Patent Publication Number: US-2023159294-A1

Title: Convertible printed product collecting assembly

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     Printers have an output where a printed product leaves the printer. Typically, the printed product is a sheet material of a given material and size. A printed product collecting assembly is to collect the printed product from the output of the printer. Among others, the printed product is collected on a flat surface or it can be collected in a bag formed by a fabric material. The printed product can be a single sheet, or multiple sheets can be collected in a stack. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The accompanying drawings illustrate various examples of the principles described herein and are a part of the specification. The illustrated examples are given merely for illustration, and do not limit the scope of the claims. 
         FIG.  1    is a slightly simplified perspective illustration of a printer which has a printed product collecting assembly according to one example, wherein the printed product collecting assembly is shown in a configuration where a collecting fabric is in a flat, tensioned shape. 
         FIG.  1 A  is a perspective view of a printer which has a printed product collecting assembly according to another example, wherein the printed product collecting assembly is shown in a configuration where a collecting fabric is in a flat, tensioned shape. 
         FIG.  2    is a perspective view of a printer which has a printed product collecting assembly according to one example, similar as in  FIG.  1   , wherein the printed product collecting assembly is shown in a configuration where the collecting fabric forms a collecting bag. 
         FIG.  3    is a slightly simplified perspective partial view of a detail of a printed product collecting assembly according to one example, which illustrates a supporting leg, a stabilizing bracket and a hinge member to be mounted on a printer. 
         FIG.  4    is a slightly simplified perspective partial view of a detail of a printed product collecting assembly according to one example, which illustrates a tensioning and locking mechanism which is to reel, unreel and tension the fabric relative to a fabric bearing rod of the printed product collecting assembly. 
         FIGS.  5   a  and  5   b    are slightly simplified perspective partial views of a detail of a tensioning and locking mechanism which is to reel, unreel and tension the fabric of the printed product collecting assembly, similar as shown in  FIG.  4   , wherein  FIG.  5   a    illustrates the tensioning and locking mechanism in a releasing state in which the tensioning and locking mechanism is operable to release and unreel the collecting fabric from the fabric bearing rod, and  FIG.  5   b    illustrates the tensioning and locking mechanism in a locking state in which the tensioning and locking mechanism is operable to tension the collecting fabric and to hold the collecting fabric in a flat, tensioned shape. 
     
    
    
     Throughout the drawings, identical reference numbers designate similar, but not necessarily identical, elements. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG.  1    illustrates a printer  18  which has a printed product collecting assembly  10  according to one example. The convertible printed product collecting assembly  10  includes a collecting fabric  11  which has a longitudinal and a transversal direction. 
     As illustrated in detail in  FIGS.  5   a ,  5   b   , the collecting fabric  11  is fixed at one end, in its longitudinal direction, to and rolled on a rotatable fabric bearing rod  19  which extends in the transversal direction of the fabric. In the example of  FIGS.  5   a ,  5   b    the fabric bearing rod  19  is coupled to a tensioning and locking mechanism  15 ,  16  which is operable to tension the collecting fabric  11  and to hold the collecting fabric  11  in a flat, tensioned shape, as will be described later. 
     Returning to the example of  FIG.  1   , the collecting fabric  11  is fixed at its other end to a transversal fixation rod  17 . The collecting fabric  11  is to receive the printed product from a printer output. The printed product from the printer may be, e.g., a sheet material of a given material and size. Generally spoken, the printed product collecting assembly  10  is to collect the printed product from the output of the printer, wherein, among others, the printed product can be collected on a flat surface formed by the collecting fabric  11 , or it can be collected in a bag which is also formed by the fabric  11 . The printed product can be, for example, a single sheet, or multiple sheets that may be collected in a stack. 
     In an example, as illustrated in  FIG.  1   , the printed product collecting assembly  10  has supporting legs  13  which are connected to the printer  18 , in particular to a printer supporting base  12 , and which are tiltable in the collecting fabric’s longitudinal direction. In an example, the supporting legs  13  have hinge members  13   c  located on at least one of its ends, e.g., at the lower end to be mounted at the printer supporting base  12 , so that the supporting legs  13  are tiltable relative to the hinge members  13   c  in the collecting fabric’s  11  longitudinal direction. In the example of  FIGS.  1 ,  1 A , the printer supporting base  12  has a transverse foot member  12   a  which is mounted on swivel castors  12   b . 
     Further, in an example and as illustrated in  FIGS.  1 ,  1 A , the supporting legs  13  are telescopic legs which include first and second telescopic parts  13   a ,  13   b , the supporting legs  13  being tiltable in the collecting fabric’s longitudinal direction. The lower end of the first telescopic part  13   a  is connected to the hinge member  13   c . In the example of  FIG.  1   , the upper end of second telescopic part  13   b  is connected to support the transversal fixation rod  17 . On the other hand, in the example of  FIG.  1 A , the upper end of second telescopic part  13   b  is connected the fabric bearing rod  19  with an associated tensioning and locking mechanism  16 . 
     Stabilizing brackets  14  are coupled to the supporting legs  13 . In an example, as illustrated in  FIGS.  1 ,  1 A,  2   , the stabilizing brackets  14  are stabilizer arms which are at one end connected to the supporting leg  13  and which are at the other end connected to the printer supporting base  12 , wherein the stabilizer arms  14  are connected by a hinge element  14   a  to the supporting legs  13 . 
     In an example, the stabilizing arms  14  are slidingly attached in a longitudinal direction of the supporting legs  13 . In an example, the stabilizing arms  14  are slidingly attached in a longitudinal direction of an elongate rail  14   c  extending on the printer supporting base  12 . In another example, the stabilizing arms  14  are slidingly attached in both: the longitudinal direction of the supporting legs 13; and the longitudinal direction of an elongate rail  14   c  extending on the printer supporting base  12 . In an example, the stabilizer arms  14  are connected by another hinge element  14   b  to the printer supporting base  12  or to the elongate rail  14   c  extending on the printer supporting base  12 , so as to accommodate tilting movement of the supporting legs  13  relative to the printer supporting base  12 . 
     The tensioning and locking mechanism  15 ,  16  of  FIG.  1    is associated to the fabric bearing rod  19  to rotate the fabric bearing rod  19 , thereby releasing the fabric bearing rod  19  to rotate in a releasing state and to lock the fabric bearing rod  19  against rotation in a locking state. In a similar way, the tensioning and locking mechanism  16  of  FIG.  1 A , which has not the tube  15  in the example shown in  FIG.  1 A , is associated to the fabric bearing rod  19  to rotate the same releasing the fabric bearing rod  19  to rotate in a releasing state and to lock the fabric bearing rod  19  against rotation in a locking state. 
     In general, one of the fabric bearing rod  19  with its associated tensioning and locking mechanism  15 ,  16  ( FIG.  1   ) or  15  ( FIG.  1 A ) and the transversal fixation rod  17  is connected to and supported by upper ends of the supporting legs  13 , and the other is to be arranged close to the printer  18  output. 
     In an example, as illustrated in  FIGS.  1  and  2   , the fabric bearing rod  19  with its associated tensioning and locking mechanism  15 ,  16  is arranged close to the printer  18  output, and the transversal fixation rod  17  is connected to and supported by upper ends of the supporting legs  13 . 
     In another example, as illustrated in  FIG.  1 A , the fabric bearing rod  19  with its associated tensioning and locking mechanism  16  is connected to and supported by upper ends of the supporting legs  13 , and the transversal fixation rod  17  is arranged close to the printer  18  output. 
     In an example, as illustrated in  FIGS.  1  and  2   , the tensioning and locking mechanism  15 ,  16  includes a tube  15 , in which the fabric bearing rod  19  is rotatably mounted, and wherein the tube  15  has an elongate slot or opening  15   a , extending in the fabric’s  11  transversal direction, through which the fabric  11  exits the tube  15 . 
     In an example, the tensioning and locking mechanism  15 ,  16  includes a tube  15  in which the fabric bearing rod  19  is rotatably mounted. In an example as shown in  FIG.  1    the tensioning and locking mechanism  15 ,  16  is operative in that it optionally releases or locks rotation between an end of the tube  15  and the fabric bearing rod  19 . 
     In an example, as illustrated in  FIGS.  4 ,  5   a ,  5   b   , the tensioning and locking mechanism  15 ,  16  includes a toothed wheel  16   a  connected to an end of the fabric bearing rod  19 , and one or more arcuate leaf springs  16   b  connected to the tube  15  by fastening elements which are schematically illustrated at  16   c . 
     In the illustrated example, the toothed wheel  16   a  and the at least one leaf spring  16   b  are displaceable relative to each other in the longitudinal direction of the fabric bearing rod  19  so that in a first relative position the toothed wheel  16   a  and the at least one leaf spring  16   b  are engaging each other in a locking state to lock the fabric bearing rod  19  against rotation in a sense of rotation in which the fabric  11  would become slack, i.e. the toothed wheel  16   a  and the at least one leaf spring  16   b  cooperate in a ratchet type manner. In a second relative position the toothed wheel  16   a  and the at least one leaf spring  16   b  are disengaged from each other in a releasing state to release the fabric bearing rod  19  to rotate in any direction. 
     In an example, the toothed wheel  16   a  is connected to an actuating knob  16   d  protruding from one end of the tube  15 . The toothed wheel  16   a  is displaceable relative the at least one leaf spring  16   b  between said first and second relative positions by moving the actuating knob  16   d  in the longitudinal direction of the fabric bearing rod  19 . Additionally, in an example, a spring  19   c  may be accommodated in an interior cavity  19   b  in the fabric bearing rod  19 , which spring  19   c  is to bias the rotation of the rod  19  in one direction. 
     In an example, one actuating knob  16   d  is provided on each end of the fabric bearing rod  19 , the actuating knobs  16   d  both being coupled to the toothed wheel  16   a  so that the latter is displaceable in the longitudinal direction of the fabric bearing rod  19  by each of the actuating knobs  16   d . 
     The tensioning and locking mechanism  15 ,  16  is operable to tension the collecting fabric  11  and to hold the same in a flat, tensioned shape when the tensioning and locking mechanism  15 ,  16  is in the locking state, as illustrated by  FIGS.  1  and  1 A . 
     On the other hand, the tensioning and locking mechanism  15 ,  16  is operable to release and unreel the collecting fabric  11  from the fabric bearing rod  19  to form a collecting bag, as shown in  FIG.  2    for the example of  FIG.  1   . After forming the collecting bag the tensioning and locking mechanism  15 ,  16  might be brought into the locking state to prevent further unreeling of the fabric  11  from the fabric bearing rod  19 , or, if the fabric  11  is completely unreeled from the fabric bearing rod  19 , to which the fabric’s longitudinal end is fixed, the tensioning and locking mechanism  16  may remain in the releasing state. 
     In the example of  FIG.  1 A , the collecting bag is formed in a similar way, wherein the tensioning and locking mechanism  16  (which does not include the tube  15  in this example) is operable to release and unreel the collecting fabric  11  from the fabric bearing rod  19  and to form a collecting bag. 
     In an example, the stabilizing brackets or arms  14  are to secure the supporting legs in at least one tilting angle in which the collecting fabric  11  is at least partially unreeled from the fabric bearing rod  19 . 
     In an example, the hinge member  13   c  which connects the lower end of the supporting legs  13  to the printer or printer base  12  is shaped to hold the supporting leg  13  in at least one tilting angle, tilted away from the printer. 
     In an example, as illustrated in  FIG.  3   , the hinge member  13   c  is shaped to hold the supporting leg  13  in three different tilting angles: one which is most tilted away from the printer  18  so that the collecting fabric  11  can be hold in a flat, tensioned shape, one which is intermediate so that the unreeled collecting fabric  11  can form the collecting bag, and one, close to the printer  18 , which forms a stowing position for the convertible printed product collecting assembly  10 .