PRINTER AND RELATED MULTIFUNCTIONAL STAND

Abstract: Printer for data processing system, the printer being for installation on a working desk, and comprising a multifunctional stand (11-15) having a generic handle form hinged to the printer body near the edge defined by the base and the rear wall, the stand being pivotable to take a non operative position, close to the base or the rear wall and at least an operative position in which the stand (11-15) is positioned below and far from the base and supports the rear portion of the printer in a position spaced apart from the working desk.

Description: The present invention relates to a printer and related multi functional stand, particularly a printer for data processing systems, personal computers and like. It is known that the technology evolution has led to the development of data processing system output printers which are fast and compact. They are contained in a casing of small size, in the generical form of a parallelepiped and can be laid down on a working plane such as a desk or the like. Such printers are generally intended for printing on a continuous form fanfolded so as to constitute a paper stack. Very often such printers are also intended for printing on single sheets, in addition to the continuous form. Paradoxically, in the use of such printers, which are designed to have a small encumbrance and to adapt to the common office furniture the greater restrictions for their appropriate operations are caused by the printing support encumbrance, which related the printer size becomes predominant. It is customary to provide such printers with an "ad hoc" pedestal having a first basket for storing the continuous form to be printed and a second basket for collecting the printed form. The two baskets are loacated in a way suitable for assuring a correct paper feeding to the printer and the collection of the printed form. These elements limits the capability of installing the printer in an office environment, particularly on a working table or desk. These disadvantages are overcome by the printer and related multifunctional stand which is the object of the present invention. The multifunctional stand allows for an easy and versatile installation in an office environment, meeting various possible needs. These advantages are achieved by the adoption of a relatively stiff standing element in form of a square C shaped handle, having its ends mounted in the printer frame, in a position close to the edge between bottom and rear wall of the printer, and capable of assuming several working positions. In a first working position the stand prevents interference of the continuous form with a possible edge of the laying down plane. In a second working position the stand prevents the simultaneous feeding of a plurality of modules of a continuous form. In a third working position the stand holds the printer some how lifted on a laying down plane and allows for the insertion, at least partially below the printer, of a continuous form stack to be printed. The stand can be easily mounted in the printer in a concealed way, so that the stand is not visible and does not disturb the printer appearance when the installation operative conditions do not require its use. These and other features and the advantages of the invention will appear more clearly from the following description of a preferred form of embodiment and from enclosed drawing where: Figure 1 shows in perspective view a printer having a multifunctional stand in accordance with the invention. Figure 1A shows a detail of the printer of figure 1. Figures 2,3,4,5 show in side sketch view the printer and related multifunctional stand in several operative positions. Figure 6 shows in side sketch view a printer and related multi functional stand of the invention with a mounting arrangement alternative to the one shown in Figure 1. Figure 7 shows the printer of Figure 6 in one of the possible alternative operating positions. Referring to Figure 1, it shows in perspective view the body 1 of a printer, the body consisting in a base and a cover fixed each other and forming a casing where the printer mechanisms and circuits are contained. The printer rear has an opening, closed by a panel 2. Through such an opening it is possible to enter an internal space where continuous form feeding tractors 3,4 are located. Panel 2 is hinged to the printer body on the upper edge of the opening and, when closed, leaves a slot at the lower edge of the opening, allowing for the introduction of the printing form within the body. The rear, lower edge of the body is suitably shaped so as to provide a guiding surface 5 to the continuous form entering the printer. The upper panel 9 of the cover has a transparent window screen allowing to view inside, in the printing zone, and a slot 7 for the output of the printed form from the body. In general a reading desk 8 is also provided, which extends up from the upper panel 9 with a suitable slope and onto which the printed form lays down. The upper edge of the reading desk is suitably rounded and the printing form, once reached the upper edge tends to fall on the rear of the printer. According to the invention, the printer is provided with a multifunctional stand which can assume several operating positions. The stand consists of a relatively rigid element, shaped in form of a square C or a handle and preferably implemented from a metal rod having round section. As shown in Figure 1, the stand comprises a rectilinear rod 11 having a length substantially equal to or slighty less than the width of the printer rear opening. Rod 11 terminates in two arms 12,13 substantially at right angle with rod 11, and having a length substantially equal to or sligthy less than the height of the rear opening. Each of the arms 12,13 terminates in an appendix 14,15, folded at right angle and parallel to rod 11, and outward oriented, relative to the space comprised between the two arms. The side edges of the rear opening, each have an opening located close to the lower edge. The two appendixes are inserted in such openings, so that the stand is hinged in such seats and can pivot around an axis defined by such seats. The lower-rear edge of the printer body has two throats 17,18 which enable arms 12,13 to be inserted in such throats, so that the stand can pivot for a rotational arc greater than 180 deg. around its rotation axis, as shown by the arrow 16. The stand can therefore take any position comprised between two extreme positions, one in which the stand is housed in the rear space of the printer, as shown in figure 1, and one in which the stand is placed below the printer base, with a suitable forward orientation. Figure 1A shows, for a better understanding, a portion of the rear portion of the printer where a seat 19 is clearly visible, for housing the appendix 15 of the stand. Throat 18 is further shown where a portion of arm 13 is inserted when the stand is placed downward. A portion of the lower guiding edge 5 for the continuous form can also be seen. Advantageously, the side wall of the rear opening has a prominence 20, suitable shaped, which constitutes a stop for the pivoting of the stand and defines for it a stable position in which the stand extends rearword the printer body. The relative resiliency of the stand enable it to overcome the stop 20, with reasonable effort, in order to move the stand in one or the other of the two angular fields defined by stop 20. The use of a stand like the described one leads to substantive advantages in terms of printer functionalities as it clearly appears from figures 2 to 5 which will now be discussed. Figure 2 shows in sketch side view a printer laid down on a desk in the unique position permitted to the prior art printers and deprived of the invention stand. The printer 1 has to rest on the working plane in a position such that its rear wall is substantially in alignment with the rear edge of the working plane. A stack of continuous form segments 22 is placed below the table. The continuous form is fed through the printer by tractors 25 internal to the printer. They convey the form to a printing platen 23. The printed form leaves the printer, lays down on reading desk 8, goes beyond its upper edge and falls rearward of the working plane 21 fanfolding to form a collection stack 26, normally resting on the floor. Stand 27, if provided, is not useful for this printer position and can be located inside the rear space of the printer, without interfering with the correct printer operation. It is to be noted that, in order to assure an appropriate form feeding, stack 22 must be located so that the continuous form does not interfere with the rear edge of the working plane, in order to avoid undesired tearing, excessive friction and printer clogging. This implies the positioning of stack 22 only partially below the working plane and the need to have available, on the rear of the table, a space sufficing to locate both stack 26 and (at least partially) stack 22. Figure 3 shows how the use of the stand of the invention enables to overcome this limitation. In figure 3 the printer is still resting on the working plane 21 with its rear wall aligned with the rear edge 24 of the working plane. The stand, in this case is withdrawn from the rear housing and is laid down so as to stop against the rear edge 24 of the working plane. By this arrangement the stand rod 11 works as a guiding element for the continuous form and prevents its interference with the edge 24. The stack 22 may therefore be located well below the working plane leaving space for partially or fully locating the collecting stack 26 below the table too. Figure 4 shows an alternative use of the invention stand. In this case the printer is located in the front portion of the working plane and leaves available a rear portion where stack 22 may be placed. The stand , withdrawn from the rear housing of the printer and laid down on the table, forms by its rod 11 a guide against which stack 22 is positioned. Rod 11 assures that the stack remains far from the printer and prevents that, owing to friction among modules of the form, the stack, particularly in the depletion phase, is sucked within the printer, with consequential clogging. The collecting stack may be obviously located below the table. Figure 5 shows an alternative installation way in which both the feeding stack 22 and the collecting stack 26 are located on a working plane. To this purpose stand 27 is withdrawn from the printer and pulled down forward so as to act as a rear support for the printer. In this instance, the printer is located in a forward portion of the working plane and with its front edge supported thereon, whilst the rear portion is lifted from the plane by the stand. The space available between the working plane and the printer bottom may be used to locate therein, at least in part, the feeding stack 22. In this way the rear portion of the working plane 21 is free for locating therein the collecting stack 26. In conclusion the use of stand 27 allows for a great installation versatility of the printer. It is clear that the preceding description relates only to a preferred embodiment of printer having a stand, and that several changes can be made. For instance Figure 6 shows in side sketch view a printer in which the stand 27, rather than being mounted in a rear housing is mounted on the bottom of the printer and hinged near about two rear feets. It can pivot according to the arc shown by arrow 30 and can take one or more stable positions. Figure 7 shows the printer of Fig. 6 with the stand steadily positioned so as to keep the rear portion of the printer lifted from the working plane. Several stable position for the stand may be provided in well known manner with end stops or intermediate stops. It is clear that in case of figure 6 the stand may be housed in a suitable recess provided in the bottom of the printer, so that the presence of standing feets, providing some clearance between the bottom and the working plane, is unessential from this point of view.

Claims: Printer having a multifunctional stand, for installation on a working desk, said printer having a body 1 with a base and a rear wall defining a rear-lower edge, an opening above said rear-lower edge extending in the direction thereof for entering a continuous form in said printer, an opening for the output of said form when printed, said form being pulled from a feeding stack by the action of feeding tractors, internal to said printer, and once printed being discharged in a collecting stack, said printer being characterized by comprising: a stand 27 formed by a rectilinear rod 11 and by two end arms 12, 13 perpendicular to said rod 11, one end of each said arms 12,13 being rigid with a corresponding end of said rod 11, the other end of each said arms 12,13 being hinged in said body, near said rear-lower edge, so that said stand 27 may pivotally take a plurality of positions, a first position being non operative and such that said stand is wholly located in close proximity to a surface selected between the base surface and the rear wall surface, at least a second position being operative, and means in said body 1 to steadily provide said second, operative position in which said rod 11 of said stand 27 is spaced apart from said body and performs, when said printer is located on a working desk, a supporting function for said body 1, so that a rear portion of said body 1 is kept lifted from said desk, by said rod 11 resting on said desk. Printer as claimed in claim 1, wherein said stand 27 may be positioned in a third operative position, in which, said printer being laid down with its base on a working desk, said rod 11 too is laid down on said desk and spaced apart from said body. Printer as claimed in claim 1 wherein said body 1 has a rear housing wherein said stand is contained when it is in non-operative position. Printer as claimed in claim 3 wherein said means consists in two slots 17,18 formed in said base, for inserting therein each of said two arms 12,13 respectively.

Inventors: URSO, PAOLO
Applicants: BULL HN INFORMATION SYSTEMS ITALIA S.P.A.
Application year: 1988
Main classification: B41J29
IPC codes: B41J29, B41J11