Patent Abstract:
A paper-collecting apparatus for printing apparatuses is disclosed. The paper-collecting apparatus comprises a fixing board having two first protrusion portions; a first paper holding tray having two first hooks, and two second protrusion portions; wherein each of the two first hooks corresponds to each of the two first protrusion portions; and each of the two second protrusion portions is beside each of the two first hooks; and a second paper holding tray having two second hooks; wherein each of the two second hooks corresponds to each of the two second protrusion portions, wherein the first paper holding tray is fixed on to the fixing board by each of the two first hooks engages with each of the two first protrusion portions; and the second paper tray is fixed on to the first paper tray by each of the two second hooks engages with each of the two second protrusion portions.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    1. Technical Field 
         [0002]    The present disclosure relates to a paper-collecting apparatus for printing apparatuses. 
         [0003]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0004]    A printing apparatus, such as a printer or a photocopying machine, takes a sheet of paper from an input tray, prints an image on the sheet of paper, and discharges the printed sheet to an output tray. A paper collecting apparatus may comprises a number of paper holding trays stacked together to support stacks of paper of different specifications. A number of hooks are horizontally located on the number of paper holding trays. When one of the paper holding trays is pulled, all the paper holding trays come out together, which may be inconvenient for a uses. 
         [0005]    Therefore there is a need for improvement in the art. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0006]      FIG. 1  is an isometric and exploded view of an exemplary embodiment of a paper-collecting apparatus for printing apparatuses; the paper-collecting apparatus comprises a fixing board, a first paper holding tray, a second paper holding tray, a third paper holding tray and a paper stopping tray. 
           [0007]      FIG. 2  is an isometric view of the fixing board of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0008]      FIG. 3  is an isometric view of the first paper holding tray of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0009]      FIG. 4  is an isometric view of the first paper holding tray of  FIG. 3 , viewed from another aspect. 
           [0010]      FIG. 5  is an isometric view of the second paper holding tray of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0011]      FIG. 6  is an isometric view of the second paper holding tray of  FIG. 5 , viewed from another aspect. 
           [0012]      FIG. 7  is an isometric view of the third paper holding tray of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0013]      FIG. 8  is an isometric view of the paper stopping tray of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0014]      FIG. 9  is an assembly view of the paper-collecting apparatus of  FIG. 1 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0015]    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. 
         [0016]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , a paper-collecting apparatus for collecting printed papers dropped at a paper output port of a printing apparatus (not shown) is shown. The paper-collecting apparatus comprises a fixing board  100 , a first paper holding tray  200 , a second paper holding tray  300 , a third paper holding tray  400  and a paper stopping tray  500 . 
         [0017]    Referring to  FIG. 2 , a front of the fixing board  100  is fixed on the paper output port of the printing apparatus. The fixing board  100  comprises a first top surface  110  defining two first protrusion portions  111  thereon. Each of the two first protrusion portions  11  is U-shaped. A first guiding portion  112  is positioned on a middle of the first top surface  110 . The first guiding portion  112  comprises a first connection wall  1121  extending perpendicularly from the first top surface  110 , and a first top wall  1122  extending horizontally from a side edge of the first connection wall  1121 . A plurality of first engaging slots  113  are defined on two sides of the first top surface  110 . Each of the plurality of first engaging slots  113  is trapezium-shaped. A first resisting portion  114  extends upwardly from a back edge of the first top surface  110 . 
         [0018]    Referring to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the first paper holding tray  200  comprises a second top surface  210  and a second bottom surface  220 . Two first openings  211  are defined on a front of the second top surface  210 . A first hook  212  extends horizontally from a lower edge of each of the two first openings  211  corresponding to the two first protrusion portions  111 . The first hook  212  comprises a first elastic slice  2121  extending horizontally from the lower edge of the corresponding first opening  211 , and a trapezium-shaped first engaging portion  2122  extending downwardly from a distal end of the first elastic slice  2121 . The first engaging portion  2122  is trapezium-shaped. A second protrusion portion  213  extends upwardly from the second top surface  210  on one side of each of the two first openings  211 . The second protrusion portion  213  is trapezium-shaped. A second guiding portion  214  is positioned on a middle of the second top surface  210 . The second guiding portion  214  comprises a second connection wall  2141  extending perpendicularly from the second top surface  210 , and a second top wall  2142  extending horizontally from a side edge of the second connection wall  2141 . A second resisting portion  215  extends upwardly from a back edge of the second top surface  210 . 
         [0019]    A third protrusion portion  216  is positioned on each of the two sides of the second top surface  210 , adjacent to the second resisting portion  215 . A guiding block  217  is positioned beyond the third protrusion portion  216  on each of the two sides of the second top surface  210 . Both the third protrusion portion  216  and the guiding block  217  are bar-shaped. A first engaging block  218  is positioned on the second top surface  210  adjacent to the guiding block  217 . A second engaging block  219  corresponding to the first engaging slots  113 , is positioned on each of the two sides of the second top surface  210 . Both the first engaging block  218  and the second engaging block  219  are trapezium-shaped. A third guiding portion  221  corresponding to the first guiding portion  112 , is positioned on a middle of the second bottom surface  220 . The third guiding portion  221  comprises a third connection wall  2211  extending perpendicularly from the second bottom surface  220 , and a first bottom wall  2212  extending horizontally from a side edge of the third connection wall  2211 . A plurality of wedge-shaped first resisting blocks  222  corresponding to the first resisting portion  114 , are positioned on the second bottom surface  220 . Each of the plurality of first resisting blocks  222  is wedge-shaped. 
         [0020]    Referring to  FIGS. 5 and 6 , the second paper holding tray  300  comprises a third top surface  310  and a third bottom surface  320 . Two second openings  311  are defined on a front of the third top surface  310 . A second hook  312  extends horizontally from a lower edge of each of the two second openings  311 . The second hook  312  corresponds to each of the two first protrusion portions  111 . The second hook  312  comprises a second elastic slice  3121  extending horizontally from the lower edge of each of the two second opening  311 , and a second engaging portion  3122  extending downwardly from a distal end of the second elastic slice  3121 . The second engaging portion  3122  is trapezium-shaped. Two second resisting blocks  313  are positioned on a back of the third top surface  310 . Each of the two second resisting blocks is bar-shaped. A guiding slot  314  corresponding to the guiding blocks  217 , is defined on each of the two sides of the third top surface  310 . A plurality of second engaging slots  315  corresponding to the first engaging block  218 , are defined in the guiding slot  314 . A plurality of third engaging slots  316  are defined on the third top surface  310 . Each of the plurality of third engaging slots  316  is trapezium-shaped. 
         [0021]    A fourth guiding portion  321  corresponding to the second guiding portion  214 , is positioned on a middle of the third bottom surface  320 . The fourth guiding portion  321  comprises a fourth connection wall  3211  extending perpendicularly from the third bottom surface  320 , and a fourth bottom wall  3212  extending horizontally from a side edge of the fourth connection wall  3211 . A third resisting blocks  322  corresponding to each of the second resisting portion  215 , is positioned on the third bottom surface  320 . The third resisting blocks is wedge-shaped. A third opening  323  is defined on the third bottom surface  320  beside each third resisting block  322 . A third hook  324  corresponding to the third protrusion portion  216 , extends horizontally from the lower edge of each third opening  323 . The third hook  324  comprises a third elastic slice  3241  extending horizontally from the lower edge of the third opening  323 , and a third engaging portion  3242  extending downwardly from a distal end of the third elastic slice  3241 . The third engaging portion  3242  is trapezium-shaped. 
         [0022]    Referring to  FIG. 7 , the third paper holding tray  400  comprises a fourth top surface  410 . Two fourth opening  411  are defined on a front of the fourth top surface  410 . A fourth hook  412  corresponding to each of the two second resisting blocks  313 , extends horizontally from a lower edge of each of the two fourth openings  411 . Each fourth hook  412  comprises a fourth elastic slice  4121  extending horizontally from the lower edge of the fourth opening  411 , and a trapezium-shaped fourth engaging portion  4122  extending downwardly from a distal end of the fourth elastic slice  4121 . The forth engaging portion  4122  is trapezium-shaped. A third engaging block  413 , corresponding to the third engaging slots  316 , extends horizontally from the lower edge of each of the two fourth openings  411 , adjacent to the fourth hook  412 . A fourth protrusion portion  414  extends upwardly from the fourth top surface  410  adjacent to the third engaging block  413 . The fourth protrusion portion  414  corresponds to each of the two second resisting blocks  313 . The fourth protrusion portion  414  is trapezium-shaped. Two column-shaped pivoting portions  415  extend from a back of the fourth top surface  410 . 
         [0023]    Referring to  FIG. 8 , the paper stopping tray  500  comprises a pivoting board  510 , and a paper stopping board  520  extending from a middle of the pivoting board  510 . Two ring-shaped pivoting holes  511  corresponding to the two pivoting portions  415 , are defined on the pivoting board  510 . In one embodiment, a thickness of each of the two first protrusion portions  111  is greater than a thickness of the second protrusion portions  213 . The thickness of the second protrusion portions  213  is greater than a thickness of the fourth engaging portions  4122 . The thickness of the fourth engaging portion  4122  is greater than a thickness of the third protrusion portions  216 . 
         [0024]    Referring to  FIGS. 1 to 9 , in assembly, the first paper holding tray  200  is positioned on the fixing board  100 . The third guiding portion  221  engages the first guiding portion  112 . The first engaging portion  2122  engages the first protrusion portions  111 . The second engaging blocks  219  engage the first engaging slots  113  to fix the first paper holding tray  200  on the fixing board  100 . The second paper holding tray  300  is positioned on the first paper holding tray  200 . The fourth guiding portion  321  engages the second guiding portion  214 . The second engaging portions  3122  engage the second protrusion portions  213 . The guiding blocks  217  slide in the guiding slots  314  to fix the second paper holding tray  300  on the first paper holding tray  200 . The third paper holding tray  400  is positioned on the second paper holding tray  300 . The third engaging blocks  413  engage the third engaging slots  316  to fix the third paper holding tray  400  on the second paper holding tray  300 . The pivoting board  510  contacts a back of the third paper holding tray  400 . The pivoting portions  415  engage the pivoting holes  511  to fix the paper stopping tray  500  on the third paper holding tray  400 . 
         [0025]    When any of the first paper holding tray  200 , the second paper holding tray  300  and the third paper holding tray  400  are pulled out, the engaging strength between the first engaging portion  2122  and the first protrusion portions  111  is greater than that between the second engaging portions  3122  and the second protrusion portions  213 . The engaging strength between the second engaging portions  3122  and the second protrusion portions  213  is greater than that between the fourth engaging portion  4122  and the second resisting blocks  313 . The third paper holding tray  400  is pulled out first until the fourth protrusion portion  414  resists the second resisting block  313 . When the second engaging portions  3122  disengage from the second protrusion portions  213 , the second paper holding tray  300  is pulled out until the third engaging portions  3242  disengage from the third protrusion portions  216 . The third resisting blocks  322  resist the second resisting portion  215 . When the first engaging portion  2122  disengages from the first protrusion portions  111 , the first paper holding tray  200  is pulled out until the first resisting blocks  222  resist the first resisting portion  114 . 
         [0026]    When any of the first paper holding tray  200 , the second paper holding tray  300  and the third paper holding tray  400  are pushed home, the engaging strength between the fourth engaging portion  4122  and the second resisting blocks  313  is greater than that between the third engaging portions  3242  and the third protrusion portions  216 . The engaging strength between the third engaging portions  3242  and the third protrusion portions  216  is greater than the friction between the first paper holding tray  200  and the fixing board  100 . The first paper holding tray  200  is pushed back first until the first engaging portion  2122  engages the first protrusion portions  111 . The second paper holding tray  300  is then pushed back until the third engaging portions  3242  engage the third protrusion portions  216 . The third paper holding tray  400  is finally pushed back. 
         [0027]    Even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present disclosure have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the disclosure, 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 disclosure to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.

Technology Classification (CPC): 1