With Sheet Ejector Patents (Class 400/602)
  • Patent number: 8734038
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided that includes an image forming unit disposed in a main body and configured to form an image on a recording medium, an output tray provided in the main body and configured to receive the recording medium having an image formed thereon, and an ejection device provided in the main body and configured to eject the recording medium to the output tray. The apparatus may further include a movable sheet guiding member movably attached to the main body and a stationary sheet guiding member disposed downstream of the movable sheet guiding member in a recording medium ejection direction and above the output tray. The movable sheet guiding member can press a recording medium ejected from the ejection device downward, and the stationary sheet guiding member can protrude from the main body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazutoshi Nakamura, Takashi Saito
  • Patent number: 7524121
    Abstract: A printer includes a front panel having an approximately flat main surface which serves as one of the surfaces of the external housing of the printer, a feed-tray attachment hole for detachably attaching a feed tray which stores a paper sheet to the main body of the printer, and an output hole for outputting the paper sheet after an image is printed, and an output door which is attached to the external panel to cover the output hole such that the output door can be opened and closed, the output door being opened when the printed sheet is output through the output hole. The output door serves as an auxiliary output tray while the output door is open and the printed paper which is output through the output hole is placed on the top surface of the output door.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2009
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Takumi Namekawa, Yoshio Kitamura, Hidaka Shinobu
  • Patent number: 7465110
    Abstract: A printer includes a front panel having an approximately flat main surface which serves as one of the surfaces of the external housing of the printer, a feed-tray attachment hole for detachably attaching a feed tray which stores a paper sheet to the main body of the printer, and an output hole for outputting the paper sheet after an image is printed, and an output door which is attached to the external panel to cover the output hole such that the output door can be opened and closed, the output door being opened when the printed sheet is output through the output hole. The output door serves as an auxiliary output tray while the output door is open and the printed paper which is output through the output hole is placed on the top surface of the output door.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2008
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Takumi Namekawa, Yoshio Kitamura, Hidaka Shinobu
  • Patent number: 6923584
    Abstract: A printer includes a front panel having an approximately flat main surface which serves as one of the surfaces of the external housing of the printer, a feed-tray attachment hole for detachably attaching a feed tray which stores a paper sheet to the main body of the printer, and an output hole for outputting the paper sheet after an image is printed, and an output door which is attached to the external panel to cover the output hole such that the output door can be opened and closed, the output door being opened when the printed sheet is output through the output hole. The output door serves as an auxiliary output tray while the output door is open and the printed paper which is output through the output hole is placed on the top surface of the output door.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2005
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Takumi Namekawa, Yoshio Kitamura, Hidaka Shinobu
  • Patent number: 6726384
    Abstract: A print medium exit system in a printer includes a kicker device ejecting a sheet of print medium out of the printer. A clutch mechanism prevents actuation of the kicker device when the clutch mechanism is engaged by the sheet of print medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2004
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Eugene David Allen, Brandon Sung-Hwan Song, Randal Scott Williamson
  • Patent number: 6695503
    Abstract: A print media feed system for advancing a sheet of print media having a leading edge and a trailing edge in a sheet feed direction through a print zone in an imaging apparatus includes a rotating support positioned downstream of an exit roller in relation to a sheet feed direction. The rotating support provides a rotating support surface that engages a non-printed side of the sheet of print media downstream of the exit roller while the trailing edge of the sheet of print media is advanced through the print zone by the exit roller, the rotating support not contributing to advance the trailing edge of the sheet of print media through the print zone, but contributing to advance the sheet of print media after the sheet of print media is released by the exit roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2004
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Patrick Andrew Buxton, Ryan Timothy Ward
  • Patent number: 6626594
    Abstract: The invention concerns a machine (1) for printing a substrate (5) taken from a supply (50), including a frame (2), a cover (3) movable relative to the frame, said frame (2) receiving the supply, and means (4) for printing the substrate (5) including in particular a print roller (6) and a print head, a machine, characterized in that it also includes a latch (9) articulated relative to the frame (2) allowing the cover to be unlocked relative to the frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2003
    Assignee: Sagem S.A.
    Inventor: Jean-François Lallemant
  • Patent number: 6505981
    Abstract: Setting plain paper in a printer which can print on plain paper and a label paper is facilitated using a printer capable of printing a recording medium including a base sheet and at least one label sheet detachably adhered thereon. The printer includes a print head and platen opposing to each other for printing the recording medium. A first printer housing houses the platen, and a second printer housing movably connected to the first housing houses the print head. The printer also includes an ejection port, defined at the border of the first and second printer housings, from which the recording medium is ejected after printed by the print head and platen, and a separator for curving the base sheet ejected from the ejection port to separate the leading edge of the label sheet from the base sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2003
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Toru Takami, Toshihiro Tsukada
  • Patent number: 6379063
    Abstract: A discharge tray for a sheet material handling device such as a printer includes multiple stapler mechanisms. The multiple stapler mechanisms are positioned along an edge of a discharge tray so that, by selectively engaging the stapler mechanisms, a desired staple pattern is established according to the nature of an assembled document and according to sheet sizes of the sheet material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2002
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Company
    Inventors: Hernan Gutierrez, Laurent A. Regimbal, Rual Ocampo
  • Patent number: 5435657
    Abstract: A thermal printing device comprises a label tape printer and tape and ink ribbon cartridge for horizontal insertion into the printer. The cartridge housing includes an upper cover and a base which are joined by telescoping hubs and posts. The cartridge contains a supply of tape and ink ribbon wound on supply spools, a ribbon or rewind spool and a roller platen all supported for rotation. The platen and the rewind spool are formed with gears which engage one another. The platen gear is disposed proximate the cartridge tape port and an opening for admitting the printer print head. When the cartridge is horizontally inserted :into a printer openings the print head bears against the tape and ink ribbon which abuts the platen for controlled printing and advancement of the tape and ribbon. The platen gear partially extends from the front of the cartridge for driving engagement with a printer motor drive gear. In an alternate embodiment the rewind spool gear engages the printer motor drive gear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 1993
    Date of Patent: July 25, 1995
    Assignee: Smith Corona Corporation
    Inventors: Edwin M. Pearce, Rickson Sun
  • Patent number: 4723133
    Abstract: A card ejecting apparatus for a thermal printer includes a rotatable drum having a clamp which holds a card when the drum is rotated in a first printing direction and releases the card when the drum is rotated in the opposite ejecting direction, a spring having a hooked free end, a transport mechanism which receives a card as it is being ejected from the drum and drives it into the hooked free end of the spring to cock such spring, and such cocked spring propelling such card onto a stack of cards.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 1987
    Date of Patent: February 2, 1988
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventor: Gerald N. Walter
  • Patent number: 4489651
    Abstract: This invention relates to a stand-alone electronic mailing machine. The entire drive mechanism, setting mechanism, and control devices as well as the postage metering mechanisms are all contained in one housing so that there is no need for a separate base. In the mailing machine of this invention, a reciprocating platen is used for the purpose of driving an envelope against a print head during the applying of postage to the envelope. A stripper is resiliently mounted on the platen to assure the envelope does not adhere to the print head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 1982
    Date of Patent: December 25, 1984
    Assignee: Pitney Bowes Inc.
    Inventors: Albert M. De Luca, Danilo P. Buan
  • Patent number: 4275969
    Abstract: A printing machine, such as a typewriter, printer, etc., including a platen having wound thereon a sheet for printing characters and symbols thereon and provided with an automatic sheet feeding apparatus including a cassette containing a plurality of sheets automatically fed to the platen. The cassette can be inserted into or withdrawn from the sheet feeding apparatus through an opening in the front of the sheet feeding apparatus. The sheet feeding apparatus enables a sheet to be selectively fed manually, if desired, besides enabling sheets to be fed automatically from the cassette. The sheet feeding apparatus enables a paper bail to be mechanically operated in conjunction with its operation of automatically feeding sheets to the platen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 1978
    Date of Patent: June 30, 1981
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Koh Matsuhisa, Mamoru Takezawa
  • Patent number: 4143981
    Abstract: Disclosed is a means for feeding unit documents, such as sheets, envelopes, pages, cards, and the like to an apparatus for processing. Means is provided for feeding the documents to and removing them from the operating apparatus at a relatively high rate of speed. During the time that an individual document is being operated upon it is conveyed by means associated with the operating apparatus. Examples of such operations would be printing addresses on an envelope, embossing credit cards, encoding magnetic tapes, and the like. Upon conclusion of the operation, the documents are removed quickly so that a second document may be supplied to the operating apparatus expeditiously.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 1976
    Date of Patent: March 13, 1979
    Assignee: Pitney-Bowes, Inc.
    Inventors: Gary G. Hansen, Leonard M. Pengue, Theodore Watkin