Abstract:
A portable laminator designed primarily for home use where the laminator includes a handle for carrying which may also act as a guide for articles being fed into the laminator. In alternate embodiments, the laminator includes a cover which may first position acts as a guide for material being fed into the laminator and in a second position acts as a cover for the laminators feed slot. In additional embodiments, the laminator includes a double walled housing to provide insulation from the heating elements.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 11/275,439, filed Oct. 3, 2006, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,398,814. entitled “PORTIBLE LAMINTOR” which claimed priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/641,232, filed on Jan. 3, 2005. 
    
    
     FILED OF INVENTION 
     This invention relates to office laminating machines or laminators. More specifically, this application relates to portable laminators designed for home us. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Small laminators for office use are well known in the Office Equipment Industry. Generally, the units are approximately the size of a typewriter, and include a housing design to sit on a countertop, desktop, or other horizontal surface. The laminators of the prior art are intended to remain in one place once installed, and are not designed for portability or storage if used infrequently. 
     The laminators are generally positioned horizontally, and include a faceplate which faces the user when the laminator is positioned for use. The faceplate includes a horizontal feed slot, where a user inserts the article to be laminated. Prior to insertion, the user places the article between two plastic films. Inside the feed slot is a conveying mechanism, usually a pair of rollers, which grab the article and convey the article into the heater. There, the heater subjects the films to heat from a heating plate or other heating element, thereby fusing the plastic films to one another about the perimeter of the article as the article passes by, resulting in a laminated article. The laminated article is then conveyed out the feed slot where it is retrieved by the user. In some embodiments in the prior art, the laminated article is conveyed through a separate output slot instead of going back through the feed slot. In other embodiments, well known in the prior art, the user need not place the article between the films, as the laminator includes mechanisms to place the article between two films. 
     Because the heating elements generate high temperatures to fuse the plastic films, the outside of the laminator housing, particularly the area in closest proximity to the heating elements can become hot to the touch. To limit the heating of the housing exposed to the user, the housing of the present invention includes an air gap or channel, to limit the conduction of heat from the heating elements to the outer housing of the laminator. The air gap is created by using two housings isolate the heating elements from the user. 
     Additionally, the laminators of the prior art are not designed for portability or case of storage. The feed slots do not include a cover or other structure as part of the housing, thereby leaving the feed slot open to the environment when the laminator is not in use. This exposure allows dust and other debris to enter the feed slot, contaminating the films and mechanisms within the housing. Since the laminators of the prior art are not designed to be moved from place to place, they do not include a carrying handle or structure to store the power cord. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The laminator described herein includes features to provide ease of portability and storage as well as advantages when the laminator is in use, such as a deployable feed tray and a cool to the touch housing. Such advantages are not only beneficial for a home user, but are also advantageous for office situations where the laminator is infrequently used. Additionally, the features are applicable to other portable devices which include a feed slot, such as printers and shredders. Additionally, the double walled housing or air gap can be applicable to non-portable, heat generating office equipment. 
     The housing includes handle positioned below the feed slot. A dust cover is hingedly attached to the housing between the handle and the feed slot. This positioning allows the handle to support the dust cover when the dust cover is in the down position exposing the feed slot. In the down position, the dust cover forms a feed tray to help guide the article to be laminated into and out of the feed slot. In the closed position, the dust cover is positioned up against the housing so as to cover the feed slot and prevent dust and other debris from entering the feed slot, particularly when the laminator is stored in an upright or vertical position. 
     To aid in storing the laminator, the housing includes protrusions on the back plate on which to wrap the power cord when not in use. The protrusions are positioned on the back plate in an arrangement to form legs to allow the laminator to be stored in an upright position. 
     To produce a cool to the touch outer cover, the outer cover of the laminator is separated from an inner housing by an air gap. The use of a double housing to separate the heating elements from the user creates an outer housing that is cooler than a single walled model. In some embodiments, the outer cover may include posts or ribs to contact the inner housing in select places. The post or ribs maintain the space between the cover and inner housing, and may additionally provide strength to the outer or inner cover. The ribs can be arranged to provide air channels or compartmentalize the air gap, and provide specific pathways for air to flow between the cover and inner housing. To improve air flow, a fan may be positioned to force air to move through the air gap. In other embodiments, the space between the cover and inner housing can include insulation or other material to limit the conduction of heat to the outer cover. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a top perspective view of the laminator showing the cover in a closed position. 
         FIG. 2  is a top perspective view of the laminator showing the cover in an open position. 
         FIG. 3  is a partial cut away view of the laminator. 
         FIG. 4  is an exploded view of the housing. 
         FIG. 5  is a side view of the laminator. 
         FIG. 6  is a back view of the laminator. 
         FIG. 7  is a bottom view of the laminator. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The laminator  10  includes a case  15  including a handle  16 . The case  15  includes a base  18  and a top  19 . Both the base  18  and the top  19  include vents  20  to allow the circulation of the air into the case  10 , to cool the mechanical and electrical components of the laminator  10 . When in use, the base  18  rests on a counter or other horizontal surface. 
     The case  15  is shaped to include a generally flat bottom portion for resting upon a counter, a generally flat back portion, which include protrusions to act as feet and to wrap the power cord around, and a generally flat front portion which includes a handle. The top side of the case includes two arcuate end portions linked by a generally straight and planar middle portion. 
     The base  18  and top  19  are fastened together with screws or other fasteners to form a housing  25  having a chamber for securing and containing the operating mechanisms of the laminator  10 . The housing  25  includes the handle  16 , preferably formed as an integral part thereof. The handle  16  can assume many orientations, but it is preferably parallel to the feed slot  28 . In the preferred embodiment the handle is fixed in orientation and includes an aperture  17  for the user to grip when carrying. 
     The handle  16  is located below the feed slot  28  when the laminator is resting upon the base member  18 , as positioned when in use. A handle  16  call act as a guide or support for material entering the feed slot, if the top surface  9 , of the handle  16  is approximately even or slightly higher than the feed slot  28 . Optionally, a cover  30  is hingedly attached to the housing  25  between the feed slot  28  and the handle  16 . The cover  30  is adapted to maintain a first position  21  to form a guide for material being fed into the laminator  10  for lamination. In the first position  21 , the cover  30  rests upon the handle  16 . In a second position  22 , the cover  30  rests upon the housing  25  so as to cover the feed slot  28 . The second position  22  is of benefit when the laminator  10  is stored in an upright position with the feed slot  28  perpendicular to the ground, the cover then covering the feed slot  28  to prevent debris and other items from falling and entering the laminator  10  through the feed slot  28 . 
     The case  15  further includes an outer housing  40  placed over the top  19  and secured with fasteners  42 . The outer housing  40  is positioned so as to maintain an air gap  50  between substantial portions of the outer housing  40  and top  19 . To aid in maintaining the gap, ribs  55  are present on the underside of the outer housing  40 . The ribs  55  also lend support in maintaining the shape of the outer housing  40 . The ribs  55  can be judiciously arranged to form air channels  52  to direct the air through the air gap  50 . A fan (not shown) may be placed in communications with the air channels  52  to improve the flow of air through the air gap  50 . A power switch  60  is located in a recess  61  on the outer housing  40 . 
     The back plate  65  includes an exit slot  80  where the laminated article exits the laminator when the laminator  10  is stored in an upright position, the exit slot  80  faces the ground, and does not fully benefit from a cover, as debris generally does not flow upwards. However, one skilled in the art will recognize that a cover, similar to the hinged cover described above could be applied to the exit slot  80 . In such an arrangement, the protrusions  67  would include stops to hold the cover in a position to guide the laminated article as it exits the exit slot  80 . 
     The case  15  includes protrusions on the back plate  65  of the housing  25 . The back plate  65  is opposite the feed slot  28 . The protrusions  67  are positioned to act as feet and support the case  15  in an upright position when the laminator  10  is stored. In the most preferred embodiment, the protrusions  67  extend away from the back plate  65  at least ½ inch. The protrusions further include tabs  68  extending away from the protrusions  67 , but not so far to exceed the extended perimeter of the case  15 . The tabs  68  act as a base to support the case  15  in an upright position, and serve to retain the power cord when the power cord is wrapped around the protrusions for storage. One skilled in the an will recognize the protrusions  67  can take on many configurations and number, so long as they permit the case  15  to stand upright, that is with the back plate  65  parallel to the supporting surface. 
     In the most preferred embodiment, the protrusions are at least two in number and include a base portion generally parallel to the back plate  65 , the base portion being attached to the back plate  65  by a support portion. The support portion may be a single tubular structure, or may be a plurality of posts or other members linking the base number to the back plate. The base member is shaped to include an arcuate portion generally striking an arc similar to the arcuate portion of the case. One skilled in the art will recognize the base portion need not assume this structure. The support portion is generally narrower than the base portion, to allow room for a power cord to be wrapped between and about the support portions of the protrusions. In such a way, the laminator may be stored upright on the base portions while the power cord is wrapped about the protrusions and not interfering with the storage. In the preferred embodiment, the base portion includes a first straight portion generally perpendicular to the ground and a second straight portion parallel to the ground and two portions joined at a vertex. Opposite the vertex, is an arced portion generally maintaining an arc similar to the arc of the housing. 
     The embodiments described herein are merely illustrative, and are not meant to limit the scope of the invention.