Abstract:
The present invention provides a low profile stackable Internet appliance printer for use with a television receiver and monitor and responsive to commands from a remote device for printing user desired information. The printer has a box like rectangular shaped housing conforming in size to that of conventional electronic audio video components such as cable boxes, DVD players, amplifiers, video tapes and the like to facilitate the stacking of the printer with such other components. A base member supports in a front portion of the printer a printbar and associated printheads to provide the user with easy printhead head access. The base member has an open bottom for receiving a removable combination input/output tray cassette. Upon removal of the combination input/output tray cassette, front user access is made available for the purposes of removing a paper jam should one occur.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is related to the following copending utility patent applications, each filed concurrently on Jan. 5, 2000: Ser. No.: 09/477,937 by Kerry McKay et al., entitled “Stackable Printer And Method Of Using Same”; Ser. No.: 09/478,056 by Kerry McKay et al. entitled “Media Channel and Method of Clearing Media Jams”; Ser. No.: 09/478,262, by James Osmus et al. entitled “Media Tray Supporter and Method of Using Same”; Ser. No. 09/477,939, by James Osmus, entitled “Media Observation Frame and Method of Using Same”; and Ser. No.: 09/477,930, by James Osmus et. al. entitled: “Bezel and Method of Using Same”. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates generally to a hard copy document apparatus and method of using the apparatus and, more particularly, to a stackable low profile internet appliance printer and method of using the printer. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     With the advent of the modern day computer and the explosion in .com Internet commerical activities, there has been a growing need to move the computer and its associated peripheral devices from the desktop into a central gathering location where family members can share mutually in the Internet experience. 
     Conventionally however, such computer systems including processors, display monitors, printers, and internet access modems have been to large and bulky to bring into such a central gathering location, such as a family room, for the mutual enjoyment of the family. This problem has been addressed by certain manufacturers who provide integrated audio-visual entertainment centers that include high speed cable programming access as well as high speed internet access. In this regard, the cable box has the built-in capabilities of not only providing television programming displayed on a “cinema size” projection screen but also Internet accesses through a built-in Internet access module and remote keyboard. The size of the typical cable box has been configured to fit within the family entertainment center and thus such an integrated solution has been somewhat successful for viewing Internet content but not fulfilling the .com Internet commercial activities. 
     More specifically, most, if not all stand alone computer peripheral devices, such a printers and scanners, are not designed with any special aesthetic considerations, other than simply being a functional desktop stand alone device. In this regard, most if not all family households would find it highly undesirable to have a conventional computer printer placed along side the typically electronic equipment found in the family entertainment center. 
     Therefore it would be highly desirable to have a new and improved computer printer that can be easily integrated into a family entertainment center in an aesthetically pleasing manner. Such a new and improved printer should be stackable with the other electronic components found in the entertainment center and should be easy to use including the changing of printhead cartridges, changing media and clearing the printer of any media jams. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides a low profile stackable Internet appliance printer for use with a television receiver and monitor and responsive to commands from a remote device for printing user desired information. The printer has a box like rectangular shaped housing conforming in size to that of conventional electronic audio video components such as cable boxes, DVD players, amplifiers, video tapes and the like to facilitate the stacking of the printer with such other components. A base member supports in a front portion of the printer a printbar and associated printheads to provide the user with easy printhead head access. The base member has an open bottom for receiving a removable combination input/output tray cassette . Upon removal of the combination input/output tray cassette, front user access is made available for the purposes of removing a paper jam should one occur. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The above mentioned features of the preferred embodiment of the present invention and the manner of attaining them will become apparent, and the invention itself will be best understood by reference to the following description of the embodiments of the invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic perspective view of a low profile internet appliance printer that is constructed in accordance with the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic perspective view of the low profile internet appliance printer of FIG. 1, illustrated with a front access door in an open position; 
     FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic side plan view of the internet appliance printer of FIG. 2 with the front access door illustrated in the open position; 
     FIG. 4 is an enlarged diagrammatic perspective view of the internet appliance printer of FIG. 1 with its outer skins removed for major component illustration purposes; 
     FIG. 5 is an enlarged diagrammatic perspective view of a media cassette of FIG. 1 with bezel removed, illustrating its output tray in a fully extended position; 
     FIG. 6 is an enlarged diagrammatic perspective view of the media cassette of FIG. 1 with bezel removed, illustrating the output tray in a retracted position; 
     FIG. 7 is an enlarged diagrammatic perspective view of the printer illustrated in FIG. 1, showing the underside of the printer with the media cassette removed therefrom; 
     FIG. 8 is an enlarged diagrammatic perspective view of the printer of FIG. 1 with its front in a raised positioned with a media cassette removed therefrom; 
     FIG. 9 is an enlarged diagrammatic perspective view of the printer of FIG. 1, illustrating the front of the printer with the media cassette removed therefrom; 
     FIG. 10 is an enlarged diagrammatic top plan view of a media channel member of the internet appliance printer illustrated in FIG. 8; 
     FIG. 11 is a diagrammatic perspective view of the printer of FIG. 1 illustrating the printer stacked within an electronic cabinet with other electronic components; 
     FIG. 12 is a greatly enlarged fragmentary diagrammatic front plan view of a front portion of the media cassette FIG. 5 illustrating a front window thereof; 
     FIG. 13 is a greatly enlarged fragmentary diagrammatic perspective view of the output width adjuster assembly of FIG. 7, illustrating a cam action engagement for kick plate adjustment; 
     FIG. 14 is a greatly enlarged diagrammatic top plan view of a kick out plate of the printer of FIG. 1, illustrating two kick out positions; 
     FIG. 15 is a greatly enlarged diagrammatic rear perspective view of a removable cassette bezel for the printer of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 16 is a greatly enlarged fragmentary exploded diagrammatic front perspective view of the removable cassette bezel, illustrating it mounting relative to the media cassette of FIG. 5; 
     FIG. 17 is a greatly enlarged cross-sectional view of the removable cassette bezel of FIG. 16, taken along the line  17 — 17  thereof; 
     FIG. 18 is a greatly enlarged cross-sectional view of the removable cassette bezel of FIG. 16, taken along the line  18 — 18  thereof; and 
     FIG. 19 is a greatly enlarged cross-sectional view of the removable cassette bezel of FIG. 16, taken along the line  19 — 19  thereof. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Reference is made now in detail to a specific embodiment of the present invention, which illustrates a best mode presently contemplated by the inventors for practicing the invention. Alternative embodiments are also briefly described as applicable. Subtitles are provided herein for reference only; no limitation on the scope of the invention is intended nor should be implied therefrom. Paper pick, print engine and feed drive software and firmware algorithms are well known in the art and beyond the scope of the present invention; therefor, knowledge of a person skilled in the art is presumed and no detailed description of such is provided herein nor is such necessary for an understanding of the present invention. 
     For ease in understanding the preferred embodiment of the present invention the following outline is provided: 
     A. Stackable Construction 
     B. Printhead Access Door and Attachment 
     C. Base Chassis 
     D. Combination Input/Output Tray Cassette Unit 
     E. Input Tray Bezel 
     F. Paper Observation Frame 
     G. Open Bottom Paper Path Channel 
     H. Output Width Adjuster and Kick Out Plate Assembly 
     A. Stackable Construction 
     Referring now to the drawings and more particularly to FIG. 11 thereof, there is shown a low profile internet appliance printer  10  that is constructed in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention. The internet appliance printer  10  is stackable in an electronics cabinet  12  with other electronic components such as a cable box  14  and a digital video device  16 . The printer  10  includes internet electronics and a modem (not shown) an thus, is adapted for use with a monitor  18  to enable a user to print desired images and information associated with the information displayed on the monitor  18 . For simplicity purposes, the low profile internet appliance printer  10  will be referred to hereinafter as simply “the printer”. 
     The printer  10  is modular in nature and generally comprises a set of assemblies as best seen in FIG. 4 that include a base chassis assembly  20  for supporting from below a low profile print bar assembly  22  and a low profile service station assembly  24 . A media cassette assembly  26  is slidably mounted within the base assembly  20  for holding simultaneously a supply of input media and individual sheets of output media until the output media is retrieved by a user (not shown). The base chassis assembly  20  further supports at a rear portion thereof, a motor driven paper pick assembly  60  for facilitating the picking of individual sheets of input media from an input tray  32  forming part of the media cassette assembly  26  and for driving the individual picked sheets along a short paper path P through a print zone  17 . A motor driven drive roller assembly  61  mounted at a front portion of the base chassis assembly  20 , pulls the individual sheets that have passed through the print zone  17  a further distance along the paper path P so that individual ones of the sheets of media can be ejected into an output tray  34  that also forms part of the media cassette assembly  26 . An electronic assembly  30  is also mounted to the base assembly  20  for helping to facilitate the moving of the media along the paper path P and for helping to facilitate the ejecting of ink in a desired pattern onto individual ones of the media sheets as they pass through the print zone  17 . 
     A housing  19  covers the assemblies  20 ,  22 ,  24 , and  30  when they are integrated into a single unit. The housing  19  as best seen in FIG. 1 includes a set of outer skin members: a four-sided main skin member  21 , a right front skin member  23 , a left front skin member  25  and a bottom plate member  45  (FIG. 7) each of which is mounted to the base chassis assembly  20  to provide the printer  10  with an overall box-like configuration. The main skin member  21  has a unitary construction and includes a left side portion  51 , a right side portion  52 , a rear portion  53  and a top portion  55  each having a generally smooth planar surface to provide the printer  10  with a pleasing aesthetic appearance. 
     As best seen in FIGS. 3 and 9, the low profile printer  10  has an upper front passageway indicated generally at  13  and a lower front passageway indicated generally at  15 . The upper passageway  13  is covered with an access door  27  having an overall L-shaped configuration. The access door  27  includes a front face member  41  and a top member  48  that are integrally connected at about an angle of ninety degrees as best seen in FIG.  3 . 
     B. Printhead Access Door and Attachment 
     The access door  27  is pivotally mounted above the lower passageway  15  and extends laterally between the right skin member  23  and the left skin member  25 . In this regard, when the access door  27  is positioned in a close position as best seen in FIG. 1, the front face member  41  is disposed flush to the interior side edges of the side skin members  23  and  25  to provide the printer  10  with a pleasing aesthetic appearance. In a similar manner, the top member  48  is disposed in an abutting relationship with a front top edge of the top  55  of the main skin  21  and the top interior side edges of the right skin  23  and the left skin  25  to further provide the printer  10  with a pleasing aesthetic appearance. Moreover, since the top  55  of the main skin  21  abuts the back edges of both the right skin  23  and the left skin  25  an access space indicated generally at  49  is formed when the access door  27  is moved to an open position as illustrated in FIG.  2 . 
     More particularly, when the access door  27  is moved from a close to an open position, as best seen in FIGS. 1 and 2 respectively, access is provided to a low profile carriage assembly  36  that forms part of the low profile printbar assembly  22 . The carriage assembly  36  includes a pair of print cartridge stalls  37  and  38  for holding in a secure manner disposable print head cartridges, such as the cartridges  39  and  40 . The access space  49  in the top front of the printer  10  permits or allows a user to easily grasp either of the cartridges  39  or  40  for installation or removal purposes from their respective stalls  37  and  38 . Such installation or removal of cartridges is made possible even when the printer  10  is stacked beneath other electronic components, such as the electronic components  14  and  16  as illustrated in FIG.  11 . In short then, front loading and unloading of print head cartridges  39  and  40  is made possible in the low profile design of the printer  10 . 
     A media output slot indicated generally at  29  (FIG.  12 ), is disposed adjacent a set  31  of drive rollers to permit media to pass, via the set  31  of drive rollers from the interior print zone l  7  through the media output slot  29  into the output tray  34 . A set  33  of guides are mounted the interior surface of a front face member  41  of the access door  27  and cooperate with the set  31  of drive rollers to help facilitate the guiding and directing of individual sheets of media toward the output tray  34 . 
     The access door  27  is mounted between a right side chassis member  42  and a left side chassis member  44  that form part of the chassis assembly  20 . The right side chassis member  42  supports the service station assembly  24 , while the left side chassis, supports a combination user interface and power control module that includes a set  57  of switches, light control diodes, and infrared sensors that extend through the left side skin member  25  so they are visible to a user. The front access door  27  also facilitates the closing of the upper front passageway  13 , so that the detectable internal sounds produced by the printer  10  when printing are substantially reduced. 
     C. Base Chassis 
     Considering now the base chassis assembly  20  in greater detail with reference to FIGS.  4  and  7 - 9 , the base chassis assembly  20  is box like have a generally rectangular shape and includes a rear chassis assembly  43  that is interconnected between the right side chassis assembly  42  and the left side chassis assembly  44 . The bottom or base plate  45  has a unitary construction and is generally U-shaped. The bottom plate  45  is mounted to the bottom of the base chassis assembly  20  so that the underside of the printer  10  is provided with a planar configuration. 
     A right side slide rail  46  (FIG. 8) and a left side slide rail  47  (FIG. 7) are formed at the base of the right side chassis  42  and the left side chassis  44  respectively. The rails  46  and  47  are configured to receive and support the cassette  26  when the cassette  26  is slidably mounted thereon. 
     The lower passageway  15  as seen in a bottom plan view of the printer  10  is U-shaped and is dimensioned for receiving therein the media cassette assembly  26 . In a front plan view of the printer  10  the passageway  15  is also U-shape and is disposed in substantial parallel plane alignment with a front face portion  41  of the front door  27 . A channel or stop  35  is set back from the entrance to the passageway  15  and is mounted between the right side chassis member  42  and the left side chassis member  44 . When the cassette assembly  26  is slidably mounted in the passageway  15 , the stop  35  engages a front wall  110  (FIG. 6) of the cassette assembly  26  to limit or stop it from further travel within the passageway  15 . As will be explained hereinafter in greater detail, the cassette assembly  26  travels within the passageway  15  riding on the rail members  46  and  47  that form part of the right side chassis member  42  and the left side chassis member  44  respectively. 
     D. Combination Input/Output Tray Cassette Unit 
     Considering now the media cassette assembly  26  in greater detail with reference to FIGS. 5-6, the media cassette assembly  26  is a combination input/output tray cassette unit that is completely removable from the printer  10 . The assembly  26  includes both the input tray  32  for receiving and holding media, such as paper, for printing thereon, and the output tray  34  for receiving and holding media after it has been printed thereon. In short then, the single cassette  26  holds both the media for printing on and the media printed on after passing through the printer  10 . 
     As best seen in FIGS. 7-9, when the cassette assembly  26  is removed from the passageway  15 , a large open access space results which makes available to a user access to most if not all of the internal paper path that media follows during the printing process. A large rectangular shaped channel member  70  (FIG. 10) is disposed within this space mounted between the right side chassis  42  and the left side chassis  44  and extends between the rear pick roller assembly  60  and a set  68  of drive rollers (DR) forming part of the front drive roller assembly  61 . In this regard, as media is picked from the input tray  32  it travels along the media path P and is supported from below by the upper surface of the channel member  70 . The channel member  70  will be described hereinafter in greater detail. It should suffice to indicate at this point that a large cutout  71  provided in the channel manner  70  coupled with the large space that results in the underside of the printer  10  when the cassette assembly  26  is removed therefrom, provides a means for a user to clear and remove any media that might accidentally become jammed within the interior media path P of the printer  10 . In this regard, the access to the interior of the printer  10  from the passageway  15  via the cutout  71  permits the printer  10  to be stacked with other electronic components as best seen in FIG.  12 . 
     Considering now the cassette assembly  26  in greater detail with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6, the cassette assembly  26  is of a generally rectangular shape having the front wall  110 , a bottom wall or floor  112 , a pair of side walls  114  and  116  respectively, and a back or end wall  118 . The front, rear and side walls of the cassette  26  are generally of the same height and form a large space indicated generally at  120 . The space  120  is sufficiently large for receiving both standard A size media (8½-inch by 11-inch paper) as well as the narrow and longer A4 paper. A moveable pressure plate  117  is disposed at a rear portion of the cassette  26  for helping to facilitate the picking of media from the input tray. 
     As best seen in FIGS. 5 and 6, the side walls  114  and  116  provide a stair step shape configuration with the bottom portion of the walls being recessed inwardly from the top portion of the walls  114  and  116 . A set of guides, such as a guide  121 , projects outwardly from the bottom portion of each side wall  114 ,  116  and is spaced apart from one another. The guides  121  cooperate with the top portions of the side walls  114  and  116  to form rail-receiving channels there between to receive the rails  46  and  47  respectively. 
     An output tray receiving slot or opening indicated generally at  127  (FIG. 5) is formed in the front wall  110 . The slot  127  is dimensioned for receiving therein the output tray  34 . In this regard, the slot  127  extends beneath the floor  112 . The output tray  34  is supported within the slot  127  by a set of spaced apart rails (not shown) that are disposed on the interior surfaces of the bottom portions of the side walls  114  and  116  respectively. In short then, the top surface area of the bottom floor  112  is about equal to the surface area of the top surface of the output tray  34 . The area of the space  120  and that portion of the space  120  that is utilized for accommodating the different sizes of media is larger in overall area than the output tray  34 . In this regard, the output tray  34  has an area size that is between about two-thirds to three-fourth the overall area size of the space  120 . 
     Considering now the input tray  32  in greater detail with reference to FIGS. 5-7 and  13 , the input tray  32  includes an output width adjuster slide assembly  130  and a paper length adjuster or slide  132  that help facilitate the loading and discharge of different sized media from the printer  10 . As will be explained hereinafter in greater detail, the assembly  130  engages a kick out plate adjuster pin  160  (FIG. 7) to facilitate the proper discharge of media into the output tray  34 . 
     The paper length adjuster slide  132  includes a media engaging tab  134  that travels in an opening  136  disposed in the floor  112 . The tab  134  is movable between two different size setting: an A-4 media size setting position as best seen in FIG.  6  and an A-1 media size setting as best seen in FIG.  5 . In the first setting size, as best seen in FIG. 5, the side edges of the media are engaged between the interior of the side wall  114  and an interior wall portion of a slide member  138  that forms part of the output width adjuster  130 . The top edge of the media engages the face of the slide member  138  while the bottom edge engages the back wall  118 . In the second setting size, as best seen in FIG. 6, the side edges of the media are engaged between the interior of the side wall  114  and the interior wall of the slide member  138 . The top edge of the media engages the face of the slide member  134  (which has now been positioned to the second size position) while the bottom edge of the media engages the back wall  118 . 
     In a similar manner, the output width adjuster slide assembly  130  is moveable between two different size settings in a similar manner as the paper length adjuster slide  132 . The operation of the output width adjuster slide assembly  130  will be describe hereinafter in greater detail. From the foregoing it should be understood by those skilled in the art, that different sizes of media are accommodated within the space  120  by the adjustment of the slides  130  and  132 , and that the slides  130  and  132  cooperate with the side wall  114  and the back wall  118  to form a proper size input tray cassette having a general rectangular shape. 
     Considering now the output tray  34  in greater detail with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6, the output tray  34  is slidably mounted within the cassette  26  so that it can be telescopically extended and retracted. When extended, the output tray  34  has a sufficient dimension to support either a standard A-1, 8½ by 11-inch media sheet or an A4 media sheet, which sizes are the same as can be held within the input tray  32 . 
     As best seen in FIG. 5, the output tray  34  has a unitary construction and includes a base member  144  having a set of spaced apart rib or riser members indicated generally at  140  and  142  respectively which are integrally attached to a top surface thereof. As will be explained hereinafter in greater detail, the rib members  140  and  142  are constructed to simultaneously engage the front wall  110  of the cassette  26  when the output tray  34  is pull telescopically outward from the cassette  26 . In this manner, the risers  140  and  142  stop the outward travel of the output tray  34  positioning the output tray  34  in a proper position for supporting from below sheets of media as they are driven out of the printer  10  by the set  31  of drive rollers. As the riser members  140  and  142  are substantially identical in construction, only the riser members  140  will be described in greater detail. 
     The riser members  140  include four spaced apart risers, such as a riser  141 . The riser  141  has a narrow elongated construction that extends upwardly a sufficient distance from a front or proximate end thereof toward a rear or distal end to engage the underside of the front wall  110  of the cassette  26 . In this manner when the riser  141  engages the underside of the front wall  110  the forward travel of the output tray extending outwardly from the cassette  26  is inhibited. 
     From the foregoing, it should be understood by those skilled in the art that the riser member  140  and  142  because of their orientation on opposite sides of the output tray  34  interlock the underside of the front wall  110  at about the end of the path of travel followed by the output tray  34  allowing the output tray to easily slide through most of its motion and yet tilt at about a zero degree to about a two degree angle at the end of its travel motion to facilitate the capture and holding of output media discharged from the printer  10 . 
     In order to help facilitate the extending of the output tray  34  from the cassette  26 , the output tray  34  further includes an opening  145  that is disposed adjacent to a front edge  146  of the output tray and between a pair of wedge members  147  and  148  respectively. The opening  145  functions as a griping handle that can be grasp by a user to pull the output tray  34  outwardly from the cassette  26 . The wedge members  147  and  148  slope upwardly from the upper surface of the base  144  reaching their maximum height at the respective front corners of the output tray. In this manner the wedge members  147  and  148  function as stops to limit the forward travel of the media sheets as they are driven in seriatim from the printer  10  so that the media sheets are stacked on the upper surface of the base  144 . 
     In use, when the cassette  26  is inserted into the passageway  15 , the cassette  26  is fully received within the printer  10  without the output tray  34  extending beyond the front face of the printer  10 . The cassette  26  slides along the rails  46  and  47  until a front wall member  110  thereof engages the channel stop  35 . When the cassette  26  is pulled out from the passageway  15 , the cassette  26  travels in a reverse direction along the rails  46 ,  47  until a stop member  123  of a right side wall  114  of the cassette engages a backside of the channel stop  35 . As will be explained hereinafter in greater detail, the right side wall  114  includes an elongated flexible extension  125  that can be depressed by the user to release the stop  123  from engagement with the channel stop  35 . The extension  125  is integrally attached at its proximate end to the main body portion of the side wall  114  and has a narrow concave configuration at its distal end to help a user locate that portion of the extension that needs to be pressed to release the cassette  26  from the lower passageway  15 . 
     More particularly, when the extension  125  is depressed in a down direction, the cassette  26  can continue its reverse path of travel under the force of the user allowing the cassette  26  to be completely removed from the printer  10 . From the foregoing, it should be understood by those skilled in the art, that the cassette  26  can be moved a sufficient distance out from the interior of the printer  10  to allow the cassette  26  to be filled or refilled with a desired type of media. Furthermore, the cassette  26  can be completely removed from the printer to give the user access to the interior of the printer  10  via the access passageway  15  and the cutout  71 . In this manner, the clearing of paper jams is facilitated while the printer  10  remains in a stacked orientation with other electronic components as best seen in FIG.  7 . 
     E. Input Tray Bezel 
     Considering now the cassette assembly  26  in greater detail with reference to FIGS.  1  and  15 - 19 , the bezel  50  has a unitary construction that generally includes a left side wall member  199 , a right side wall member  198  and a central wall member  200 . The respective ones of the side wall members  198  and  199  have cutouts that are sufficient large to permit the output tray  34  to pass therethrough. Integrally connected and extending perpendicular to the side walls  198  and  199  are a pair of wing members  190  and  191 . 
     As best seen in FIG. 16, the bezel  50  is mounted removably to the front wall  110  and the side walls  114  and  116  for providing the cassette  26  with a pleasing aesthetic appearance. In order to help secure the bezel  50  to the cassette  26 , a right side snap or projection  180  and a left side snap  181  extend outwardly from the lower portions of the side walls  114  and  116  respectively at their lower distal ends adjacent to the front wall. A pair of snap engaging opening  182  and  183  for engaging the side wall snaps  180  and  181 . The opening  182  and  183  are disposed in the lower portions of the wing members  190  and  191  respectively. 
     To further help secure the bezel  50  to the cassette  26 , the bezel  50  also includes a pair of spaced apart fixing pins  184  and  185  that are dimensioned for sliding engagement with a corresponding pair of centrally disposed pin holes  186  and  187  (FIG. 16) disposed in the cassette  26  at the front wall  110  thereof. The pins  184  and  185  form part of a boss  197  that projects outwardly from the central wall  200 . An opening is formed in the boss  197  and is defined by two interior walls  195  and  196 . 
     A pair of spaced apart overhangs  188  and  189  is disposed on the rear face of the bezel  50 . The top edge portion of the front wall  110  supports from below the overhangs  188  and  189 . In summary then, when the bezel  50  is attached to the cassette  26 , the bezel  50  is mounted to the front wall  110  between the two side walls  114  and  116  respectively. 
     F. Paper Observation Frame 
     As best seen in FIG. 12, the front wall  110  of the cassette assembly  26  includes a centrally disposed rectangular shaped recess  193 . The recess  193  is disposed opposite the opening  145  to help prevent the fingers of the user from engaging the front wall when the user pulls the output tray  34  outwardly. A semi-elliptical cutout  192  is disposed in the center of the recess  193  to provide an observation window or frame to the interior of the input tray  32 . Thus, as best seen in FIG. 12 when the input tray  32  is loaded with a stack of input media  194 , the user is able to determine the amount of input media that remains in the input tray  32  by simple observation. The semi-elliptical cutout  192  is wider at its base adjacent the output tray than at its top adjacent the top of the recess  193 . In this manner, the user is able to have a greater view of a low supply of media than a full supply of media. 
     G. Open Bottom Paper Path 
     Considering now the channel member  70  in greater detail with reference to FIGS. 7-8 and  10 , the channel member  70  is mounted between the rear pick roller assembly  60  and the rear set  68  of drive rollers (DR) forming part of the front drive roller assembly  61 . The channel member  70  is disposed within the passageway  15  such that the upper surface of the channel member is in a parallel plane with the nips of the set  68  of the set  68  of the rear drive rollers (DR) so that media passing along the top surface of the channel member  70  is directed into the nips of the drive rollers. 
     The front of the channel member  70  includes a plurality of notched cutouts  72 - 75  that are dimensioned to be slightly larger in width than individual ones of the drive rollers DR of the drive roller assembly  61 . In this regard, a front edge portion  81  of the channel member  70  is mounted in adjacent abutment to the rollers DR without making direct contact with the rollers or the drive shaft  62  of the drive roller assembly  61 . Centrally disposed openings, such as the openings  76 - 79  are disposed opposite each one of the notched cutouts  72 - 75  and spaced from the central cutout  71 . The opening  76 - 79  provides further access to the paper path P. 
     Another set of notched cutouts  81 - 83  are disposed at the rear portion of the channel member  70 . The notched cutouts  81 - 83  are dimensioned to be slightly larger in width than individual ones of the pick rollers PR of the pick roller assembly  60 . In this regard, a rear edge portion  84  of the channel member  70  is mounted in adjacent abutment to the pick rollers PR without making contact the pick rollers PR of their associated drive shaft  85 . 
     As best seen in FIG. 10, the cutout  71  has a generally elliptical shape with a wide base indicated generally at  86  and a narrow top indicated generally at  87 . The cutout  71  is centrally disposed within the channel member  70  and space from the front notched cutouts  72 - 75  and the rear notched cutouts  81 - 83 . In this manner, the cutouts  71 , and  72 - 75 , and  81 - 83  in combination provide a substantially open paper path that facilitates the easy removal of substantially any paper jam without the need of the user lifting the printer  10  from its supporting surface. 
     H. Output Width Adjuster and Kick Out Plate Assembly 
     In order to align the output media properly as it passes from the media output slot  29  to the output tray  34 , the printer  10  includes a kick out plate assembly  58  (FIG.  14 ). The kick out plate assembly  58  generally comprises platen or a ribbed kicked out plate  59  that is mounted between the rear set  68  and the front set  69  of drive rollers and extends between the right side chassis  42  and the left side chassis  44 . The kick out plate  59  has a set  63  of upstanding rib members (RM) that help guide the output media through the media output slot  29  toward the output tray  34 . The kick out plate  59  includes at its back edge a series of spaced apart cutouts  64 - 67  that are dimensioned to allow the kick out plate  59  to be mounted adjacent the set  68  of the drive rollers forming part of the drive roller assembly. The kick out plate  59  also includes at its front edge a series of spaced apart cutouts  91 - 95  that are dimensioned to allow the kick out plate  59  to be mounted adjacent the front set  69  of the drive rollers forming part of the drive roller assembly. 
     A large cutout  96  is disposed next to cutout  95  and is dimensioned for receiving therein an output edge slide  97  that forms part of the output width adjuster slide assembly  130 . 
     Considering now the output width adjuster slide assembly  130  in greater detail with reference to FIGS. 5-7 and  14 , the assembly  130  generally includes the input tray slide member  138  that is disposed in the input tray  32 , a pin assembly  104  that is mounted at a distal end of the media output slot  29  above the kick out plate  59  and the output edge slide  97 . The pin assembly  104  includes a finger-engaging unit  106  that supports from above the kick out plate adjuster pin  160 . In this regard, the pin  160  extends perpendicularly down from the finger engaging unit  106  passing through an adjustment hole  108  disposed in the kick out plate  58  and a corresponding hole  109  disposed in the channel member  35 . The pin  160  has a sufficient length so that its distal free end is disposed within the interior of input tray  32  when the cassette  26  is mounted in the printer  10 . 
     Considering now the operation of the output width adjuster slide assembly  130  in greater detail, when the user adjusts the paper length adjuster  132  for A4 size media, the user also adjusts the finger engaging unit  104  for A4 media by sliding the unit  104  into a proper A4 position. The stack  194  of A4 size media is then placed in the input tray  32 . 
     The user next inserts the cassette  26  into the printer  10  sliding the cassette  26  into the printer  10  until it is fully inserted. As the cassette  26  is being positioned in the printer  10 , the pin  160  engages a cam surface  126  that causes the slide  138  to be pushed rearwardly along its first path of travel. As the slide  138  is pushed rearwardly, it distal end furthest from the pin  160  engages another cam surface  128  causing the slide to move in a horizontal direction. A slide plate  129  integrally attached to the slide  102  moves into engagement with the floor  112  narrowing the width distance between the slide  138  and the side wall  114 . The narrow width is sufficient for A4 size media. 
     When the slide unit  138  is positioned for A size paper, the pin  160  is unable to engage the cam surface  126 . It should be noted that since the pin passes through the hole  108  in slide  97 , the slide  97  is automatically positioned providing the proper kick out for media passing through the media output slot  29 . In short then, the output edge slide  97  is moveable between two position within the cutout  96 : an A4 size position as seen in solid line in FIG.  14  and in an A size position as seen in dash line in FIG.  14 . 
     While particular embodiments of the present invention have been disclosed, it is to be understood that various different modifications are possible and are contemplated within the true spirit and scope of the appended claims. There is no intention, therefore, of limitations to the exact abstract or disclosure herein presented.