Abstract:
A multi-function product (MFP) includes a first functional machine having a casing, and a second functional machine having a liftable housing installed above the casing of the first functional machine, at least one sliding track inside the housing, a moving object positioned inside the housing for moving along the sliding track, and a detector for detecting the position of the moving object.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a multi-function product (MFP), and more specifically, to an MFP capable of detecting a slope of a second functional machine installed above a first functional machine. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     Multi-function products (MFPs) integrate various functions of typical functional machines together, such as printing, scanning, facsimile, and copy machines, so that both the cost of purchasing functional machines separately and the required storage space are reduced. MFPs have become mainstream in the market, with placement in schools, classrooms, family households, and studios, and are broadly used as an output device in today&#39;s information-oriented society. 
     Since an MFP is an integration of functional machines for various purposes, there are a variety of possible combinations. While operating some functions or replacing spare parts, there is an inevitable need to lift up a part of the MFP from another part of the MFP. In this situation, several specific functions cannot operate normally, causing low quality of products and possible damage to the internal parts. This is due to a lack of a security switch to prevent invalid operation, such as operating the machine before returning the lifted part to the original position. 
     SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
     It is therefore a primary objective of the present invention to provide an MFP capable of detecting a slope of a second machine installed above a first machine. 
     Briefly summarized, an MFP according to the present invention includes a first functional machine comprising a casing, and a second functional machine comprising a liftable housing installed above the casing of the first functional machine, at least one sliding track inside the housing, a moving object positioned inside the housing for moving along the sliding track, and a detector for detecting the position of the moving object. 
     These and other objectives of the present invention will no doubt become obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art after reading the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment that is illustrated in the various figures and drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a diagram illustrating an MFP according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a diagram illustrating an MFP with its second functional machine lifted up. 
         FIG. 3  is a diagram illustrating a first detector according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is diagram illustrating a second detector according to the second embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  is diagram illustrating a third detector according to the third embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  is a diagram illustrating two bars pressed by a sphere on P 2  of a third detector. 
         FIG. 7  is a diagram illustrating two bars not being pressed on P 1  of a third detector  38 . 
         FIG. 8  is diagram illustrating a fourth detector according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Please refer to  FIG. 1 .  FIG. 1  is a diagram illustrating an MFP  10  according to the present invention. The MFP  10  includes a first functional machine  12  and a second functional machine  16 . The first functional machine  12  includes a casing  14 . The second functional machine  16  includes a liftable housing  18  installed above the casing  14  of the first functional machine  12 , a lid  20  installed above the housing  18  of the second functional machine  16 , and a detector  22  for detecting whether the second functional machine  16  is level. The first functional machine  12  and the second functional machine  16  can be different machines including scanners, facsimiles, copy machines, printers, and card readers. Please refer to  FIG. 2 .  FIG. 2  is a diagram illustrating an MFP  10  with its second functional machine  16  lifted up. The second functional machine  16  is fixed on the casing  14  of the first functional machine  12  so that it can be lifted up. While repairing or replacing parts, the second functional machine  16  is lifted up as shown in  FIG. 2 , and in normal condition, the second functional machine  16  is lowered down as shown in  FIG. 1 . 
     Please refer to  FIG. 3 .  FIG. 3  is a diagram illustrating a first detector  24  according to the present invention. The first detector  24  includes a sloping ramp  26 . The angle of inclination can be determined according to the purpose. For instance, if a higher sensitivity of the first detector  24  is needed, the angle can be smaller, and if a lower sensitivity is needed, the angle can be larger. The first detector  24  further includes an opaque sphere  28  on the sloping ramp  26  which can roll or slide on the sloping ramp  26 , and a restricting structure  30  for restricting the moving range of the sphere  28  so that the sphere  28  can only roll or slide on the sloping ramp  26  and in the restricting structure  30 , in order to keep the sphere  28  on the sloping ramp  26  from vibrating. The first detector  24  further includes a light source  32  and an optical sensor  34 , which serves as an optical detecting switch. The light source  32  and the optical sensor  34  are installed on P 1  of the sloping ramp  26 . The light source  32  generates a ray of light and the optical sensor  34  receives the ray of light. When no object exists between the light source  32  and the optical sensor  34 , the optical sensor  34  can receive the light generated by the light source  32  and the second functional machine  16  is switched on. When an object exists between the light source  32  and the optical sensor  34 , the light generated by the light source  32  is blocked so that the optical sensor  34  cannot completely receive the ray of light, and the second functional machine  16  is switched off. 
     When the second functional machine  16  is kept level, the sphere  28  slides down to P 2  of the sloping ramp  26  due to gravity. In this situation, the optical sensor  34  installed on the upper side of the sloping ramp  26  can receive the ray of light from the light source  32  to judge that the sphere  28  is on the lower side of the sloping ramp  26 , and the second functional machine  16  is switched on. When the second functional machine  16  is lifted up, the sphere  28  rolls up to P 1  of the sloping ramp  26 . In this situation, blocked by the sphere  28 , the optical sensor  34  installed on the upper side of the sloping ramp  26  cannot receive the ray of light from the light source  32 , so that the optical sensor  34  judges that the sphere  28  is on the upper side of the sloping ramp  26 , and the second functional machine  16  is switched off to prevent it from invalid operation. 
     Please refer to  FIG. 4 .  FIG. 4  is diagram illustrating a second detector  36  according to the second embodiment of the present invention. The second detector  36  is installed in an MFP according to the second embodiment, which is substantially the same in structure to the first detector  24  according to the first embodiment. The only difference between the two embodiments is that the light source  32  and the optical sensor  34  serving as the optical detecting switch are installed at P 2  of the sloping ramp  26 . When the optical sensor  34  cannot receive the ray of light from the light source  32 , the second functional machine  16  is switched on, and when the optical sensor  34  can receive the ray of light from the light source  32 , the second functional machine  16  is switched off. 
     The operation of the second detector  36  is the same to the first detector  24 . When the second functional machine  16  is kept level, the sphere  28  slides down to P 2  of the sloping ramp  26  due to gravity. In this situation, blocked by the sphere  28 , the optical sensor  34  installed on the lower side of the sloping ramp  26  cannot receive the ray of light from the light source  32  and the second functional machine  16  is switched on. When the second functional machine  16  is lifted up, the sphere  28  rolls up to P 1  of the sloping ramp  26 . In this situation, the optical sensor  34  installed on the lower side of the sloping ramp  26  can receive the ray of light from the light source  32  and the second functional machine  16  is switched off to prevent it from invalid operation. 
     Please refer to  FIG. 5 .  FIG. 5  is diagram illustrating a third detector  38  according to the third embodiment of the present invention. The third detector  38  is installed in an MFP according to the third embodiment, which is substantially the same in structure to the first detector  24  according to the first embodiment. The only difference between the two embodiments is that the third detector  38  is composed of two bars  40  installed on P 2  of the sloping ramp  26 . The bars  40  draw back into the restricting structure  30  when pressed, so that the second functional machine  16  is switched on. Alternatively, when the bars  40  are not pressed, the second functional machine  16  is switched off. 
     Please refer to  FIG. 6  and  FIG. 7 .  FIG. 6  is a diagram illustrating two bars pressed by a sphere  28  on P 2  of the sloping ramp  26  of the third detector  38 . When the second functional machine  16  is kept level, the sphere  28  slides down to P 2  of the sloping ramp  26  due to gravity. In this situation, the bars  40  are pressed by the sphere  28  and draw back into the restricting structure  30  and the second functional machine  16  is switched on. When the second functional machine  16  is lifted up, the sphere  28  rolls up to P 1  of the sloping ramp  26 . In this situation, the bars  40  are not pressed, and the second functional machine  16  is switched off to prevent it from invalid operation. 
     Similarly, the bars  40  can be installed on P 1  of the sloping ramp  26 . In this situation, the second functional machine  16  is switched off when the bars  40  are pressed, and is switched on when the bars  40  are not pressed. The operation is the same to the third detector  38 , so that a further description is hereby omitted. 
     Please refer to  FIG. 8 .  FIG. 8  is a diagram illustrating a fourth detector  42  according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention. The fourth detector  42  is installed in an MFP according to the fourth embodiment, which includes two sloping grooves  44  installed in the restricting structure  30  with its angle of inclination determined according to the purpose, an opaque axial shaft  46  with its two ends positioned in the sloping grooves  44  to move along the sloping grooves  44 , the restricting structure  30  for restricting the moving range of the axial shaft  46 , and the light source  32  and the optical sensor again serve as an optical detecting switch. The light source  32  and the optical sensor  34  are installed in the restricting structure  30  and positioned on P 1  of the sloping grooves  44 . The light source  32  generates a ray of light and the optical sensor  34  receives the ray of light. When no object exists between the light source  32  and the optical sensor  34 , the light generated by the light source  32  can be received by the optical sensor  34  and the second functional machine  16  is switched on. When an object exists between the light source  32  and the optical sensor  34 , the ray of light generated by the light source  32  is blocked so that the optical sensor  34  cannot completely receive the ray, and the second functional machine  16  is switched off. 
     When the second functional machine  16  is kept level, the axial shaft  46  slides down to P 2  of the sloping grooves  44  due to gravity. In this situation, the optical sensor  34  installed on the upper side of the sloping grooves  44  can receive the ray of light from the light source  32  to judge that the axial shaft  46  is at P 2  of the sloping grooves  44 , and the second functional machine  16  is switched on. When the second functional machine  16  is lifted up, the axial shaft  46  slides up to P 1  of the sloping grooves  44 . In this situation, blocked by the axial shaft  46 , the optical sensor  34  installed on the upper side of the sloping ramp  26  cannot receive the ray of light from the light source  32 , so that the optical sensor  34  judges that the axial shaft  46  is at P 1  of the sloping grooves  44  and the second functional machine  16  is switched off to prevent it from invalid operation. 
     Additionally, the light source  32  and the optical sensor  34  can be installed at P 2  of the sloping grooves  44 . In this situation, the second functional machine  16  is switched off when the optical sensor  34  receives the ray of light from the light source  32 , and is switched on when the optical sensor  34  does not receive the ray of light from the light source  32 . The operation is the same to the fourth detector  42 , so that a further description is hereby omitted. 
     In contrast to the prior art, the MFP according to the present invention is capable of detecting a slope to judge whether a second functional machine is level or lifted up, in order to switch on and switch off the functional machines at the right moment in order to protect the MFP from invalid operation. Additionally, the detector according to the present invention is highly efficient, cost-saving, and environment-caring, so that it is suitable for precise and low-cost equipment such as MFPs. 
     Those skilled in the art will readily observe that numerous modifications and alterations of the device may be made while retaining the teachings of the invention. Accordingly, the above disclosure should be construed as limited only by the metes and bounds of the appended claims.