Paper guide support extension attachments

A printing device has at least one printing engine, at least one media path adjacent the printing engine, and a paper tray adjacent the media path. The paper tray stores media and supplies the media to the media path. Further, at least one sheet guide is attached to the paper tray, and at least one rectangular member is attached to the sheet guide. The rectangular member has a sheet guide opening, and the sheet guide opening attaches to the sheet guide. The rectangular member has a first planar surface that is coplanar with a second planar surface of the sheet guide. Also, the first planar surface is at least twice the two-dimensional size of the second planar surface. The first planar surface and the second planar surface contact media stored within the paper tray.

BACKGROUND

Embodiments herein generally relate to printing devices and their associated components and more particularly to rectangular members that attached to paper guide supports within paper trays of such printing devices.

As printing devices have evolved, their capabilities have become greater and their ability to process larger sheet volumes and different size and different thickness sheets provide substantial advantages to the users. However, as more and more sheets are stacked within paper trays, and as different thickness and different sized sheets are maintained within an individual paper tray, the chances of the paper tray inappropriately maintaining the stacks of sheets dramatically increase.

For example, many paper trays include movable guides that are maintained on tracks or rails that are adjustable by the user. That is, when a user changes the size of paper being maintained within the paper tray, they can easily move the movable guides to support many different sizes of paper. However, in order to accommodate many different sizes of paper, such movable paper guides may only contact a small portion of the stack of sheets. More specifically, the movable paper guides generally have a size equal to the smallest sheets of media that can be maintained within the paper tray. These movable sheet guides are moved away from one another to handle larger sized media sheets and therefore do not contact the full length of such larger media sheets.

This difference between the size of the movable paper guides and the size of the sheets within the paper tray often allows the stack of media within the paper tray to become misaligned. For example, if the paper tray is closed with sufficient force, the momentum of the paper can cause the stack to become misaligned. This situation is especially true with taller stacks, and heavier stock media sheets. In such situations, the misalignment of the media within the paper tray can result in mis-feeds and/or paper jams.

SUMMARY

With sheet support embodiments herein, a rectangular member has a sheet guide opening, and the sheet guide opening attaches to a sheet guide. The sheet guide is attached to a paper tray. The rectangular member is temporarily attached to the sheet guide, and the sheet guide is permanently attached to the paper tray.

The rectangular member has a first planar surface that is coplanar with a second planar surface of the sheet guide. Also, the first planar surface is at least twice the two-dimensional size of the second planar surface. The first planar surface and the second planar surface contact media stored within the paper tray and the first planar surface contacts more of the media stored within the paper tray relative to the amount the second planar surface contacts the media stored within the paper tray.

The ends of the rectangular member are perpendicular to the first planar surface, and the ends contact walls of the paper tray. Additionally, the bottom surface of the rectangle member is perpendicular to the first planar surface, and the bottom surface contacts the paper tray.

In other sheet support embodiments herein, a rectangular member has a sheet guide opening, and the sheet guide opening attaches to a sheet guide. The sheet guide is attached to a paper tray. The rectangular member is temporarily attached to the sheet guide, and the sheet guide is permanently attached to the paper tray. The rectangular member also has slots connecting to walls of the paper tray.

The rectangular member has a first planar surface that is coplanar with a second planar surface of the sheet guide. Also, the first planar surface is at least twice the two-dimensional size of the second planar surface. The first planar surface and the second planar surface contact media stored within the paper tray and the first planar surface contacts more of the media stored within the paper tray relative to the amount the second planar surface contacts the media stored within the paper tray.

The ends of the rectangular member are perpendicular to the first planar surface, and the ends contact walls of the paper tray. Additionally, the bottom surface of the rectangle member is perpendicular to the first planar surface, and the bottom surface contacts the paper tray.

In additional sheet support embodiments herein, a rectangular member has a sheet guide opening, and the sheet guide opening attaches to a sheet guide. The sheet guide is attached to a paper tray. The rectangular member is temporarily attached to the sheet guide, and the sheet guide is permanently attached to the paper tray.

The rectangular member also has a backside opposite the first planar surface. The backside comprises an elongated support member protruding from the backside that contacts the paper tray. The rectangular member has a first thickness between the first planar surface and the backside, and the elongated support member has a second thickness greater than the first thickness.

The rectangular member has a first planar surface that is coplanar with a second planar surface of the sheet guide. Also, the first planar surface is at least twice the two-dimensional size of the second planar surface. The first planar surface and the second planar surface contact media stored within the paper tray and the first planar surface contacts more of the media stored within the paper tray relative to the amount the second planar surface contacts the media stored within the paper tray.

The ends of the rectangular member are perpendicular to the first planar surface, and the ends contact walls of the paper tray. Additionally, the bottom surface of the rectangle member is perpendicular to the first planar surface, and the bottom surface contacts the paper tray.

A printing device embodiment herein comprises at least one printing engine, at least one media path adjacent the printing engine, and a paper tray adjacent the media path. The paper tray stores media and supplies the media to the media path. Further, at least one sheet guide is attached to the paper tray, and at least one rectangular member is attached to the sheet guide. The rectangular member is temporarily attached to the sheet guide, and the sheet guide is permanently attached to the paper tray.

The rectangular member has a sheet guide opening, and the sheet guide opening attaches to the sheet guide. The rectangular member has a first planar surface that is coplanar with a second planar surface of the sheet guide. Also, the first planar surface is at least twice the two-dimensional size of the second planar surface. The first planar surface and the second planar surface contact media stored within the paper tray and the first planar surface contacts more of the media stored within the paper tray relative to the amount the second planar surface contacts the media stored within the paper tray.

The ends of the rectangular member are perpendicular to the first planar surface, and the ends contact walls of the paper tray. Additionally, the bottom surface of the rectangle member is perpendicular to the first planar surface, and the bottom surface contacts the paper tray.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

As mentioned above, movable paper guides within paper trays of printing devices generally have a size equal to the smallest sheets of media that can be maintained within the paper tray. This difference between the size of the movable paper guides and the size of the sheets within the paper tray often allows the stack of media within the paper tray to become misaligned. In order to address this situation, the embodiments herein provide rectangular members that act as extensions to the movable paper guides. These rectangle members can temporarily or permanently attach to the movable paper guides.

The rectangular members presented herein more than double the two-dimensional planar surface area contacting the stack of sheets within the paper tray and, therefore, dramatically increase the consistency with which the stacks of media are maintained within the paper tray. Thus, the embodiments herein avoid the paper jam and mis-feed problems that occur when stacks of media within paper trays become misaligned.

Because of the rectangular members described herein can be larger than some movable paper guides, they may not be useful with all paper size (such as smaller paper sizes) and their application may be limited to larger sized sheets. However, once a user selects a specific paper size for a specific paper tray, users rarely change the paper size adjustment, and the rectangular members described herein could be left in place for such users.

Also, the relatively smaller sized sheets (that may not be accommodated by the rectangular members described herein) often do not exhibit the misalignment characteristics that are associated with larger sized sheets. Thus, the rectangular members described herein man not be needed for such smaller sheet sizes. Additionally, because the rectangular members herein are easily detached and reattached to the movable paper guides, whenever a user needs to adjust the movable paper guides to a smaller setting, the rectangle members described herein can easily be removed from the movable paper guides (and reattached to the movable paper guides when the larger sized sheets are used once again).

Therefore, as shown in perspective view inFIG. 1, the embodiments herein provide a rectangular member130that has a movable sheet guide opening132. As shown by the downward arrow inFIG. 1the rectangular member130connects to a movable sheet guide140when the movable sheet guide opening132attaches to the movable sheet guide140. The movable sheet guide is mounted on rails or tracks142and is adjustable along the rails142, as shown by the double-headed arrow inFIG. 1.

The movable sheet guide140is permanently attached to a paper tray150(shown inFIG. 4) by way of the tracks142. However, the rectangular member130is temporarily attached to the movable sheet guide140and is easily removed from the movable sheet guide140. As would be understood by those ordinarily skilled in the art, the movable sheet guide opening132can include grooves, slots, raised edges, etc., to allow the rectangular member130to more easily slide on (and stay on) the movable sheet guide opening132.

As shown more clearly in the side view inFIG. 2, the rectangular member130also has a backside E opposite the first planar surface D. The backside E can include an elongated support134attached to and protruding from the backside E. The elongated support134contacts the paper tray150and keeps the rectangular member130from tipping over under the pressure of the stack of sheets of media144.

The elongated support134can run the full width of the backside E, or a portion thereof. The rectangular member130has a first thickness between the first planar surface D and the backside E, and the elongated support member has a second thickness greater than or equal to the first thickness. The elongated support number134therefore makes the bottom or base (C) of the rectangular member130larger, thereby adding stability to the rectangular member130.

As shown inFIGS. 3 and 4, the rectangular member130can also include hook projections136that form slots138connecting to walls of the paper tray150. More specifically,FIG. 3is a front view of the rectangular member130including the hook projections136.FIG. 4is a perspective view schematic diagram that illustrates the paper tray150in perspective view. The front of the paper tray150is shown in transparent view so that the rectangular member130, stack of sheets144, rails142, movable sheet guide140, and opening132can be seen through the front of the paper tray150. As shown inFIG. 4, the slots of the hooks136attach to the walls of the paper tray150.

The rectangular member130has a first planar surface D that is coplanar with a second planar surface H of the movable sheet guide140(when the rectangular member130is attached to the movable sheet guide140). Also, the first planar surface D is at least twice the size (e.g., the two-dimensional size) of the second planar surface H. Thus, for example, if the second planar surface H is 10 cm2the first planar surface H is at least 20 cm2and can be much larger 30 cm2, 40 cm2, 50 cm2, etc.

Thus, as shown inFIGS. 2 and 4, the first planar surface D and the second planar surface H contact media144stored within the paper tray150. Because the first planar surface D is at least twice the two-dimensional size of the second planar surface H, the first planar surface D contacts more of the media144stored within the paper tray150relative to the amount the second planar surface H contacts the media144stored within the paper tray150.

As also shown inFIG. 4, the ends B of the rectangular member130are perpendicular to the first planar surface D, and the ends B simultaneously contact opposing walls of the paper tray150. Additionally, the bottom surface C of the rectangle member is perpendicular to the first planar surface D, and the bottom surface C contacts the paper tray150.

FIGS. 5 and 6are top-view diagrams looking down into the paper tray150from the top, which illustrate various configurations that can be accomplished with the embodiments herein. InFIG. 5, a single rectangular member130is attached to one of the movable sheet guides140. In this example, the rectangular member130includes the projection134, discussed above, and the rectangular member130reaches the sidewalls of the paper tray150.

An alternative arrangement is shown inFIG. 6. In this arrangement, all three of the movable sheet guides140include a rectangular member130. The top and bottom rectangular members130also include the projection134. The movable sheet guide148includes a different type of rectangular member160. This type of rectangular member160does not include an opening completely through the rectangle or member, but instead the opening is only formed partially through the rectangular member160(see alsoFIG. 3). Further, the rectangular member160only reaches between the adjacent rectangular members130and does not reach to the sidewalls of the paper tray150.

FIGS. 5 and 6illustrate two of many different configurations that can be accomplished with the embodiments herein. While not all possible configurations are illustrated in the drawings, those ordinarily skilled in the art would understand that many additional configurations are possible, depending upon specific design goals.

FIG. 7illustrates a printing device embodiment herein, which can comprise, for example, a printer, copier, multi-function machine, etc. The printer body housing300has one or more functional components that operate on power supplied from the alternating current (AC)328by the power supply322. The power supply322converts the external power328into the type of power needed by the various components.

The printing device300includes a controller/processor324, at least one marking device (printing engine)310,312,314operatively connected to the processor324, a media path312positioned to supply sheets of media from a paper tray150to the marking device(s)310and a communications port (input/output)326operatively connected to the processor324and to a computerized network external to the printing device. After receiving various markings from the printing engine(s), the sheets of media pass to a finisher308which can fold, staple, sort, etc., the various printed sheets.

Further, the printing device300includes at least one accessory functional component (such as a scanner/document handler304, paper tray150, finisher308, etc.) and graphic user interface assembly306that also operate on the power supplied from the external power source328(through the power supply322).

The processor324controls the various actions of the printing device. A computer storage medium320(which can be optical, magnetic, capacitor based, etc.) is readable by the processor324and stores the scanned images and instructions that the processor324executes to allow the multi-function printing device to perform its various functions, such as those described herein.

As mentioned above, the paper tray150stores media144and supplies the media144to the media path312. Further, at least one movable sheet guide140is attached to the paper tray150, and at least one rectangular member130is attached to the movable sheet guide140.

Thus, as shown above, the embodiments herein provide rectangular members that act as extensions to the movable paper guides. These rectangle members can temporarily or permanently attach to the movable paper guides. The rectangular members presented herein more than double the two-dimensional planar surface area contacting the stack of sheets within the paper tray and can span between opposing walls of the paper tray and, therefore, dramatically increase the consistency with which the stacks of media are maintained within the paper tray. Thus, the embodiments herein avoid the paper jam and mis-feed problems that occur when stacks of media within paper trays become misaligned.

The terms printer or printing device as used herein encompasses any apparatus, such as a digital copier, bookmaking machine, facsimile machine, multi-function machine, etc., which performs a print outputting function for any purpose. The details of printers, printing engines, etc., are well-known by those ordinarily skilled in the art and are discussed in, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,032,004, the complete disclosure of which is fully incorporated herein by reference. The embodiments herein can encompass embodiments that print in color, monochrome, or handle color or monochrome image data. All foregoing embodiments are specifically applicable to electrostatographic and/or xerographic machines and/or processes.

It will be appreciated that the above-disclosed and other features and functions, or alternatives thereof, may be desirably combined into many other different systems or applications. Various presently unforeseen or unanticipated alternatives, modifications, variations, or improvements therein may be subsequently made by those skilled in the art which are also intended to be encompassed by the following claims. The claims can encompass embodiments in hardware, software, and/or a combination thereof. Unless specifically defined in a specific claim itself, steps or components of the embodiments herein cannot be implied or imported from any above example as limitations to any particular order, number, position, size, shape, angle, color, or material.