Patent Publication Number: US-6698750-B1

Title: Media tray refill shuttle

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Technical Field 
     The present invention relates to imaging devices and more particularly to a device which assists an operator in replacing a supply of media in a media tray. 
     2. Background Art 
     Presently, media trays for many imaging devices are configured such that a print job must be paused or terminated in order to place additional print media in the media tray. When an imaging device runs out of media, the print job is paused and an error message is generated by the printer. The media supply is replenished and the print job resumes by a prompt from the user or automatically by the printer. This process may result is wasted time. 
     In many prior art imaging devices, paper or other media is placed into an open-front media tray by first pulling a generally vertically oriented tab which is connected to a slide arm that extends below the supply of media in the media tray. If paper remains in the tray, the trailing edge of the stack of remaining media is manually lifted and a leading edge of a stack of replacement media is positioned underneath the trailing edge of the stack of remaining media and laid along the length of the extended slide arm. The media is advanced forward in the tray by pushing the tab connected to the slide arm advancing the tab, the slide arm and the replacement media beneath the remaining media. The leading edge of the stack of replacement media may be damaged during this operation due to the fact that the media has a tendency to curve along the unsupported leading edge. As such, the stack of replacement media may be inadvertently pushed against the rear edge of the tray crimping, dinging or otherwise damaging the media. 
     There may be an advantage found in providing a device that assists with replenishing a supply of print media in a media tray. Additionally, advantage may be found in providing a device that supports the leading edge of a stack of replacement media so that risk of damage to a leading edge of the stack of replacement media may be minimized. In addition, advantage may be found in providing a device that assists with replenishing a supply of print media in a media tray while a print job continues without interruption. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is directed to a media tray refill shuttle for inserting a refill media into a media tray. The media tray refill shuttle includes a media support cassette including a media shuttle receiver and a media shuttle slideably engaged with the media support cassette. The media tray refill shuttle also includes a media shuttle translation element connected to the media shuttle for advancing the media shuttle from a first position, wherein the refill media is positioned and supported within the media support cassette towards a second position, wherein the refill media is shuttled from the media support cassette. 
     As used herein, the term “media” includes printable paper media, transparency media and photographic or image printing media. Likewise, the term “media tray” shall include printable paper media trays, transparency media trays and photographic or image printing media trays. 
     The present invention consists of the device hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that changes may be made in the form, size, proportions and minor details of construction without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective representation showing an imaging device including a media tray according to the prior art; 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective representation showing a media tray refill shuttle used to place refill media in a media tray of an imaging device according to one embodiment; 
     FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective representation showing a media tray refill shuttle according to one embodiment; 
     FIG. 4 is a perspective representation showing a media tray refill shuttle according to one embodiment; 
     FIG. 5 is a side cutaway representation showing a media tray refill shuttle according to one embodiment; and 
     FIG. 6 is a side cutaway representation showing a media tray refill shuttle used to place refill media in a media tray of an imaging device according to one embodiment. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     FIG. 2 shows imaging device  10  including housing  11  which supports media tray  12 . Media tray refill shuttle  20  is shown inserted into imaging device  10  housing  11 , media tray  12  projecting from housing  11 . Refill media RM is shown being shuttled beneath remaining print media PM stacked in media tray  12  by operation of media tray refill shuttle  20 . Print job PJ is deposited to output media tray  14 . 
     FIGS. 3 and 4 show media tray refill shuttle  20  including support cassette  21  and media shuttle  30 . Media support cassette  21  includes support cassette upper panel  22  and support cassette lower panel  23  arranged in spaced apart and substantially parallel relationship. Support cassette upper panel  22  and support cassette lower panel  23  are attached by first side panel  24  and second side panel  25 , which are also arranged in spaced apart and substantially parallel relationship. Media support cassette  21  also includes support cassette rear panel  26  which attaches to support cassette upper panel  22 , support cassette lower panel  23 , first side panel  24  and second side panel  25 . Receiver pocket  27  and media support cassette aperture  28  are defined by the described arrangement of support cassette upper panel  22 , support cassette lower panel  23 , support cassette rear panel  26 , first side panel  24 , (shown in FIGS.  3  and  4 ), and second side panel  25 . 
     Media shuttle  30  includes lower panel  31  attached to rear panel  32  at a substantially right angle. Pushrod  33  is attached to rear shuttle panel  32  of media shuttle  30  and serves as a media shuttle translation assembly or element for advancing media shuttle  30  from a first position, shown in FIG. 5, wherein the refill media is positioned and supported within the media support cassette towards a second position, shown in FIG. 6, wherein the refill media is shuttled from media support cassette  21  to media tray  12 , as shown in FIG.  2 . Pushrod  33  is located so as to protrude through pushrod aperture  29  formed in rear cassette panel  26  upon insertion of media shuttle  30  into media support cassette  21 . 
     FIG. 4 shows refill media RM positioned within receiver pocket  27  of media support cassette  21  and supported by support cassette lower panel  23 . First side panel  24  and second side panel  25  align the side edges of refill media RM. 
     FIGS. 5 and 6 show refill media RM positioned within receiver pocket  27  of media support cassette  21  and supported by support cassette lower panel  23 . FIG. 5 shows media shuttle  30  in a first position wherein rear panel  32  of media shuttle  30  is positioned against support cassette rear panel  26  and refill media RM is positioned and supported within receiver pocket  27  of media support cassette  21 . FIG. 6 shows media shuttle  30  moving or being shuttled along line S towards a second position wherein refill media RM is shuttled from media support cassette  21  beneath print media PM. Leading edge LE of refill media RM is inserted beneath a trailing end TE of the stack of print media PM with support cassette lower panel  23  resting on media tray  12 . Print media PM may rest on top surface TS of refill media RM as shown. Refill media RM is shuttled forward into media tray  12  by operation of media tray refill shuttle  20  towards forward media indexing surface  16 . 
     While this invention has been described with reference to the detailed embodiments, this is not meant to be construed in a limiting sense. Various modifications to the described embodiments, as well as the inclusion or exclusion of additional embodiments, will be apparent to persons skilled in the art upon reference to this description. It is therefore contemplated that the appended claims will cover any such modifications or embodiments as fall within the true scope of the invention.