Abstract:
A printer having a printing unit, a structure that supports the printing unit, and a device coupled to the printer that receives media provided as an output from the printer is provided. The device coupled to the printer is a bin having at least one arm connecting the bin to the structure, wherein the arm is capable of pivotal movement with respect to said structure to allow movement of the bin from a position substantially beneath the printing unit to a media-receiving position is provided. A device having a bin and a bin moving mechanism that is operative to move the bin between a stored position and a media-receiving position in which the bin is capable of receiving media output from the printer is provided. A method of positioning a bin for receiving media from a printer by moving the bin between the stored and a media-receiving position is provided.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     This invention relates to a printer having a media bin and a method.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     Large format printing machines demand large amounts of floor space and are optimally placed against a wall. Media bins connected to the front of the printing machines further enhance the volume that is occupied. Although, users can move the bins, they are often difficult to move, store and properly reposition once they have been moved. Also, the bins obstruct access to components at the front of the printers that require maintenance such as roll modules, printer rolls, and print heads. As opposed to moving the bins, users are relegated to placing the printers towards the center of the room to provide access to the back of the machines, to perform routine maintenance on the components.  
         [0003]     Solutions to printer bin design have not been successful. The designs do not enable the bins to be easily positioned and hung. Additionally, solutions do not decrease the effective size of the printer and the bin. Further, the solutions often require a large amount of force to lift and position the bin. Ultimately, the bins are not operational and either compromise or prevent hanging of the bin and result in the printed sheets falling on the floor.  
         [0004]     Thus, there exists a continuing need to provide a printer having a media bin that is easily movable and positionable to provide full access to the front of the printing machine.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005]     A printer having a printing unit, a structure that supports the printing unit, and a device coupled to the printer that receives media provided as an output from the printer is provided. The device coupled to the printer is a bin that provides for at least one arm connecting the bin to the structure. The arm is capable of pivotal movement with respect to the structure to allow movement of the bin from a position substantially beneath the printing unit to a media-receiving position.  
         [0006]     A device for use with a printer having a bin is provided. A bin moving mechanism that is operative to move the bin between a stored position in which the bin is located substantially beneath the printer and a media-receiving position in which said bin is capable of receiving media output from the printer is provided.  
         [0007]     A method of positioning a bin for receiving media from a printer is provided. The method provides for moving the bin between a stored position in which the bin is located substantially beneath the printer and a media-receiving position in which the bin receives media output from the printer.  
         [0008]     The above-described and other features and advantages of the present disclosure will be appreciated and understood by those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, drawings, and appended claims. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING  
       [0009]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the printer and media bin in a first position according to a first embodiment of the invention.  
         [0010]      FIG. 2  is a side view of the printer and media bin in a media-receiving position, according to the first embodiment.  
         [0011]      FIG. 3  is a side view of the printer and media bin in a stored position, according to the first embodiment.  
         [0012]      FIG. 4  is a side view of the printer and the media bin as it moves from the stored position to the media-receiving position, according to the first embodiment.  
         [0013]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the printer and media bin in which the bin is in a media-receiving position, according to a second embodiment of the invention.  
         [0014]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the printer and the media bin in which the bin is in a stored position, according to the second embodiment.  
         [0015]      FIG. 7  is a right side view of the printer and the media bin in which the bin is in the stored position, according to the second embodiment.  
         [0016]      FIG. 8  is a right side view of the printer and media bin in which the bin is in the media-receiving position, according to the second embodiment. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0017]     Referring to FIGS.  1  to  3 , a printer  10  of the present invention includes a printing unit  15 , a media release unit  20 , a roller module  25 , and a media rolls  30 . Printer  10  also has a base  35  and a pair of front printer leg supports  40  and a pair of back printer leg supports  42 , which together constitute the main printer body. Front printer leg supports  40  and back printer leg supports  42  are all mounted in parallel on base  35 . Alternatively, a single support could be used as opposed to front and rear supports.  
         [0018]     Printing unit  15  includes a carriage (not shown), a print head (not shown) mounted on the carriage, and a paper feed roller  30  for feeding print media towards printing unit  15 . Printing unit  15  prints on the media that is fed from one of two media rolls  30 . Attached to the front face of printing unit  15  are an ink cartridge carriage and an ink cartridge (neither of which are shown) in which ink is retained and is supplied to the print head mounted in cartridge case.  
         [0019]     Media from one of media rolls  30  is fed up to printer unit  15  from roller module  25 . Media refers to any roll or print sheets of any suitable sizes and types, such as coated bond, glossy, vellum, transparencies or any other such material used in large-format printers. Roller module  25  is easily accessed from the front of printer  10  to load and replace media. The printing process is performed on media that is cut prior to being released from media release unit  20 .  
         [0020]     After printing, the print media is released from media release unit  20 , and travels obliquely downward toward the front of printer  10 . A cutter (not shown) is provided between print unit  15  and media release unit  20  (used especially for media rolls  30 ). A print sheet that has been printed is cut by the cutter to provide a desired length that is thereafter released.  
         [0021]     In  FIG. 1 , a first embodiment of printer  10  and a bin  45  is shown. Bin  45  is located in front of printer  10  for receiving printed media from printer unit  15 . This position of bin  45  is hereinafter referred to as the “media-receiving position”. In  FIG. 3 , bin  45  is shown at a position entirely beneath printer  10  (hereinafter referred to as the “stored position”).  
         [0022]     Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , bin  45  is in the media receiving-position to accept media from media rolls  30  as it is released by media release unit  20 . Bin  45  is a rigid rack-like element having a width to accommodate media plots and prints of any suitable size, such as any size from A4 to A0, including size A1 or B1. Bin  45  is preferably made of a rigid plastic or metal, such as aluminum or any other such material that is strong, light weight and capable of supporting the weight of several sheets from media roll  30  or single sheets inputted into the printer.  
         [0023]     Bin  45  includes at a least one trough  70  to receive media sheets from media release unit  20 , a lower portion  48 , an upper portion  49  and a handle  50 . Handle  50  is located at the mid-point of bin  45  to provide even weight distribution as bin  45  is lifted from the stored position to the media-receiving position. Handle  50  has a rectangular shape and is made of plastic or metal, such as aluminum, or any other such material capable of lifting the weight of bin  45 .  
         [0024]     Handle  50  is slidable relative to bin  45  and is held in place by a bar  85  located on bin  45 . When bin  45  is in either the stored position beneath the printer  10  or in the media-receiving position, handle  50  lies in the plane of bin  45 . When a user moves bin  45  from either the stored position or the media-receiving position, handle  50  slides out of the plane of the bin and is in an optimal orientation for positioning bin  45  as it is positioned. Bin  45  also includes a V-shaped stop  55  that collides with the front of roller module  25  to alert the user that bin  45  is in a proper position to release handle  50  for proper hanging of bin  45  against roller module  25 .  
         [0025]     Further in reference to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , bin  45  includes a pair of arms  65  disposed on opposite sides of bin  45 , that connect bin  45  to printer front supports  40  to allow for rotational movement. Each of the arms  65  is pivotally connected to a different one of the printer supports  40 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , arm  65  has a first pivot connection  80  to provide rotation of bin  45  and arms  65  relative to printer  10  front supports  40  during installation and storage. Arms  65  include a second pivot connection  75  to allow bin  45  to rotate relative to arms  65  during installation. Alternatively, a single arm could be used.  
         [0026]     Referring to  FIG. 3 , bin  45  is shown in its stored position. In the stored position, bin  45  is stored substantially or entirely beneath printer  10  to allow complete accessibility to roller module  25 , media rolls  30 , printer unit  15  and other printer components. Complete access to these components from the front of printer  10  facilitates ease of maintenance and allows printer  10  to be placed against a wall during use. Additionally, placing bin  45  entirely beneath printer  10  reduces the overall volume or footprint that printer  10  occupies. Bin  45  can also be also provided with wheels  60  to minimize friction against the floor during storage and installation of bin  45 .  
         [0027]     The operation of bin  45  of the first embodiment will be described in reference to  FIG. 4 .  FIG. 4  shows the path of bin  45  from the storage position A, to an intermediate position B, to the media-receiving position C. Initially, bin  45  is substantially or entirely beneath printer  10 . As soon as the user lifts handle  50  in position A, handle  50  slides out of the plane of bin  45 . The new relative position of handle  50  with respect to bin  45  allows bin  45  to rotate because of its own weight, about pivot connection  75 . The relative position of the handle  50  ensures that bin lower portion  48  is closer to bin  45  during installation than bin upper portion  49 .  
         [0028]     Additionally, the geometry of handle  50  out of the plane of bin  45 , allows the user to lift bin  45  with a pre-determined orientation with respect to media roll module  25 . The orientation and the rotation allowed by handle  50  and arms  65  allow proper positioning of bin  45  on roller module  25  in the media-receiving position. As the user lifts bin  45  past intermediate position B to the media-receiving position C, bin  45  is properly oriented for positioning against roller module  25 . Once the user senses stop  55  abutting or colliding with roller module  25 , bin  45  is properly positioned for hanging on roller module  25  and will remain stationary due to friction between stop  55  and roller module  25 . After the user releases handle  50  and bin  45  falls against roller module  25 , stop  55  prevents bin  45  from slipping from the roller module. In this position, bin  45  is properly and easily placed for receiving media sheets from media release unit  20 .  
         [0029]     Referring to  FIGS. 5 and 6 , a second embodiment of printer  10  is identical to the first embodiment, except for bin  45 , and elements designated by the same reference numerals have the same function. In  FIG. 5 , bin  45  is shown in the stored position in which the bin is located substantially or entirely beneath the printer  10 . In  FIG. 6 , bin  45  is shown in the second media receiving position to receive printed media from media release unit  20 .  
         [0030]     Bin  45  includes at least one trough  47  to receive media sheets after they are released from media release unit  20 . Handle  50  is located at the mid-point of bin  45  to provide even weight distribution as the bin is lifted from the stored position to the media-receiving position. Handle  50  has a cylindrical shape and is made of a plastic or metal, such as aluminum, or any other such material capable of lifting the weight of bin  45 .  
         [0031]     Handle  50  is fixed relative to bin  45  and therefore allows the entire bin to be lifted with the handle. When bin  45  is in either the stored position beneath the printer  10  or in the media-receiving position, handle  50  has a fixed angle with respect to bin  45 . Bin  45  includes a stop  55  that collides with the front of roller module  25  to alert the user that bin  45  is in a proper position to release handle  50  for the proper hanging and receipt of printed media.  
         [0032]     According to the second embodiment, and in reference to  FIGS. 5 and 6 , bin  45  has a pair of arms  65  that provide a pivot connection  80  to front supports  40 . Each of the pair of arms  65  are connected to one of the pair of front printer supports  40 . Arms  65  and bin  45  rotate together about pivot connection  80  to move bin  45  and arms  65  relative printer supports  40  during installation and storage.  
         [0033]     Referring to  FIG. 7 , bin  45  is shown in its stored position. In the stored position, bin  45  is stored substantially or entirely beneath printer  10  to allow complete accessibility to roller module  25 , media rolls  30 , printer unit  15  and other printer components. Complete access to these components from the front of printer  10  facilitates ease of maintenance and allows the printer to be placed against a wall during use. Additionally, placing bin  45  beneath printer  10  reduces the overall volume that the printer occupies. Bin  45  can be provided with wheels  60  to minimize friction against the floor during storage and installation of the bin.  
         [0034]     The operation of bin  45  of the second embodiment will be described in reference to  FIGS. 7 and 8 . Initially, bin  45  is beneath printer  10 . As soon as the user lifts handle  50 , bin  45  and arms  65  together rotate about pivot connection  80 . The positioning of handle  50  with respect to bin  45  keeps lower portion  48  closer to the printer than upper portion  49 . Further, this orientation and the rotation allowed by arms  65 , provide proper positioning of bin  45  on roller module  25  in the media-receiving position. As the user lifts bin  45  and senses stop  55  abutting roller module  25 , bin  45  is properly positioned. The user releases handle  50  and the weight of bin  45  and stop  55  prevent bin  45  from slipping from roller module  25 . In this position, bin  45  is properly and easily placed for receiving media sheets from media release unit  20 .  
         [0035]     While the instant disclosure has been described with reference to one or more exemplary embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope thereof. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the disclosure without departing from the scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the disclosure not be limited to the particular embodiment(s) disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this invention, but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims.