A DEVICE FOR SUPPORTING COMPUPRINTING PAPER

Abstract: A device for supporting printing paper for the printers of computers and computer terminals, the printing paper being present in the form of a stacked continuous paper web. The device is characterized in that it includes an upwardly open box having a flat bottom part (1) and upstanding walls (2-5), which can be removed from said bottom part, in that the bottom part is provided along two mutually opposing side edges (6, 7) thereof with centrally positioned, longitudinally extending projections (8, 9), which each project from a respective side edge through a distance which corresponds to the thickness of the upstanding walls (2-5), and which projections (8, 9) are intended to support two (3, 5) of the vertical walls.

Description: A Device for Supporting taircxiprintirø Paper The present invention relates to a device for supporting cxtrnpupr-mting paper for use with the printers of computers and computer terminals. It is becoming more usual to equip each working location in an office with a computer, for instance a personal computer, or a computer terminal and a printer. The paper used in the printer is usually in the form of a continuous paper web. Such paper is delivered in boxes containing a large number of sheets, for instance 2,000 sheets. The box is therefore relatively heavy. Normally, the office personnel concerned place the boxes of paper beneath a table on which the printer is situated, and load the printer with paper from the box. It is often awkward to push the boxes in beneath the table, while handling of the boxes at floor level involves body movements which place unfavourable .strain on the person concerned. Furthermore, the boxes are aesthetically unattractive, particularly when the remaining office furniture has an attractive design. A further problem arises when a particular printer needs to be supplied with tara or more different sorts of paper. In these cases, it is necessary to shift the boxes so that the box ∞πtaining the paper required on that particular occasion is located on the floor immediately beneath the printer. The present invention solves these problems in a simple and inespensive fashion. The present invention thus relates to a device for supporting paper for use with the printers of cαrputers and cxsnputer terminals, this paper being stacked in a continuous paper web, and is characterized in that the device includes an upwardly open box having a flat bottom part and detachable walls upstanding from said bottom part; in that the bottom part of the box is provided with a centrally positioned, elongated projection along each of two mutually opposing side edges thereof, said projections projecting from respective side edges through a distance which corresponds to the thickness of the upstanding walls; and in that said projections are intended to support two of the vertical walls. The invention will now be described in more detail, partially with reference to an exenplifying embodiment of the invention illustrated in the acccsrtpanying drawing, in which - Figure 1 is a perspective view of the inventive device, with two parts partially separated apart; - Figure 2 is a side view of two devices stacked one upon the other; and - Figures 3a and 3b are detailed illustrations of one corner, as seen from above. Figure 1 illustrates an inventive device for supporting paper or the printers of computers and ccmpiter terminals. Although the paper is not shown in the Figure, it will be understood that the paper has the form of a continuous web stacked in the device. The device includes an upwardly open box structure having a flat bottom part 1 and detachable walls 2-5 which extend vertically upwards from the bottom part 1 of said box. Extending along each of two mutually opposing side edges 6, 7 of the bottom part 1 is a centrally positioned, longitudinally extending projection 8, 9 on which the walls 2-5 are intended to rest. The device is produced from an appropriate plastic material. The projections 8, 9 extend from respective side edges 6, 7 through a distance which corresponds to the thickness of the upstanding walls 2-5. The inner distance between two mutually opposing walls cor¬ responds to the width of the bottom part over the projections 8, 9. Consequently, when the walls 2-5 are lifted onto the bottom part 1, the outer surfaces of the walls 3, 5 will coincide with the outer vertical surfaces of the projections 8, 9. Because the projections are positioned centrally in a vertical direction relative to the bottom part, a number of such devices can be stacked one upon the other. J igure 2 shows a device 12 stacked on a device 11, wherein the upper surfaces of the walls of the bottom device 11 coact with the bottom part of the upper device 12. According to one preferred embodiment, the upper edge of at least one of the upstanding walls 5 has formed therein a recess 13 which extends along the greater part of the length of the upper edge of said wall. The paper web is intended to slide in the recess, thereby enabling a paper web stacked in the bottom device 11 to be fed out to the printer despite the presence of the device 12 on top of the bottom device. According to another preferred embodiment, at least one side, 14, of said bottom part is provided with a drill hole (not shewn) at each of its four corners. These holes are intended to aexxxranodate a pin 15 to which a wheel 16 is fastened, in a manner generally known per se. Instead of drilling holes, wheels of the kind which are attached to the underneath of said bottom part with the aid of adhesive tape can be used. According to one important embodiment front a packaging and storing aspect, the upstanding walls are formed as an integral unit. In this regard, the walls are arranged in a manner which enables the walls to be sheared relative to one another, between a position in which the walls form a right-angled configuration and a position in which said walls form a flat rhαttboidal configuration. This is illustrated in Figure 3a, which illustrates a right-an g led comer, and Figure 3b whic illustrates a pointed corner. In σrda, _o enable a flat rhomboid to be easily obtained, the thickness of the walls adjacent the corners is decreased towards said corners, as will.best be seen from Figure 3a. Instead of forming the walls as an integral unit, the walls may be fastened to one another at their respective corners in some appropriat fashion, for example with the aid of known fittings such as clips attached to the bottom and top corners. Because only two mutually opposing side edges of the bottom part are provided with projections 8, 9, only the walls 3 and 5 are supported fay the bottom part 1, whereas the walls 2 and 4 are supported throug their connection to the walls 3 and 5. The advantage of providing solely two projections 8, 9 is that the bottom part can be produced by extrusion. This results in low manu¬ facturing costs. In order to reduce the quantity of material used in producing the bottom part 1, and also the weight of said bottom part, the bottom part can be grooved during the extrusion process, for instance in accordance with the dash-dotted line 17 shewn in Figure 1, so that the bottom part will have a smaller thickness in its centra part than at its edges. When a box of paper or a stack of paper is to be placed on the upper surface of the bottom part, the readily removed walls of the device are first removed and then replaced when the paper is in position. The wheels fitted under the bottom part of the device enable the devic to be readily rolled from a place, for instance beneath a table, when the box can be replenished with paper. Handling of printer paper is considerably simplified by the present invention, while the device is aesthetically attractive. Furthermore, several different types of paper can be stacked immediately beneath the printer, by stacking two or more devices one on the other. Because the walls of the device can be sheared in the aforedescribed manner, the device can be easily stored and transported while it has a small volume. Although the inventive device has been described above with reference to various eπibodiments thereof, it will be.understood that the' device can be modified with regard to its structural design. The invention is therefore not restricted to the aforedescribed embodiments thereof, since modifications can be made within the scope of the following Claims.

Claims: Claims 1. A device for supporting printing paper for the printers of com¬ puters and computer terminals, said paper being present in the form of a stacked continuous paper web, ch a r a c t e r i z e d in that the device includes an upwardly open box having a flat bottom part (1) and upstanding walls (2-5) which can be removed from said bottom part; in that said bottom part is provided centrally along each of said mutually opposing side edges (6, 7) with longitudinally extending projections (8, 9) which project out from respective side edges through a distance which corresponds to the thickness of the upstanding walls (2-5), said projections (8, 9) being intended to support two (3, 5) of the vertical walls. 2. A device according to Claim 1, ch a r a c t e r i z e d in that the upstanding walls (2-5) are formed as an integral unit; and in that the walls can be sheared relative to one another between a position in which they form a right-angled configuration and a positio in which they form a flat rhomboid. 3. A device according to Claim l αr 2, ch a r a c t e r i z e d in that at least one (5) of the upstanding walls has provided in the upper edge thereof a recess (13) which extends along the major part of the length of the upper edge of said walls. 4. A device according to Claim 1, 2 or 3, ch a r a ct e r i z e d in that the bottom part (1) is provided an at least one side (14) thereof with a drill hole at each of its four corners, said holes being intended to receive a respective pin (15) on which a wheel (16) is attached.

Inventors: JONDELIUS BJOERN, JONDELIUS, BJOERN
Applicants: JONDELIUS BJOERN, JONDELIUS, BJOERN
Application year: 1991
Main classification: B65D6
IPC codes: A47B87, B65D6