Patent Document

BACKGROUND 
   End of isle office copiers can be expensive to maintain. Typically, maintaining such copiers involves dispatching a service person to the copier&#39;s location to perform a major disassembly of components. This leaves room for technician errors in reassembly and increased downtime for a service visit. Accordingly, the ease of servicing and maintaining such copiers has an impact on overall system cost. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The detailed description is described with reference to the accompanying figures. In the figures, the left-most digit(s) of a reference number identifies the figure in which the reference number first appears. The use of the same reference numbers in different figures indicates similar or identical items. 
       FIG. 1A  illustrates a system for moving a print chassis, according to an embodiment. 
       FIG. 1B  illustrates a print carriage system according to an embodiment. 
       FIG. 2  illustrates a system for clearing paper jams by lifting portions of the system of  FIG. 1A , according to an embodiment. 
       FIG. 3  illustrates portions of the chassis structure  102  of  FIG. 1A , according to an embodiment. 
       FIG. 4  illustrates movement of portions of the chassis structure  102  of  FIG. 1A , according to an embodiment. 
       FIG. 5  illustrates another implementation of the chassis structure wall  108  of  FIG. 1A , according to an embodiment. 
       FIG. 6  illustrates the elements of  FIG. 5  after the chassis structure wall  108  of  FIG. 5  has moved, according to an embodiment. 
       FIG. 7  illustrates a method of moving a print chassis, according to an embodiment. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
   Exemplary techniques for moving a print chassis are described. In one embodiment, a print chassis is a support structure in an imaging device (such as a printer, copier, and the like) that provides support for a print engine (e.g.,  106  discussed with reference to  FIG. 1A ). The techniques described herein are also envisioned to apply to non-imaging applications, e.g., where a component within a serviceable product is to be moved and/or removed. 
   Some embodiments provide efficient and/or speedier maintenance or service, for example, by providing a user or service personnel easier access to a relatively densely populated print engine. The print engine may be present in any suitable printing (or imaging) product such as a copier, a printer, an all-in-one device (e.g., providing scanning, copying, printing, and/or faxing), and the like. In one embodiment, a user may lift the print chassis out of the way in order to clear a paper jam. Also, a service personnel may extract (e.g., by sliding) the print chassis out of the printing product to gain access to other parts of the product and/or the chassis subparts (such as discussed further with reference to  FIG. 1A ). Such implementations are envisioned to reduce maintenance costs and/or delays associated with resolving service or maintenance issues. 
     FIG. 1A  illustrates a system  100  for moving a print chassis, according to an embodiment. The system  100  may be part of any suitable imaging product such as a copier, a printer, an all-in-one device (e.g., providing scanning, copying, printing, and/or faxing), and the like. 
   The system  100  includes a chassis structure  102  and an optional service station  104 . The chassis structure  102  houses a print engine  106  such as a laser printer engine, one or more inkjet print heads, and the like. The service station  104  may provide appropriate media for cleaning portions of the print engine  106 . As will be further discussed for example with reference to  FIG. 2 , portions of the chassis structure  102  may be moved to provide access to portions of the chassis structure  102  and/or the service station  104 . 
   The chassis structure  102  also includes a chassis structure wall  108  (e.g., to provide structural support for the chassis structure  102 ), a rod  110  (e.g., to allow portions of the print engine  106 , such as print heads, to slide back and forth over a print media), a handle  112  (e.g., to allow movement of portions of the chassis structure  102  as will be further discussed herein, for example, with respect to  FIG. 2 ), and a pivot member  114  (such as a wheel, bearing, roller, pin, and the like, e.g., to allow pivoting of portions of the chassis structure  102  such as discussed further with reference to  FIG. 2 ). The handle  112  may be coupled to a pivot member  116  (such as a wheel, bearing, roller, pin, and the like), for example, through a support structure  118 . Moreover, the handle  112  may be pivoted about a pivot  120  (such as a pin, screw, shaft, rivet, and the like). 
     FIG. 1B  illustrates a print carriage system  150  according to an embodiment. The system  150  includes one or more print carriages  152  that slide along one or more carriage rods  154  to deposit ink onto a print media  156 . The print media  156  may be advance under the print carriages  152  with one or more rollers (not shown). For example, as illustrated in  FIG. 1B , two print carriages ( 152 ) may slide along the carriage rod  154  where each print carriage deposits ink for a given portion of the print media  156  (e.g., top versus a bottom portion of a print media, respectively). In one embodiment, the carriage rod  154  may be the same or similar to the rod  110  of  FIG. 1A . In an embodiment, the print carriage  152  may support a print engine (e.g.,  106  discussed with reference to  FIG. 1A ). Also, the print carriage  152  may be part of the print chassis that includes the print engine  106 , chassis structure wall  108 , the rod ( 110  and/or  154 ), and/or the pivot member  114 , in one embodiment. 
     FIG. 2  illustrates a system  200  for clearing paper jams by lifting portions of the system of  FIG. 1A , according to an embodiment. In one embodiment, the system  200  includes portions of the system  100  of  FIG. 1A  that have been lifted by rotating the handle  112  away from the chassis structure  108 . In particular, the system  200  includes the chassis structure  102 , the service station  104 , the print engine  106 , the chassis structure wall  108 , the rod  110 , the handle  112 , the pivot members  114  and  116 , the support structure  118 , and the pivot  120 . 
   As illustrated in  FIG. 2 , the system  200  may further include a structural member  202 , e.g., to provide structural support for the chassis structure  102 . In one embodiment, the pivot  120  may couple the handle  112  pivotally to the structural member  202 . As illustrated, moving the handle  112  away from the chassis structure  108  results in the handle  112  pivoting about the pivot  120  and, in turn, lifting the pivot member  116 , thereby raising and pivoting the print chassis (including the print engine  106 , chassis structure wall  108 , the rod  110 , and/or the pivot member  114 , in one embodiment) about the pivot member  114 . As a result, the pivot member  114  rests on the structural member  202 . The additional gap provided by lifting the portions of the chassis structure  102  (such as the print engine  106 ) is envisioned to allow clearing of paper jams in the system  200 . For example, the additional gap may provide sufficient clearance to access paper jams between a drum  204  and the raised structure (including the print engine  106 , the chassis structure wall  108 , the rod  110 , and/or the pivot member  114 , in one embodiment). 
     FIG. 3  illustrates portions of the chassis structure  102  of  FIG. 1A , according to an embodiment. A latch  302  is pivotally coupled to the chassis structure wall  108  via a pivot  304  (such as a pin, screw, shaft, rivet, and the like). Accordingly, the latch  302  may pivot about the pivot  304  as will be further discussed with reference to  FIG. 4 . Also, the latch  302  may rotate independent of the handle  112 , e.g., by maintaining coupling to the chassis structure wall  108 . A sliding member  306  (such as a pin, screw, shaft, rivet, and the like) in an opening  308  (within the latch  302 ) may also be coupled the chassis structure wall  108 , e.g., to facilitate the movement of the latch  302  with the chassis structure wall  108 . 
     FIG. 4  illustrates movement of portions of the chassis structure  102  of  FIG. 1A , according to an embodiment. As illustrated in  FIG. 4 , after the handle  112  is rotated and the latch  302  is decoupled from the pivot member  116  (e.g., by pivoting the latch  302  about the pivot  304 ), the print chassis (including the print engine  106 , chassis structure wall  108 , the rod  110 , the pivot member  114 , and/or the pivot member  114 , in an embodiment) may be slid (e.g., on the pivot member  114  and over the pivot member  116 ) away from the service station  104 . This is envisioned to provide access to internal portions of the chassis structure  102  and/or the service station  104  for maintenance and/or service purposes, without disassembly of components. 
     FIG. 5  illustrates another implementation of the chassis structure wall  108  of  FIG. 1A , according to an embodiment. As illustrated in  FIG. 5 , a region  502  of the chassis structure wall  108  has a profile to receive a cam  504  as the chassis structure wall  108  is moved such as discussed with reference to  FIGS. 2 and 4 . The cam  504  is coupled to an elastic member  506 , e.g., to provide a downward force approximately constant in magnitude and/or direction through the entire motion of portions of the chassis structure  102  (such as illustrated by  FIG. 4 ). The elastic member  506  may be any suitable member capable of recovering its original shape when released after being distorted such as a spring, rubber material, solenoid, air piston, and the like. The elastic member  506  is coupled to a fixation point  508  which may be rigidly attached to nonmoving structural support members such as the structural member  202 . As illustrated in  FIG. 5 , a pivot member  510  permits the cam  504  to pivot as the chassis structure wall  108  moves (such as discussed with reference to  FIG. 6 ). In one embodiment, the pivot member  510  is coupled to the structural member  202  of  FIG. 2 . 
     FIG. 6  illustrates the elements of  FIG. 5  after the chassis structure wall  108  of  FIG. 5  has moved, according to an embodiment. As illustrated, the cam  504  follows the profile  502  when the chassis structure wall  108  is moved (as discussed with reference to  FIG. 4 ), thereby maintaining the force exerted by the elastic member  506  approximately constant in magnitude and/or direction through the entire motion discussed with reference to  FIG. 4 . 
     FIG. 7  illustrates a method  700  of moving a print chassis, according to an embodiment. In one embodiment, the method  700  may be performed to move portions of the chassis structure  102  of  FIG. 1A  such as discussed with reference to  FIGS. 2 and 4 . The portions moved may include the print chassis (e.g., including the print engine  106 , chassis structure wall  108 , the rod  110 , and/or the pivot member  114  of  FIG. 1A , in one embodiment). More specifically, a handle that is slideably engaged with a chassis is moved ( 702 ) to move the print chassis. The handle may be the handle  112  of  FIG. 1A . The print chassis may be moved to provide access to a paper jam located in vicinity of the print chassis (e.g., under the print engine), for example, by lifting the print chassis ( 704 ). 
   A latch coupled to a pivot member is decoupled ( 706 ), such as discussed with reference to  FIG. 4  (e.g., decoupling the latch  302  from the pivot member  116 ), to allow for sliding of the print chassis ( 708 ). As discussed with reference to  FIG. 4 , the pivot member ( 116 ) may slide over a nonmoving structural member ( 202 ). Hence, the chassis may be moved in two (different) directions (e.g., up and away from the service station  104  of  FIG. 1A ). The two directions may be substantially orthogonal to each other. Also, as discussed with reference to  FIGS. 5 and 6 , a force may be maintained through the motion of the print chassis that is approximately constant in magnitude and/or direction. 
   Reference in the specification to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least an implementation. The appearances of the phrase “in one embodiment” in various places in the specification may or may not be referring to the same embodiment. 
   Thus, although embodiments have been described in language specific to structural features and/or methodological acts, it is to be understood that the claimed subject matter may not be limited to the specific features or acts described. Rather, the specific features and acts are disclosed as exemplary forms of implementing the claimed subject matter.

Technology Category: b