PAPER COLLECTOR FOR PRINTER

A paper collector receives papers printed by a printer. The paper collector includes a carrier and one or more stand arms. The carrier is located on a side of the printer. The stand arms are pivotably attached to the carrier. The stand arms can rotated relative to the carrier from a non-carrying state to a lower state. When in the non-carrying state, the stand arm is oblique to the carrier and to a paper output direction of the printer. When in the lower state, the stand arm is pressed down by weight of accumulated printed papers thereon.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1illustrates one embodiment of a paper collector for gathering printed papers of a printer200(shown inFIG. 4). The paper collector includes a carrier10and a stand member20attached to the carrier10. The stand member20includes two parallel stand arms30.

Referring toFIG. 2andFIG. 4, in one embodiment, the carrier10defines an upper surface17and a lower surface18. A pivot tab12is located on the lower surface18of the carrier10. Two slots15are defined in the carrier10for receiving the two stand arms30. The two slots15extend to an edge of the carrier10. A length of each stand arm30is greater than the length of the slot15.

Each stand arm30includes an arm portion33and a pivot portion31. A deep hollow circular groove (annular groove312) is defined in each pivot portion31. The pivot portion31can pivot about the pivot tab12by means of a shaft35. The annular groove312can receive an elastic member50. The elastic member50may be a torsion coil spring.

Referring toFIG. 3andFIG. 4, in assembly, the elastic member50and the shaft35are mounted to each stand arm30. The two stand arms30are mounted to the pivot tabs12of the carrier10. One end of the elastic member50abuts the pivot tab12, and the other end of the elastic member50abuts the stand arm30. In a non-carrying state, the stand arms30obliquely extend through the slots15and are angled upwards from the lower surface of the carrier10, due to the elastic member50.

ReferringFIG. 4, in use, the paper collector is located on a side of paper output opening210of the printer200. The printer200prints out a plurality of papers100from the paper output opening210along a direction F. The paper output opening210is elevated above the carrier10. The carrier10is substantially parallel to the paper output direction F. In the non-carrying state, a distal end of the stand arms30extend towards the paper output opening210of the printer. The stand arms30are oblique to the carrier10and are also oblique to the paper output direction F of the printer in the non-carrying state.

The plurality of papers100is printed out from the paper output opening210one by one. A paper printed out from the paper output opening210naturally falls front end first. The front end of the paper contacts the oblique stand arms30at a small angle. The paper avoids being curled or folded by the stand arms30. Referring toFIG. 5, an amount of papers is printed out, and these printed papers accumulate on the stand arms30. The stand arms30are rotated down relative to the carrier10by the accumulating weight of the printed papers, little by little. The front end of the following papers also has a small angle relative to the topmost of the accumulating papers. Referring toFIG. 6, the stand arms30are finally depressed into the slots15by the weight of a full stack of accumulated papers.

In another embodiment, the paper collector includes a rotatable stand plate to support printed papers.