Tray drawer and multi-function printer using the same

A tray drawer and a multi-function printer using the same are provided. The drawer includes a tray body, a handle and an elastic element. The handle is connected to the tray body and includes a handle portion and a first engagement portion. The first engagement portion is connected to the handle portion, wherein when the tray body is at a lock state, the first engagement projects from a first position-limit portion. The elastic element connects the first engagement portion to the tray body. There is no relative motion between the first engagement portion and the handle portion.

This application claims the benefit of Taiwan application Serial No. 105144217, filed Dec. 30, 2016, the subject matter of which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

The invention relates in general to a tray drawer and a multi-function printer using the same, and more particularly to a tray drawer having a handle and a multi-function printer using the same.

Description of the Related Art

Conventional multi-function printer includes a tray drawer for carrying sheets. The multi-function printer can take the sheet within the tray drawer for transferring an image to the sheet. When the sheets within the tray drawer run out, the tray drawer may be pulled out and supplied with sheets. In general, the tray drawer is engaged with a main body of the multi-function printer by an engagement mechanism. However, space of the tray drawer is narrow or is insufficient. Thus, it results in the high difficulty in design and high cost if the engagement mechanism is too complicated.

Thus, how to design a simple engagement mechanism is one of the goals for one of ordinary skill in the art.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is to provide a tray drawer and a multi-function printer using the same capable of resolving the above problem.

An embodiment of the present invention is to provide a tray drawer. The tray drawer includes a tray body, a handle and an elastic element. The handle is connected to the tray body and includes a handle portion and a first engagement portion. The first engagement portion is connected to the handle portion, wherein when the tray body is at a lock state, the first engagement projects from a first position-limit portion. The elastic element connects the first engagement portion to the tray body. There is no relative motion between the first engagement portion and the handle portion.

An embodiment of the present invention is to provide a multi-function printer. The multi-function printer includes a tray drawer and a main body. The tray drawer includes a tray body, a handle and an elastic element. The handle is connected to the tray body and includes a handle portion and a first engagement portion. The first engagement portion is connected to the handle portion, wherein when the tray body is at a lock state, the first engagement projects from a first position-limit portion. The elastic element connects the first engagement portion to the tray body. There is no relative motion between the first engagement portion and the handle portion. The main body includes a second engagement portion. When the tray body is at the lock state, the first engagement portion and the second engagement portion are engaged with each other.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

To make the characteristics, contents, advantages, and effects of the invention more apparent and easier to understand, the invention is disclosed with accompanying drawings, and is described by way of embodiments. A number of drawings are used in the embodiments for describing the specification. However, these drawings are schematic only, and do not necessarily reflect the actual scales and disposition relationships of the components of the implementations of the invention. Therefore, the scales and disposition relationships of the accompanying drawings should not be interpreted as actual scales and disposition relationships, and are not restrictive of actual implementations of the invention.

Advantages, characteristics and technical methods of the invention are disclosed with reference to exemplary embodiments and accompanying drawings to make the invention more apparent and easier to understand. Furthermore, the invention may be implemented in different forms, and is not limited to the embodiments disclosed below. Conversely, for anyone who is skilled in the technology field of the invention, the disclosed embodiments thoroughly and completely express the scope of the invention, and the invention will define only the appended claims.

FIG. 1is a schematic diagram of a multi-function printer100according to an embodiment of the invention,FIG. 2is a cross-sectional view of the multi-function printer100ofFIG. 1along a direction2-2′, andFIG. 3is a schematic diagram of the main body110and the tray drawer120at an unlock state.

The multi-function printer100has functions of the photocopying, printing, scanning, facsimile, etc. As shown inFIGS. 2 and 3, the multi-function printer100includes a main body110and at least one tray drawer120. The tray drawer120is slidably connected to the main body110for transforming into a close state or an open state. To avoid the complicated schematic diagram,FIGS. 2 and 3only show a portion of the main body110and a portion of the tray drawer120.

As shown inFIG. 2, the tray drawer120and the main body110engage with each other to be at a lock state for preventing the tray drawer120from being easy to be detached from the main body110. The main body110includes a second engagement portion111. The tray drawer120includes a tray body121, a handle122and an elastic element123. The tray body121includes an upper plate1211having a first position-limit portion1211a(broken line as shown inFIG. 3). In the present embodiment, the first position-limit portion1211ais an opening, but the invention is not limited thereto. When the first position-limit portion1211ais the opening, the opening substantially faces a direction vertical to the ground. The handle122includes a handle portion1221, a first engagement portion1222and a linkage1223, wherein the first engagement portion1222connects with the handle portion1221by the linkage1223. When the tray body121is at the lock state, as shown inFIG. 2, the first engagement portion1222projects from the first position-limit portion1211aof the tray body121for engaging with the second engagement portion111of the main body110, such that the tray drawer120and the main body110engage with each other. As a result, it can prevent the tray drawer120from being easy to be detached from the main body110. In addition, at least one portion of the second engagement portion111of the main body110also may located at the first position-limit portion1211a, but the invention is not limited thereto.

As shown inFIG. 2, the upper plate1211has a portion adjacent to the first position-limit portion1211a, and the portion may block the handle122from over-rotating. In other words, when the handle122rotates to touch the upper plate1211, the handle122is blocked by the upper plate1211. At this time, the first engagement portion1222of the handle122engages with the second engagement portion111of the main body110.

In an embodiment, the first engagement portion1222of the handle122and the second engagement portion111of the main body110are both protrusions, wherein the first engagement portion1222and the second engagement portion111are staggered in an open direction D1, and the first engagement portion1222is more far away from the handle portion1221than the second engagement portion111. As a result, as shown inFIG. 2, when the first engagement portion1222and the second engagement portion111engage with each other, the second engagement portion111may block the first engagement portion1222from moving in the open direction D1, and accordingly it can prevent the tray drawer120from being easy to be detached from the main body110in the open direction D1.

As shown inFIG. 2, the elastic element123connects the first engagement portion1222to the tray body121. When the handle122rotates to make the elastic element123transform, as shown inFIG. 3, the elastic element123stores the elastic potential energy. As a result, when the handle122ofFIG. 3is released, the elastic element123releases the elastic potential energy, such that the handle122automatically returns back the unlock state, as shown inFIG. 2. As shown inFIG. 3, the handle122further includes a second position-limit portion1226connecting to the linkage1223and disposed opposite to the first engagement portion1222. The elastic element123has an end surrounding the second position-limit portion1226, such that the end may be restricted by the second position-limit portion1226. As a result, it can prevent the elastic element123from being easy to be detached from the handle122.

As shown inFIG. 2, there is no relative motion between the first engagement portion1222and the handle portion1221, that is, the first engagement portion1222is fixed to the handle portion1221. In the present embodiment, the first engagement portion1222and the handle portion1221are connected by the linkage1223. The linkage1223extends, for example, in single straight direction, that is, the linkage1223is a straight bar, but the invention is not limited thereto. In addition, the linkage1223fixedly connects the first engagement portion1222to the handle portion1221. The linkage1223, the first engagement portion1222and the handle portion1221are integrated into one piece, and thus there is no relative motion between the first engagement portion1222and the handle portion1221. In an embodiment, the linkage1223, the first engagement portion1222and the handle portion1221may be formed by way of integrally formed manufacture process, for example, the injection molding. In another embodiment, the linkage1223, the first engagement portion1222and the handle portion1221may individually formed and then combined together. In addition, due to the length of the linkage1223being short, a distance between the handle portion1221and the first engagement portion1222is also short.

In addition, the handle portion1221includes a front plate1224and a rear plate1225. The front plate1224and the rear plate1225provide a handling space SP therebetween, and the handle122, and accordingly it can allow hand to enter handling space SP to easily hold the front plate1224for operating the handle portion1221. The linkage1223connects the first engagement portion1222to the rear plate1225. In the present embodiment, the linkage1223may directly extend to the first engagement portion1222from the rear plate1225in a close direction D2 of the tray body121. In other words, there is no other element between the rear plate1225and the first engagement portion1222except for the linkage1223, but the invention is not limited thereto.

In addition, the handle122is pivotally connected to the tray body121for rotating with respect to the tray body121. As shown inFIG. 3, when the tray body12is supplied with the sheets, the handle122may be operated to rotate for lifting the lock state of the tray drawer120and the main body110to be the unlock state, as shown inFIG. 3. At the unlock state, the first engagement portion1222of the handle122is detached from the first position-limit portion1211aof the tray body121and detached from the second engagement portion111of the main body110. As a result, the tray drawer120may be pulled out in the open direction D1 for being easy to be supplied with the sheets.

As shown inFIGS. 2 and 3, the front plate1224of the handle portion1221has a bottom end1227extending away from the first engagement portion1222or extending in the open direction D1. When the tray body121is at the lock state, as shown inFIG. 2, the bottom end1227of the front plate1224does not project from the front surface121fof the tray body121, and accordingly it can beautify the appearance of the multi-function printer100and prevent the bottom end1227from interfering with the component outside the multi-function printer100. As shown inFIG. 3, when the handle portion1221is cocked to rotate and make the tray body121be the unlock state, the bottom end1227of the front plate1224projects from the front surface121fof the tray body121.

As described above, the tray drawer of the present embodiment includes the tray body, the handle and the elastic element. The handle has a small volume, and accordingly it can simplify the design of the tray drawer and reduce the manufacture cost. In an embodiment, the handle includes the handle portion and the first engagement portion, wherein there is no relative motion between the handle portion and the first engagement portion. For example, the handle portion and the first engagement portion are integrated into one piece. In another embodiment, the handle further includes the linkage, wherein the linkage fixedly connects the handle portion to the first engagement portion, and there is no relative motion among the linkage, the handle portion and the first engagement portion. For example, the linkage, the handle portion and the first engagement portion are integrated into one piece.