Patent Publication Number: US-6908244-B2

Title: Split paper support

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates to a printer, and, more particularly, to an apparatus and method for utilizing a split paper support on a printer. 
   2. Description of the Related Art 
   A computer printer includes a paper or print media feed system that transports print media, one sheet at a time, from a supply source such as a paper tray to a print zone where a printer mechanism prints on the print media. Printer trays are snapped into place, slid into place, or otherwise attached to a printer housing. Printer trays variously include enclosed or open trays. Printer trays are often specifically sized to accommodate one, or a limited number of sizes of paper. 
   Some printers have printer trays that slide into and out of the printer to accommodate paper sizes. Sliding extensions of paper trays are used to accommodate lengthier paper. 
   A problem with many input trays is that they are detachable and have to be separately stored. 
   Another problem is that different trays are needed to accommodate different sizes of paper. 
   Another problem with input trays on printers is that they do not aesthetically store on the printer itself. 
   What is needed in the art is an apparatus that can be easily adjusted to accommodate different sizes of paper on a printer and be self-stowing on the printer. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention provides an apparatus and a method for utilizing a split paper support that stows on the printer. 
   The invention, in one form thereof, relates to a printer paper support system including a housing, a first paper support pivotally attached to the housing and a second paper support pivotally attached to the housing, the second paper support extending the first paper support. 
   The invention, in another form thereof, relates to a printer including a housing, a first paper support pivotally attached to the housing and a second paper support pivotally attached to the housing or the first paper support. The first paper support and the second paper support co-act to support a supply of paper. 
   The invention, in still another form thereof, relates to a printer including a housing and a plurality of paper supports pivotally connected to the housing about a common axis. 
   The invention, in yet another form thereof, relates to a method of positioning paper supports on a printer including the steps of pivotally positioning a first paper support and pivotally positioning a second paper support to coact with the first paper support to support a supply of paper. 
   An advantage of the present invention is that both a small and large paper support is self-stowing on the printer apparatus itself. 
   Another advantage of the present invention is that the small paper support can be used by itself to support smaller pieces of paper and the large paper support can co-act with the small paper support to support larger pieces of paper. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The above-mentioned and other features and advantages of this invention, and the manner of attaining them, will become more apparent and the invention will be better understood by reference to the following description of an embodiment of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an imaging system having a printer that incorporates an embodiment of the paper supports of the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the printer of  FIG. 1  having the paper supports in a raised position; and 
       FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the printer of  FIGS. 1 and 2  with the paper supports in a stowed position. 
     Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views. The exemplification set out herein illustrates one preferred embodiment of the invention, in one form, and such exemplification is not to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention in any manner. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   Referring now to the drawings and particularly to  FIGS. 1-3 , there is shown an imaging system  10  including a computer  12 , a printer  14  and a communication connection  16 . Computer  12  is coupled to printer  14  by way of communication connection  16 . Communication connection  16  may be a point-to-point electrical cable connection between either a serial or parallel port of printer  14  and computer  12 . Alternatively, an infrared transceiver unit at each of printer  14  and computer  12  can be used to transmit data therebetween. Also alternatively, communication connection  16  can be a network connection such as an Ethernet network. Computer  12  includes application software operated by a user and provides image data representing an image to be printed and printing command data to printer  14  by way of communication link connection  16 . 
   Printer  14  includes a printer housing  18  and a printer paper support system  20  (see FIG.  2 ). Printer paper support system  20  includes a small paper support  22 , a large paper support  24 , a stowage area  26  and a small support lift access  30 . Printer housing  18  provides an access port  32  for paper to be input into printer  14  and an exit route  34  for paper exiting from printer  14  after being printed upon. Small paper support  22  and large paper support  24  are pivotally connected to printer housing  18  proximate to paper access port  32 . Printer housing  18  has a stowage area  26  where small and large paper supports  22  and  24  are stowed when not needed to support paper. While supports  22  and  24  are described generally as paper supports for convenience, those skilled in the art will recognize that print media other than paper can be supported by paper supports  22 ,  24 . 
   Small paper support  22  is pivotally connected at each end to printer housing  18 . Small paper support  22  is rotatable to a raised position to accommodate input paper into printer  14 . When not in use small paper support  22  can be rotatably stowed in stowage area  26 , which effectively closes paper access port  32 . Alternatively, an opening slot along the bottom of small paper support  22  allows small pieces of paper to be input directly into printer  14  when small paper support  22  is in a stowed orientation. 
   Large paper support  24  is stored in stowage area  26  when not needed to accommodate large pieces of paper. To feed large pieces of paper into printer  14 , large paper support  24  is rotatably raised to a support position in concert with small paper support  22  thereby extending the paper supporting ability of small paper support  22 . When small paper support  22  and large paper support  24  are positioned in stowage area  26 , small support lift access  30 , which is located along an edge of large paper support  24  allows user access to lift small paper support  22 , thereby allowing the user to raise small paper support  22 . 
   Stowage area  26  is an area on printer housing  18  that allows an aesthetic stowage of small paper support  22  and large paper support  24 . Stowage area  26  is, as shown in  FIG. 2 , a slightly recessed area shaped to accommodate the thickness of paper supports  22  and  24 . Along a front edge of printer  14  a depression  28  in stowage area  26  allows easy ergonomic access to the front edge of large paper support  24  in order to allow the pivotal raising of large paper support  24 . Alternatively, the raising of large paper support  24  will cause small paper support  22  to rise due to the interaction of a lower edge  36  of large paper support  24  with an upper edge  38  of small paper support  22 . 
   Small paper support  22  and large paper support  24  are co-pivotally attached to printer housing  18  along axis A. Alternatively, small paper support  22  and large paper support  24  may be pivotal about separate axes yet meeting in a raised support position, as shown in  FIG. 2 , to support a supply of paper in a coordinated manner. 
   Large paper support  24  has large paper support arms  40  attached thereto. In a similar fashion small paper support  22  has small paper support arms  42  attached thereto. Support arms  40  and support arms  42  are the portion of paper supports  22  and  24  that are pivotally attached to printer housing  18 . Support arms  40  and  42  properly space and position paper supports  22  and  24  to allow small paper support  22  and large paper support  24  to co-act in supporting input paper to printer  14 . Hinge  44 , located on each side of printer housing  18 , is the point where support arms  40  and  42  are coaxially connected along axis A. Alternatively, support arms  40  or support arms  42  may be hingedly attached to each other, with either support arms  40  or  42  being pivotally attached to printer housing  18 . 
   Small paper support  22  is selected by a user for the use of printer  14  by simply inserting a finger into small support lift access  30  of printer  14  and lifting small paper support  22 . Small paper support  22  is lifted to a raised position, as shown in  FIG. 1 , allowing letter size and smaller paper to be positioned and supported thereby. If the choice is to use larger size paper, such as A 3 , the user lifts large paper support  24  into a raised position, as shown in FIG.  2 . Paper is then inserted into printer  14  and supported by both small paper support  22  and large paper support  24 . 
   Paper supports  22  and  24  interact such that small paper support  22  cannot be stowed in stowage area  26  unless large paper support  24  is already positioned in stowage area  26 . The interaction extends to include the contemporaneous raising of small paper support  22  when large paper support  24  is moved to a raised position. 
   Although small paper support  22  and large paper support  24  have been described as input paper trays, a similar apparatus can be used to implement output paper trays. When small paper support  22  and large paper support  24  are in their stowed position they form an aesthetically pleasing closed look to printer  14 . In a like manner when large printer support  24  is in stowed position as in  FIG. 1  the aesthetically pleasing look continues even though one paper tray support is in use and the other is in a stowed position. When both paper supports  22  and  24  are in a raised position, stowage area  26  is configured to provide a smooth, pleasing look to printer  14 . 
   While this invention has been described as having a preferred design, the present invention can be further modified within the spirit and scope of this disclosure. This application is therefore intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the invention using its general principles. Further, this application is intended to cover such departures from the present disclosure as come within known or customary practice in the art to which this invention pertains and which fall within the limits of the appended claims.