing device, such as a printer, copier or the like, and may be inserted directly into the printing device housing opening from which the paper tray is removed. Cooperating driving and driven structures, respectively disposed within the housing and on the envelope tray, function to sequentially feed the envelopes in either stack thereof into the printing device housing for passage through its existing printing and paper exit paths.