Patent Publication Number: US-8534193-B2

Title: Cleaning apparatus for printer

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     1. Technical Field 
     The present disclosure relates to a cleaning apparatus, more particularly to a cleaning apparatus for cleaning paper scrap in a printer. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     Printers are widely used to produce documents. However, papers usually have a plurality of paper scraps attached thereon. When the papers are transmitted in a printer, the plurality of paper scraps is left on paper transmitting mechanisms of the printer. The paper scraps may generate static current in the paper transmitting mechanisms. 
     Therefore, there is room for improvement within the art. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Many aspects of the embodiments can be better understood with references to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the embodiments. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views. 
         FIG. 1  is an exploded and isometric view of an embodiment of a cleaning apparatus for a printer. 
         FIG. 2  is an enlarged view of a circled portion II of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is an isometric view of a brush of the cleaning apparatus of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is a first assembly view of the cleaning apparatus of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 5  is a second assembly view of the cleaning apparatus of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 6  is a third assembly view of the cleaning apparatus of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 7  is an enlarged view of the circle VII of  FIG. 6 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The disclosure is illustrated by way of example and not by way of limitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings in which like references indicate similar elements. It should be noted that references to “an” or “one” embodiment in this disclosure are not necessarily to the same embodiment, and such references mean at least one. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , a cleaning apparatus for a printer includes a bracket  10  and a paper transmitting apparatus  30 . The bracket  10  is mounted on a printer. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the bracket  10  includes a first board  11  and a second board  13  perpendicular to the first board  11 . A paper tray  14  is mounted on the first board  11 . A plurality of papers  50  is located on the paper tray  14 . The second board  13  defines an opening  131 . The opening  131  is aligned with the paper tray  14 . The paper tray  14  defines a pair of cutouts  141 . The first board  11  defines a pair of receiving rooms  112  corresponding to the pair of cutouts  141 . The receiving rooms  112  are located below and aligned with the cutouts  141 . Two sides of each receiving room  112  define a pair of pivot holes  113 . Each receiving room  112  can receive a brush  40  therein. 
     Referring to  FIG. 3 , the brush  40  includes a columnar main body  41 . A pair of pivot pins  42  is formed on two ends of the main body  41 . A plurality of bristles  43  is secured on the main body  41 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , the paper transmitting apparatus  30  includes a carrier  31 . A rear portion of the carrier  31  is pivotably mounted on the printer. A roller  32  is pivotably mounted on a front portion of the carrier  31 . Two sleeves  35  are fit on the roller  32 . Outer surfaces of the sleeves  35  are rough. A motor (not shown) is mounted on the paper transmitting apparatus  30 . A plurality of gears  34  is linked between the roller  32  and the motor. The motor rotates the roller  32  via the gears  34 . The sleeves  35  rotate together with the roller  32 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 to 7 , in assembly of the cleaning apparatus, the brush  40  is placed in the receiving room  112 . The pivot pins  42  are received in the pivot holes 113  to mount the brush  40  in the receiving room  112 . Then, the rear portion of the carrier  31  is pivotably mounted on the printer. The paper transmitting apparatus  30  rotates on the printer between a first position and a second position. In the first position, the roller  32  is located above the paper tray  14  and does not contact with the paper tray  14 . In the second position, the sleeves  35  of the roller  32  are aligned with the cutouts  141 . 
     When the paper transmitting apparatus  30  is positioned in the second position, if there is a paper  50  located on the paper tray  14 , the sleeves  35  come in contact with the paper  50 . To move the paper  50 , the motor rotates the roller  32 . The sleeves  35  rotate to bring the paper  50  slide on the paper tray  14 . Paper scraps of the paper  50  are left on the sleeves  35 . The paper  50  slides in the opening  131  to move in the printer. If there is not a paper  50  located on the paper tray  14 , the sleeves  35  rotate against the bristles  43  to be cleaned of any paper scraps. 
     It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the embodiments have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and functions of the embodiments, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in the matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.