Patent ID: 7641331

Claim:
A star wheel releasing mechanism, installed in a printing apparatus, comprising: a base including a first side and a second side; a plurality of exit wheels, disposed on the base; a star wheel module having a first end and a second end, movably disposed on the base, the star wheel module including a plurality of star wheels, whose positions correspond to the positions of the exit wheels; a pair of supporting plates, disposed respectively on the first side and the second side of the base, each of the supporting plates including an arc slot, wherein the first end and the second end of the star wheel module are respectively slidable in the arc slots; and a front cover, pivoted on the supporting plates and connected with the star wheel module, the front cover movable between a first position and a second position; wherein when the front cover is in the first position, the star wheels are locked with the corresponding exit wheels, and when the front cover is transferred from the first position to the second position, the star wheel module moves in linkage, and the star wheels are separated from the exit wheels.