Abstract:
A media handling system, comprising: a media pick means; a media holder that interacts with the media pick means; and a selectable, lockable, automatically movable media tray located substantially adjacent to the media holder, wherein the movable media tray is engageable/disengageable with the media pick means.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     This invention relates to a media handling system, comprising: a media pick means; a media holder that interacts with the media pick means; and a selectable, lockable, automatically movable media tray located substantially adjacent to the media holder, wherein the movable media tray is engageable/disengageable with the media pick means.  
         [0003]     2. Description of the Related Art  
         [0004]     Prior to the present invention, as set forth in general terms above and more specifically below, it is known, in prior media tray systems, that if the user fails to properly engage the media tray, media may be pulled from the main media tray and the print may be made on media that it is probably not intended for. Consequently, this wasted media and ink/toner and frustrated the user because the media they desired was not used. Conversely, if the media tray was not disengaged after printing a specialized media, the next print job may pull that expensive media from the media tray and use it, thereby wasting ink/toner and media. Consequently, a more advantageous system, then, would be provided if such user frustration and ink/toner and media waste could be avoided.  
         [0005]     It is also known, in the media handling art, to employ a variety of media tray designs that can be used in conjunction with a variety of media pick system designs. For example, it is known to employ to separate media trays that interact with different media pick systems. It is also known to employ separate media trays that share one media pick system. It is further known to employ two media pick systems that share a split gear train. It is even further known to employ multiple media trays that share a split gear system. Finally, it is still further known to use movable media trays. While these systems have met with a modicum of success, none of these systems uses a single pick system to automatically move the desired media, such as photographic media, into and out of the pick system.  
         [0006]     It is apparent from the above that there exists a need in the art for a media handling system that decreases user frustration and ink/toner waste, while at the same time uses a single pick system to automatically move the desired media, such as photographic media, into and out of the pick system. Also, it is desirous to employ a system that allows a variety of media to be loaded at the same time. It is a purpose of this invention to fulfill this and other needs in the art in a manner more apparent to the skilled artisan once given the following disclosure.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007]     Generally speaking, an embodiment of this invention fulfills these needs by providing a media handling system, comprising: a media pick means; a media holder that interacts with the media pick means; and a selectable, lockable, automatically movable media tray located substantially adjacent to the media holder, wherein the movable media tray is engageable/disengageable with the media pick means.  
         [0008]     In certain preferred embodiments, the media pick means is used to pick media from the media holder and the movable media tray. Also, the media holder can be, but is not limited to, a media tray. Finally, the media handling system utilizes a media tray lock and a tray lock spring in order to engage/disengage the movable media tray with/from the media pick means.  
         [0009]     In another further preferred embodiment, a media handling system is presented that decreases user frustration and ink/toner waste, while at the same time uses a single pick system to automatically move that desired media, such as photographic media, into and out of the pick system. Also, this system allows a variety of media to be loaded at the same time.  
         [0010]     The preferred media handling system, according to various embodiments of the present invention, offers the following advantages: ease-of-use; reduced part count; automated movement of the media tray; reduced ergonomic issues; increased user satisfaction; and reduction in consumable waste. In fact, in many of the preferred embodiments, these factors of ease-of-use, automated movement of the media tray, reduced ergonomic issues, increased user satisfaction, and reduction in consumable waste are optimized to an extent that is considerably higher than heretofore achieved in prior, known media handling systems.  
     
    
       [0011]     The above and other features of the present invention, which will become more apparent as the description proceeds, are best understood by considering the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like characters represent like parts throughout the several views and in which:  
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0012]      FIG. 1  is a schematic illustration of a pick train or transmission, according to one embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0013]      FIG. 2  is a schematic illustration of a media tray lock train or transmission, according to another embodiment of the present invention; and  
         [0014]      FIG. 3  is a schematic illustration a media tray drive train or transmission, according to the embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0015]     With reference first to  FIG. 1 , there is illustrated one preferred embodiment for use of the concepts of this invention. Pick transmission  2  is shown in  FIG. 1 . As can be seen, power is transferred from the pick motor  3  to rotate pick arm  16 . Pick transmission  2  includes, in part, pick motor  3 , transfer gear  4 , drive gear  6 , idler gear  8 , platen drive gear  10 , platen gears  12 , pick shaft drive gear  14 , pick arm  16 , center bearing  18 , feed roller  19 , and pick motor gear  22 . The main function of the pick transmission or train  2  is to deliver torque from the pick motor  3  to the pick arm  16  to pick a sheet of media from the media input storage holder (not shown) or media tray  46  ( FIG. 3 ) and move those sheets of media into the feed roller  19 .  
         [0016]     During the operation of pick transmission  2 , power is transferred from pick motor  3  to pick motor gear  22  which interfaces with transfer gear  4 . Transfer gear  4  interfaces with drive gear  6  which is the primary gear that engages pick motor  3 . Drive gear  6  then meshes with an idler gear  8 . Idler gear  8  spins freely on a swing arm pin  24  ( FIG. 2 ). Because idler gear  8  moves with the swing arm (not shown), it moves into different positions around drive gear  6  and distributes power to various trains. Drive gear  6  spins freely on center bearing  18 . Because drive gear  6  is not coupled to the shaft of feed roller  19 , it is independent of the feed roller shaft and is isolated by center bearing  18 . It is to be understood that platen drive gear  10  and platen gears  12  stand on posts (not shown) on the platen (not shown). Also, pick shaft drive gear  14  is rigidly attached to the pick arm  16  and spins in a bearing surface (not shown) in the platen. The platen is typically used to assist in feeding the media and assist in placing the marks upon the media by the printing device.  
         [0017]     During the operation of media tray lock transmission  20  ( FIG. 2 ), transmission  20  locks and unlocks the gear train that drives the automatic media tray  46  ( FIG. 3 ) in and out of the mechanism. Transmission  20  delivers torque from pick motor  3  to engage/disengage media tray lock  26 . Transmission  20  includes, in part, pick motor gear  22 , swing arm pin  24 , media tray lock  26 , media idler gear  28 , and tray lock spring  29 . As can be seen in  FIG. 2 , transfer gear  4  takes power from pick motor  3  and pick motor gear  22  and transfers that power to drive gear  6  which spins freely on center bearing  18 . Drive gear  6  engages idler gear  8  and spins freely on the swing arm pin  24 . Because idler gear  8  moves with the swing arm, idler gear  8  can move into different positions around drive gear  6  and distribute power to various trains.  
         [0018]     In this particular gear train, idler gear  8  engages with a plurality of teeth on media tray lock  26  which rotates about a pin (not shown) on the platen. As idler gear  8  rotates in either direction, it swings media tray lock  26  through an arc (A). It is to be understood that the movement of media tray lock  26  can be limited by a hard stop (not shown) on the platen. As media tray lock  26  swings through its arc (A), several teeth on media tray lock  26  engage or disengage with media idler gear  28 . It is to be understood that when the teeth of media tray lock  26  are engaged with teeth in media idler gear  28 , media idler gear  28  stops spinning and media tray drive transmission  30  ( FIG. 3 ) cannot operate until media tray lock  26  is unlocked. In order to unlock transmission  20 , media tray lock  26  is moved in its arc (A) to disengage its teeth from media idler gear  28 , thereby allowing media tray drive transmission  30  to move.  
         [0019]     It is to be understood that media tray lock  26  is spring-loaded with media tray lock spring  29  such that media tray lock  26  is engaged with media idler gear  28 . Media tray lock spring  29 , preferably, is a torsion spring that pushes against the platen as a reference and pushes against media tray lock  26 . In this manner, media tray lock  26  is engaged in its free state and transmission  20  is locked. In order to unlock transmission  20 , media tray lock  26  must be actively unlocked and held unlocked by pick motor  3 . It is to be understood that when media tray lock  26  is engaged, lock  26  prevents tray  46  ( FIG. 3 ) from moving inward, but allows the user to pull tray  46  into the “out” position in case of a fault (media jam, etc.). This should allow the user to more easily clear media jams.  
         [0020]     With respect to  FIG. 3 , media tray drive transmission  30  includes, in part, drive idler gear  32 , media gear  34 , platen gears  36 , media gear  38 , media tray drive shaft  40 , media tray gear  42 , rack  44 , and media tray  46 . As can be seen in  FIG. 3 , with the media tray lock transmission  20  unlocked, media tray drive transmission  30  transfers torque from a paper motor (not shown) to turn the shaft of feed roller  19 . Power is diverted from the shaft of feed roller  19  through the gear train to drive media tray  46  in and out of the mechanism. In this manner, media tray  46  is moved out (the idle position) to present it to the user for loading media. Media tray  46  is then moved in to position the media at the pick arm  16  and feed roller  19  ( FIG. 1 ) for media picking.  
         [0021]     During the operation of transmission  30 , drive gear  6  is attached to the shaft of feed roller  19 . Drive gear  6  is driven by the paper motor. As the shaft of feed roller  19  rotates, drive gear  6  turns with the shaft of feed roller  19  and engages drive idler gear  32  which spins on a pin (not shown) on the swing arm. Drive idler gear  32  engages platen idler gear  8  which spins on a post (not shown) on the platen. Platen idler gear  8  engages one of two media idler gears  28  that spin on pins (not shown). The second media idler gear  28  engages with media gear  34  that spins on a valve shaft (not shown). Media gear  34  engages one of two platen gears  36  which spin on posts (not shown) on the platen. The second platen gear  36  engages two or more media idler gears  28  that spin on platen posts (not shown) and engage media gear  38 . Media gear  38  is rigidly attached to media tray drive shaft  40  which turns media tray gear  42 . Media tray gear  42  interacts with rack  44  on media tray  46  to move media tray  46  linearly in and out of the mechanism so that the user can load the media, such as photographic media, into media tray  46  and also allow media to be loaded into the media input storage holder (not shown) at the same time. Media tray  46  is then moved in to position the media at the pick arm  16  and feed roller  19  ( FIG. 1 ) for media picking.  
         [0022]     Also, the present invention can be embodied in any computer-readable medium for use by or in connection with an instruction-execution system, apparatus or device such as a computer/processor based system, processor-containing system or other system that can fetch the instructions from the instruction-execution system, apparatus or device, and execute the instructions contained therein. In the context of this disclosure, a “computer-readable medium” can be any means that can store, communicate, propagate or transport a program for use by or in connection with the instruction-execution system, apparatus or device. The computer-readable medium can comprise any one of many physical media such as, for example, electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor media. More specific examples of a suitable computer-readable medium would include, but are not limited to, a portable magnetic computer diskette such as floppy diskettes or hard drives, a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory, or a portable compact disc. It is to be understood that the computer-readable medium could even be paper or another suitable medium upon which the program is printed, as the program can be electronically captured, via, for instance, optical scanning of the paper or other medium, then compiled, interpreted or otherwise processed in a single manner, if necessary, and then stored in a computer memory.  
         [0023]     Those skilled in the art will understand that various embodiment of the present invention can be implemented in hardware, software, firmware or combinations thereof. Separate embodiments of the present invention can be implemented using a combination of hardware and software or firmware that is stored in memory and executed by a suitable instruction-execution system. If implemented solely in hardware, as in an alternative embodiment, the present invention can be separately implemented with any or a combination of technologies which are well known in the art (for example, discrete-logic circuits, application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), programmable-gate arrays (PGAs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), and/or other later developed technologies. In preferred embodiments, the present invention can be implemented in a combination of software and data executed and stored under the control of a computing device.  
         [0024]     It will be well understood by one having ordinary skill in the art, after having become familiar with the teachings of the present invention, that software applications may be written in a number of programming languages now known or later developed.  
         [0025]     Once given the above disclosure, many other features, modifications or improvements will become apparent to the skilled artisan. Such features, modifications or improvements are, therefore, considered to be a part of this invention, the scope of which is to be determined by the following claims.