Patent ID: 7559551

Claim:
A paper discharge device for a printer, the paper discharge device discharging paper in a paper discharge direction along a paper discharge path, the paper discharge device comprising: a base member providing an upper paper guide surface, extending from a first end adjacent a paper feed roller to a second end adjacent a print section, for supporting paper traveling thereon in a paper feeding direction, opposite the paper discharge direction; a paper support plate inclined relative to the paper guide surface and extending upward from one end located at a longitudinally intermediate position on an upper surface of said paper guide surface, and in elastic contact therewith to form a paper holding portion through which the paper is passed in the paper feeding direction, to a distal end opposite the one end, the intermediate position on the paper guide surface being located spaced from the first and second ends, said paper support plate including an upper end portion between the paper feed roller and the distal end and an upper surface supporting the paper superimposed thereon and defining the paper discharge path as extending from the longitudinally intermediate position to the distal end; and a paper discharge roller arranged above and pressed against an upper surface of said upper end portion and deflecting said upper end portion relative to a remaining portion of the paper support plate via an elasticity of the upper end portion, to apply a carrying force to paper passing therebetween; wherein the paper feed roller and the paper discharge roller rotate in opposite directions and are driven by a single motor directly engaging an input gear on a side of the paper feed roller and an output gear on a side of the paper discharge roller.