Abstract:
A device for enabling access to an interior of an apparatus, with means for unlocking and swinging an upper apparatus housing part supporting a sheet stacking container clear out of a sheet dispensing area of the apparatus that has a sheet discharge unit and is freely accessible for sheet removal. To provide a device which permits simple access from above into the apparatus during servicing work, has a simple, compact and inexpensive design, and ensures reliable operation in both sheet conveying and in sheet discharge/stacking, the means for unlocking and swinging the upper apparatus housing part clear have means for displacement of the sheet stacking container out of an overlapping end area of the sheet discharge unit into a position outside the apparatus and at a distance to this end area, with the position of the sheet stacking container outside the apparatus being predetermined such that the sheet stacking container can be moved past the sheet discharge unit during the joint swivel movement with the upper apparatus housing part without interference with the sheet discharge unit.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to a device for enabling access to an interior of an apparatus that has a sheet discharge unit, with a mechanism for unlocking an upper apparatus housing part, supporting a sheet stacking container, and enabling such upper apparatus housing part to swing clear out of a sheet dispensing area of the apparatus so that such sheet discharge unit is freely accessible for sheet removal. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     A device of the type for an upper apparatus housing part carrying a sheet stacking container for unlocking and enabling swinging such upper apparatus housing part clear is generally known from EP-0 333 106-B1. The sheet discharge unit, which has a C-shaped sheet guide track and a sheet discharge roller pair arranged on its upper sheet discharge end in the insertion area of the sheet stacking container, is, together with the sheet stacking container having a sheet stacking surface downward-inclined against the sheet discharge direction, an integral part of the upper apparatus housing part and rigidly connected thereto. The upper apparatus housing part is pivotably mounted by means of a rotational axis in the rear area of the C-shaped sheet guide track or of the apparatus at the stationary lower apparatus housing part. A front area of the apparatus opposite the rear area on the upper apparatus housing part has a handle part and locking means acting on the lower housing part by means of which the upper apparatus housing part is manually unlockable and swivelable along the sheet conveyor track and upwards about the rotational axis into an open position such that access to the apparatus interior is possible. 
     The disadvantage of this disclosed embodiment is that the C-shaped sheet guide track must have a point of separation, i.e. between a track area swivelable with the upper housing part and a stationarily attached track area in the lower housing part. Without an additional sheet conveying roller pair and without complex design of the sheet guide track at the point of separation, the result is unreliable sheet conveying in the sheet guide track and hence unreliable sheet discharge and stacking in the sheet stacking container. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The object underlying the present invention is therefore to provide a device that does not have these disadvantages, but instead permits simple access from above into the apparatus during servicing work, has a simple, compact and inexpensive design, and ensures reliable operation in both sheet conveying and in sheet discharge/stacking. 
     This object is attained with a device according to claim  1  and in accordance with the invention in that the mechanism for unlocking of the upper apparatus housing part and enabling such part to swing clear of the apparatus have a mechanism for displacement of the sheet stacking container out of an overlapping end area of the sheet discharge unit into a position at a distance from this end area, with the position of the sheet stacking container being predetermined such that the sheet stacking container can be moved past the sheet discharge unit during swivel movement with the upper apparatus housing part without touching (interference) of the sheet discharge unit and the upper apparatus housing part. 
     The sheet stacking container is advantageously movable by a displacement device along a sheet conveyor track that is substantially horizontal in its end area or along the sheet conveying direction of the sheet discharge unit on the upper apparatus housing part, from an initial position in the overlapping end area of the sheet discharge unit to a position outside the apparatus and back again. 
     Furthermore, the unlocking and swiveling mechanisms are advantageously arranged with the mechanism displacement on the upper apparatus housing part and have a handle that can be swiveled for their actuation. As such, first the displacement mechanism of the sheet stacking container and then the unlocking mechanism are movable in the event of manual actuation for the swinging clear and opening of the upper apparatus housing part by actuating elements arranged thereon. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     In the detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the invention presented below, reference is made to the accompanying drawings in which: 
     FIG. 1 shows the device in accordance with the invention in an apparatus for sheet discharge in a three-dimensional representation, 
     FIG. 2 shows the device in accordance with the invention from FIG. 1 in a partly cut-out side view along a section “A—A”, where the device is shown in a sheet discharge position with a sheet stacking container and its displacement and swiveling mechanism in an initial position inside the apparatus, 
     FIG. 3 shows the device in accordance with the invention from FIG. 2, where the sheet stacking container and its displacement and swiveling mechanism are shown in an end position outside the apparatus, from which the sheet stacking container can be swiveled together with an upper apparatus housing part, 
     FIG. 4 shows the device in accordance with the invention from FIGS. 1 and 2 in a front view along a section “B—B” with the mechanism for displacement, swinging clear and unlocking in the initial position inside the apparatus, and 
     FIG. 5 shows the device in accordance with the invention from FIGS. 1 and 3 in a front view along the section “B—B” with the mechanism for displacement, swinging clear and unlocking in the end position outside the apparatus. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The following description according to FIGS. 1 to  5  relates to a preferred embodiment of the device in accordance with the invention for enabling access to the interior of an apparatus  1 . The apparatus  1  has an upper apparatus housing part  4  carrying a sheet stacking container  3  and having a sheet discharge unit  5 . A mechanism  2  is provided for unlocking and swinging clear of the upper apparatus housing part  4  out of a sheet dispensing area of the apparatus  1 , which area is then freely accessible for sheet removal. 
     The device is here used in an apparatus of known type, such as for example in a sheet discharge apparatus unit of a copier, not shown, and serves preferably for the discharge of customer-specific paper sheets carrying a toner image. 
     For a person skilled in the art in this particular field, it is self-evident that the inventive device can also be used in other apparati, such as printers or sheet sorting equipment. Moreover, the sheet stacking container can also have, besides the design form shown and described with an inclined stacking surface and freely accessible sheet dispensing area, a non-inclined and horizontal stacking surface that is not freely accessible. Furthermore, as described in the following, the sheet discharge unit can have instead of a sheet discharge roller pair an endless conveyor belt; and the action whereby the upper apparatus housing part swings clear of the apparatus can also be effected longitudinally to the sheet conveying direction instead of transversely to it. 
     The apparatus  1  according to FIG. 1 shows a lower apparatus housing part  10  with a housing side panel  49  accessible to an apparatus operator. A housing door  11  and an apparatus ON/OFF switch  15  are arranged on the accessible housing side panel. A housing side panel  12 , reaching approximately to the top edge of the upper apparatus housing part  4  is located opposite housing side panel  49 . The lower housing part  10  is in the form of an approximately rectangular container open to the top. The upper housing part  4  is in the form of a container open at the bottom, and rests on the housing part  10  as its closing cover. 
     The sheet stacking container  3  is arranged so as to rest on a support surface  40  in a recess at a comer of the upper housing part  4 . The lower-placed comer of the support housing part  4  is formed by the housing side panel facing the operator and a rear housing panel positioned downstream in the sheet conveying direction C. An upstream front housing panel  49  of the lower housing part  10  is connected to a copier, not illustrated, and has a passage opening (not shown in the area of the upper housing part  4 ). A part-section of a sheet conveyor track  52  of the sheet discharge unit  5  projects into such passage opening such that paper and/or film sheets S, having a toner image, coming from the copier are conveyable by the sheet discharge unit into the sheet stacking container  3  and are freely accessible from above (see FIGS.  1  and  2 ). 
     The sheet stacking container  3  has a sheet stacking surface  30  inclined downwards relative to the sheet discharge direction C and ending at a front panel  31  of the container. The front panel  31 , acting as a sheet stop, is aligned at right angles and vertical to the sheet conveyor track  52 . The inclination angle of the sheet stacking surface  30  in the front area close to the panel  31  is greater than in the area away from the panel so that the sheets conveyed into the sheet stacking container slide downwards and against the front panel and align thereon flush with the sheet conveyor track. 
     As shown in FIGS. 1 to  3 , the support surface  40  for the sheet stacking container  3 , on the upper housing part  4 , has substantially the same inclination angle as the sheet stacking surface  30  of the sheet stacking container  3 . As such, sheet stacking container  3  also tends to slide downwards against the sheet conveying direction C into an initial position or starting position in the sheet dispensing area of the sheet discharge unit  5 . 
     Lateral guides  42 , 43  are arranged on the upper apparatus housing part  4 . The sheet stacking container  3  is guided between the lateral guides in the known manner and held in a positive connection during displacement and swiveling of the upper housing part  4 . The lateral guide  42  located on the operating side of the apparatus is an integral part of the housing side panel in the lower-placed corner of the upper housing part, with this housing side panel having a height equal to the height position of the sheet stacking surface  30  of the sheet stacking container  3 . The second lateral guide  43  is arranged parallel opposite the first at a limiting panel of the recessed area for the sheet stacking container  3 , and is also formed by a side panel  32  of the sheet stacking container adjacent to the lateral guide  43  and a lateral upper sheet guide  47  attached to the limiting panel. 
     For easier removal of one or more sheets S conveyed into the sheet stacking container  3 , two removal recesses  33  are provided on the side panel of the upper apparatus housing  4  facing the operating side and extend at right angles transversely to the sheet conveying direction C into the sheet stacking surface  30  of the sheet stacking container  3 . One of the recesses  33  is in the area of the front stop panel  31  of the stacking container  3 , and the other is in the corner area outside the apparatus at the rear housing panel of the apparatus  1 . In the support surface  40  for the sheet stacking container  3 , suitable cutouts  41  are provided that are longer along the sheet conveying direction C in order to provide latitude for movement for the sheet stacking container. 
     The mechanism  2  for unlocking the upper apparatus housing part  4  and enabling it to swing clear have, as shown in FIGS. 2 to  5 , a mechanism  6  for displacement of the sheet stacking container  3 , out of an overlapping end area  50  of the sheet discharge unit  5 , into a position outside the apparatus and at a distance to this end area. The position of the sheet stacking container outside the apparatus is predetermined such that the sheet stacking container can be moved past the sheet discharge unit during the joint swivel movement with the upper apparatus housing part without touching (interference). 
     The sheet stacking container  3  can be displaced in a substantially horizontal direction to the end area of the sheet discharge unit  5  by the displacement mechanism  6  along the sheet conveyor track  52  of the sheet discharge unit. Alternatively displacement by the mechanism  6  may be along the sheet conveying direction on the support surface  40  of the upper apparatus housing part  4 , from its initial position in the overlapping end area  50  of the sheet discharge unit  5  to its position outside the apparatus and back again. 
     The sheet discharge unit  5  has, in its sheet conveyor track, an end area  50  overlapping the intake area of the sheet stacking container  3 . Positioned above this sheet stacking container  3  is a sheet discharge roller pair  51  stationarily arranged in the lower part  10  of the apparatus  1 . The roller pair  51 , arranged at the sheet conveyor track end area  50 , projects (as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2) through penetrations in the front panel  31  into the insertion area of the sheet stacking container in the initial position or starting position of the sheet stacking container  3 . Since the front panel  31  of the sheet stacking container  3  ends with its upper edge below the sheet discharge gap of the roller pair  51 , only the lower roller of the roller pair projects through the penetrations adapted to the lower roller and provided in the upper area of the front panel  31 . The upper and lower rollers of the roller pair  51  are drivable by a microprocessor-controlled drive unit of the apparatus for sheet discharge out of the apparatus or for sheet feed into the sheet stacking container  3 . Each roller pair has on its roller axes several narrow plastic rollers arranged adjacently and at a distance from one another in the axial direction, so that the penetrations in the front container panel  31  are designed in the form of slots. 
     The mechanism  2  for unlocking and enabling swinging is shown in FIGS. 1 to  5  as arranged with the displacement mechanism  6  on the upper apparatus housing part  4 . Such mechanisms  2  and  6  have a swivelable handle  20  for actuation. By operator actuation through the handle  20 , the displacement mechanism  6  of the sheet stacking container  3  and then the unlocking mechanism  2  are movable for the swinging clear and opening of the upper apparatus housing part  4  by actuating elements  21 , 22 , 23  arranged on such handle. The handle  20  is located on the operator side of the apparatus in an adapted cutout  48  in the central area of the side panel of the upper housing part  4 . A swivel bearing, or axis  24 , for the handle  20  is provided on a cantilever element  25 , which is rigidly connected to the housing part  4 . Accordingly, the handle  20  can swivel in the same direction as the housing part  4  about the axis  24 . 
     An electrical apparatus safety switch  13 , in association with the handle  20 , is provided for switching off the apparatus  1  before unlocking and/or swinging clear of the upper housing part  4 . The safety switch  13  is actuatable by the actuating elements  21 , 22 , 23  of the handle  20  when the latter is actuated for unlocking of the upper apparatus housing part  4 . 
     The upper apparatus housing part  4  is swivelable jointly with the sheet stacking container  3 , about a swivel axis X—X stationarily arranged on a lower apparatus housing part  10  by actuation of the handle  20 , transversely or at right angles to the sheet conveying direction and conveyor track of the sheet discharge unit  5 . The swivel axis X—X is mounted in the area of the rear side panel  12  of the lower apparatus part  10 . The upper housing part  4  is movable from a horizontal closed-apparatus position into a vertical open-apparatus position, where a swivel angle of equal to or greater than 100 degrees is provided for reaching a stable open-apparatus stationary position of the upper housing part  4 . 
     The actuating elements  21 , 22 , 23  of the handle  20  include a first  21 , a second  22  and a third actuator  23 . The first actuator  21  is in effective connection with a swivelable, spring-loaded L-shaped lever  60  of the displacement mechanism  6 . The second actuator  22  is in effective connection with a swivelable, spring-loaded engaging catch  27  of the locking mechanism  2 . The third actuator  23  is in effective connection with an actuating lever  213  of the apparatus safety switch  13 . 
     As shown in FIGS. 2 to  5 , the first actuator  21  is provided at the upper end area of the handle  20  in the direction of the apparatus interior and also serves as a bearing part mounted on the swivel axis  24  for the handle  20 . The first actuator  21  engages, with its spherical end facing the interior of the apparatus, in a socket  63  located on a short leg end of the L-shaped lever  60 . As such, the lever  60 , mounted in the intersection of its legs on a swivel bearing  61 , is also swivelable during swiveling of the handle  20  in a direction along the sheet conveying direction or along the movement direction of the sheet stacking container  3 . The swivel direction of the L-shaped lever  60  of the displacement mechanism  6  is also at right angles or transverse to the swivel direction of the handle  20 . The L-shaped swivel lever  60  is mounted in a plane-parallel position, relative to the housing side panel facing the operator&#39;s side, on the swivel bearing  61  in turn mounted on the cantilever element  25 . 
     An actuating pin  62  is arranged on the long leg end of the L-shaped lever  60  and engages in a sleeve  34  provided on a lower area of a side panel  35  of the sheet stacking container  3 . As such during swiveling of the L-shaped lever  60  by the handle the sheet stacking container  3  is movable along the sheet conveying direction. 
     A front end stop  44  and a rear end stop  45  are provided on the upper housing part  4  for limiting the displacement movement of the sheet stacking container  3 . The two end stops are attached to the cantilever  25  and limit the swiveling range of the L-shaped lever  60  of the displacement mechanism  6 . The handle  20  can be moved into and held in a starting position contacting the housing part  4  by the spring force of a first leg spring  210  mounted on the swivel bearing  24  and engaging with its leg ends on the one hand in the bearing area  24  on the handle and on the other hand on the stationary cantilever  25 . Further, by such spring force, the L-shaped swivel lever  60  with the sheet stacking container  3  can be moved into its initial position at the front end stop  44  when the upper apparatus housing part  4  is in the closing position. 
     The handle  20  can also be locked by its engaging lever  28  and a swivelable, spring-loaded cam lever  26  when the upper housing part  4  is closed. Further, the handle can be locked in a position contacting the housing part  4 , and in a position swiveled away from the housing part at an angle of approx. 30 degrees when the housing part is unlocked and closed or opened. The spring force is generated by a further leg spring  212  mounted on a swivel bearing  214  of the cam lever  26  and with its leg ends engaging with the cam lever and with the retaining angle. The cam lever  26  is swivelable counterclockwise by this second leg spring  212  during swiveling of the handle  20  into a position about 60 degrees outside the apparatus relative to the side panel of the upper apparatus housing part  4 . In such position, the engaging lever  28  of the handle  20  can rest on an engaging cam of the cam lever  26 , as shown in FIG. 5, and the handle is secured against a swiveling-back movement effected by the first leg spring  210 . 
     For releasing of this swivel-back prevention of the handle  20  to swivel it back into its starting position contacting the upper apparatus housing part  4 , a release lever  215  is stationarily arranged underneath the handle on the lower housing part  10 . The release lever presses, during swinging down of the upper housing part  4  into its closing position, from downwards against a cam disc arranged at the lower end of the cam lever  26  around the swivel bearing  214 . Accordingly, the cam lever  26  is swiveled with its engaging cam clockwise and upwards and out of the area of the engaging lever. 
     The engaging catch  27  of the unlocking mechanism  2  is mounted on a further swivel bearing  29 . When the upper housing part  4  is swiveling down into its closing position, the engaging catch  27  is movable by the spring force of a third leg spring  211 , arranged on this swivel bearing  29 , into a lower engaging position in which the engaging catch  27  (with its downward hanging engaging hook) partially encloses an engaging pin  14  rigidly arranged on the lower apparatus housing part  10  (see FIG.  4 ). 
     For releasing the lock for the purpose of opening or swiveling up of the upper housing part  4 , the engaging catch  27  is, during swiveling of the handle  20  up into the position furthest outside the apparatus (shown in FIG. 5 as a dashed line), swivelable by the second actuating element  22  of the handle. The actuator element  22  includes a hook (shown in FIG.  5 ), urged against the spring force of the third leg spring  211  about the swivel bearing  29  and movable out of engagement with the engaging pin  14 . 
     For actuation of the apparatus safety switch  13 , the unlocking mechanism  2  has an L-shaped actuating lever  213 , mounted on the swivel bearing  214  of the cam lever  26 . When the handle  20  is swiveled out/up, the actuating lever  213  is movable by the spring force of the leg spring  212  into an upper position in which the safety switch  13  has switched off the apparatus  1  (see FIG.  5 ). When swiveling down the handle  20 , the actuating lever  213  is actuatable by contact of the actuator element  23  with a ramp-like switching surface provided at the first end of the actuating lever  213 . As such, the safety switch  13  can be switched on by the second end of the actuating lever  213  by its downward movement, with the safety switch  13  being switched on shortly before the position of the handle  20  is reached in contact with the apparatus housing part  4  (see FIG.  4 ). 
     The invention has been described in detail with particular reference to preferred embodiments, thereof, but it will be understood that variations and modifications can be effected within the ordinary skill in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. 
     PARTS LIST 
     C Sheet conveying direction/sheet discharge direction 
     S Sheet (paper, film etc.) 
     X Swivel axis on lower housing part for upper housing part of apparatus 
     Y Swivel direction of the upper apparatus housing part 
       1 . Apparatus 
       2 . Mechanism for unlocking/locking and swinging clear of the upper housing part 
       3 . Sheet stacking container 
       4 . Upper apparatus housing part 
       5 . Sheet discharge unit 
       6 . Mechanism for displacement of the sheet stacking container 
       10 . Lower apparatus housing part 
       11 . Housing door 
       12 . Rear side panel of lower housing part 
       13 . Apparatus safety switch 
       14 . Engaging pin for engaging catch (unlocking/locking mechanism) 
       15 . Apparatus ON/OFF switch 
       20 . Handle (mechanism for unlocking/locking and swiveling clear) 
       21 . First actuating mechanism/actuator (displacement mechanism) 
       22 . Second actuating mechanism/actuator (unlocking/locking mechanism) 
       23 . Third actuating mechanism/actuator (apparatus safety switch) 
       24 . Swivel bearing for handle 
       25 . Cantilever for swivel bearing 
       26 . Cam lever for handle 
       27 . Engaging catch of unlocking/locking mechanism 
       28 . Engaging lever for cam lever (handle) 
       29 . Swivel bearing for engaging catch 
       30 . Sheet stacking surface of the sheet stacking container 
       31 . Front panel/sheet stop of the sheet stacking container 
       32 . Side panel of the sheet stacking container 
       33 . Sheet/sheet stack removal recess 
       34 . Sleeve for actuating pin of the displacement lever 
       35 . Side panel for mounting of sleeve 
       40 . Support surface for sheet stacking container on upper housing part 
       41 . Cutout on support surface (for removal recess of stacking container) 
       42 . First/left-hand lateral guide for stacking container 
       43 . Second/right-hand lateral guide for stacking container 
       44 . Front end stop for displacement lever 
       45 . Rear end stop for displacement lever 
       46 . Front/upper sheet guide (discharge area of sheet discharge unit) 
       47 . Lateral/upper sheet guide (in area of the sheet stacking container) 
       48 . Cutout for handle on upper apparatus housing part 
       49 . Front housing panel of the apparatus 
       50 . Overlapping end area of sheet discharge unit 
       51 . Sheet discharge roller pair 
       52 . Sheet conveyor track 
       60 . Swivelable L-shaped lever of displacement mechanism 
       61 . Swivel bearing for lever 
       62 . Actuating pin on lever 
       63 . Bearing socket for spherical actuator end of displacement mechanism (handle) 
       210 . Leg spring on actuator of handle 
       211 . Leg spring on engaging catch 
       212 . Leg spring on cam lever &amp; actuating lever for safety switch 
       213 . Actuating lever for apparatus safety switch 
       214 . Swivel bearing for actuating lever &amp; cam lever 
       215 . Release lever for cam lever