Patent Publication Number: US-9895913-B2

Title: Printing medium holder

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     In many printing devices, a printing medium passes from an input holder to an output holder via a printing medium path, the printing medium path including a printing zone in which a printing element prints on the printing medium is printed on. The two holders may be disposed on the same side of the printer, or on opposing sides, for example. The holders may take the form of rolls, for example, and the media holders may be accessed in order to, for example, re-supply the input holder and/or to remove a medium on which printing has been completed from the output holder. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1 a    is block diagram of a printing medium holder system according to an example; 
         FIG. 1 b    is a perspective diagram of a printing medium holder system according to an example; 
         FIG. 1 c    is an end perspective diagram of the printing medium holder system of  FIG. 1   b;    
         FIG. 2 a    is a perspective view of a printing system according to an example including the printing medium holder system of  FIG. 1 b    in a first configuration; 
         FIG. 2 b    is a schematic cross-section diagram of the printing medium holder system of  FIG. 1 b    in the first configuration; 
         FIG. 2 c    a perspective view of a printing system according to an example including the printing medium holder system of  FIG. 1 b    in a second configuration; 
         FIG. 2 d    is a schematic cross-section diagram of the printing medium holder system of  FIG. 1 b    in the second configuration and a printing medium path of the printing system; 
         FIG. 3 a    is a perspective diagram of a fixing mechanism for fixing the printing medium holder system of  FIG. 1 b    in the second configuration; 
         FIG. 3 b    is schematic diagram of the fixing mechanism of Figure a viewed from the side; and 
         FIG. 4  is a flow diagram showing a method for use with the printing system of  FIGS. 2 a    and  2   c.    
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     In the following description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details of certain examples are set forth. Reference in the specification to “an example” or similar language means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the example is included in at least that one example, but not necessarily in other examples. 
       FIG. 1 a    is a block diagram schematically illustrating the components of an example printing medium holder system  100 , herein referred to as a “holder system  100 ”.  FIG. 1 a   , as well as other figures referenced herein, are schematic diagrams and as such certain components have been omitted to facilitate a description of the example. Actual implementations may vary in practice. 
     The holder system  100  includes a first printing medium holder  104   a , and a second printing medium holder  104   b , referred to herein as the “first holder  104   a ” and “second holder  104   b ” respectively. The holder system  100  includes a connection mechanism  103  to connect the holder system to a printer. The holder system  100  also includes a pivot mechanism  102 , connected to each of the first holder  104   a , the second holder  104   b  and the connection mechanism  103 . The pivot mechanism  102  is pivotable so that the first holder  104   a  and the second holder  104   b  move relative to the connection mechanism  103  between a first configuration of the holder system  100  and a second configuration of the holder system  100 . 
       FIGS. 1 b  and 1 c    schematically illustrate an example of a holder system  100  according to  FIG. 1 a   .  FIG. 1 b    shows a holder system  100  not holding a printing medium.  FIG. 1 c    and subsequent figures show the holder system  100  holding a printing medium  114 . 
     The holders  104   a ,  104   b  of the example holder system  100  of  FIGS. 1 b  and 1 c    are between opposing end parts  105   a ,  105   b  of the holder system  100 . The holders  104   a ,  104   b  may be in the form of media roll holders, for example. In the example of  FIGS. 1 b  and 1 c   , the holders include opposing medium supports  107   a ,  107   b  between which a medium roll  114  may be held, by fitting the supports  107   a ,  107   b  into opposing ends of the medium roll, in a clamping arrangement, for example. In this example, the holders  104   a ,  104   b  include support arms  106  to hold the printing medium  114  in place. 
     The holders  104   a ,  104   b  may facilitate removal of the printing medium  114 , so that the printing medium  114  may be replaced, for example. For example, the medium support  107   b  may be slidably movable on the support arms  106  to vary the distance between the medium supports  107   a ,  107   b  to facilitate the fitting and removal of the support medium  114  and/or to accommodate different sizes of printing medium  114 . Printing media  114  that the holders  104   a ,  104   b  may support include paper, flexible card, textiles, or any other type of medium. 
     The connection mechanism  103  in this example takes the form of a support structure comprising support plates  110   a ,  110   b  at respective ends of the holding system and holes  112  (which may be threaded), which may be used to fix the holder system to a printing device, as described below. 
     The pivot mechanism in this example takes the form of a rotatable shaft  102 . The shaft  102  passes through a hole  108  in each of the support plates  110   a ,  110   b , and connects to end parts  105   a  and  105   b . The shaft can be rotated in the hole  108  and thus rotatably coupled to the support plates  110   a ,  110   b . In some examples, the shaft  102  is mounted in the hole  108  on bearings (not shown). The holders  104   a ,  104   b , are thus fixedly coupled to the shaft  102  via the end parts  105   a ,  105   b , forming a rigid structure which can pivot within the hole  108  in the support plate  110   a , so that with the shaft  102  forms a common axis of rotation about which the holders  104   a ,  104   b  pivot. That is, the holders  104   a ,  104   b  move relative to the connection mechanism  103  by rotating concurrently with the shaft  102 . 
       FIGS. 2 a  and 2 b    illustrate a holder system  100  according, to any example fitted to a printing device  200 , herein referred to as a printer  200 . The printer  200  may be any suitable type of printer, for example an inkjet printer, laser printer or thermal transfer printer. The holder system  100  may be fitted to the printer  200  by passing screws through the holes  112  in the support plate  110   a  into receiving holes (not shown) in the body of the printer. The printer  200  includes a space below the holder system  100  in which accessories  202 , such as ink supplies may be stored. 
     In the example of  FIGS. 2 a  and 2 b   , the holder system  100  is in a first configuration, in which the second holder  104   b  is in a position below the position of the first holder  104   a , so that the holders  104   a ,  104   b  are at substantially the same vertical plane.  FIGS. 2 c  and 2 d    show an example in which the holder system  100  is in a second configuration, in which the positions of the first holder  104   a  and the second holder  104   b  are at substantially the same height i.e. the first holder  104   a  and the second holder  104   b  are held side-by-side with respect to a horizontal plane. The holder system  100  may be moved between the first and second configurations by an operator, such as a human operator, holding the end parts  105   a ,  105   b  and rotating (pivoting) the holder system  100 , so that the holders  104   a ,  104   b  move (rotate) concurrently with respect to the connection mechanism  103  and printer  200 . In this example, the rotation between the first and second configurations is through approximately 90 degrees. 
     When printing, the printing medium  114  passes along the printing media path  206  shown in  FIG. 2 d    between the first holder  104   a  and second holder  104   b , passing through a printing zone  204  of the printer  200 , which may include printing elements (not shown) for printing on the printer medium  114 . In one example, the second holder  104   b  is an input holder from which the printing medium  114  is provided to the printing zone, and the first holder  104   a  is an output holder where the printing medium  114  is collected after printing. In another example, the first holder  104   a  is an input holder and the second holder  104   b  is an output holder. 
     In the above example, the holder system  100  is in the second configuration when printing. However, in other examples, printing may be performed with the holder system  100  in the first configuration. A diverter may be used for this purpose, for example. In still other examples, it is possible to perform printing with the holder system  100  in either the first configuration or the second configuration. 
     When the holder system  100  is in the first configuration, the first holder  104   a  is externally accessible and when the holder system  100  is in the second configuration, the second holder  104   b  is externally accessible, for example by a human operator. This enables, for example, the printing medium  114  to be removed and/or supplied to each of the holders  104   a ,  104   b , by changing the configuration of the holder system  100 . Thus, both holders  104   a ,  104   b  can be accessed from the same side of the printer  200 , which enables, for example, the printer  200  to be placed next to another object, such as a wall, without access being inhibited. 
     In some examples, the height of the first holder  104   a  in the first position is substantially the same as the height of the second holder  104   b  in the second configuration. Thus, an operator may access and manipulate each of the holders  104   a ,  104   b  at substantially the same height, alleviating the operator from, for example, having to adopt stressful postures to access a holder. 
     The amount of space under the holder system  100  which may be used for storing accessories  202  may be increased compared to prior art in which holders are held at fixed positions above one another. For example, the holder system  100  may be put into the second configuration to increase the space available under the holder system  100 , facilitating access thereto. 
     In some examples, one or both of the first and second configurations are stable configurations, in which the holder system  100  is held in a stable respective position.  FIGS. 3 a  and 3 b    illustrate an example of fixing mechanism  300  to fix the holder system  100  in the second configuration. In this example, the fixing mechanism  300  is a lever mechanism comprising a protruding part  302 , herein referred to as a catch  302  on an end of the first holder  104   a , and a lever  304  on the support plate  110   a . In this example, the lever  304  is mounted on pivots  305   a ,  305   b  and attached to resilient members in the form of a first spring  306   a  and a second spring  306   b . When moving the holder system  100  from the first configuration to the second configuration, the rotation of the holder system  100  causes catch  302  to engage with a protrusion  310  on the lever  304 , forcing the lever  304  upwards, tensioning the springs  306   a ,  306   b  as it does so. As the holder system  100  is rotated further, the catch  302  moves into a recess  308  of the lever, and the tension in the springs  306   a ,  306   b  biases the lever  304  downwards, thereby holding the catch  302  in place against the protrusion  310 . In that example, the lever is in an engaged state (e.g., lowered). This enables the holder system  100  to be fixed in place in the second configuration. 
     When moving the holder system  100  from the second configuration to the first configuration, the lever  304  may be placed in a release state (e.g., raised), for example, by a human operator, and the catch  302  thereby released, enabling the holder system  100  to be pivoted to the first configuration. Once the holder system  100  has been pivoted to the first configuration, the weight of the holder system  100  may keep the holder system  100  stable in the first configuration, for example. The holder system  100  thus pivots between the first configuration and the second configuration based on engagement of the lever mechanism  300 . 
       FIG. 4  is a flow diagram showing a method of using the printing system  100 . At block S 400  an operator manipulates one of the holders  104   a ,  104   b , with the holder system  100  in either the first configuration or the second configuration. For example, the holder system  100  may in the first configuration with the first holder  104   a  accessible. The first holder  104   a  may be an input holder, input holder and the manipulation may comprise supplying a blank (unprinted) printing medium  114  for example. 
     At block  402 , the operator changes the configuration of the holder system  100 . For example, the operator may change the configuration from the first configuration to the second configuration by causing the holder system  100  to pivot about the shaft  102 , through approximately 90 degrees, bringing the second holder  104   b  to substantially the same height as the first holder  104   a . The holder system  100  may be held in the second configuration by the fixing mechanism  300  described above, for example. 
     At block S 404 , the operator manipulates the holder  104   a ,  104   b  which was not manipulated at block S 400 . For example, the operator may manipulate the second holder  104   b . The second holder  104   b  may be an output holder and the manipulation may comprise removing a printing medium on which printing is completed, for example. With the holder system  100  in the second configuration, the operator may additionally access the accessories stored under the holder system  100 , to replenish ink supplies, for example. 
     The above arrangements are to be understood as illustrative examples. Further arrangements and modifications to those arrangements are envisaged. For example, although in the above examples, the holder system  100  was described as being caused to pivot between the first and second configurations by manual manipulation, in some examples an electric or other motor may cause the pivoting. 
     It is to be understood that any feature described in relation to any one example may be used alone, or in combination with other features described, and may also be used in combination with one or more features of any other of the examples, or any combination of any other of the examples. Furthermore, equivalents and modifications not described above may also be employed without departing from the scope of the accompanying claims.