Integrated printer and paper feeding apparatus

An integrated printer and paper feeding apparatus comprising:

• a housing providing a sound-proofing enclosure for sheets of paper to be moved along a paper path which extends from a paper supply station past a printing station to a paper retrieval station, said paper supply station, said printing station and said paper retrieval station being located interiorly of said housing;
• said housing including a paper supply opening therein adjacent said paper supply station for providing access to said paper supply station, and a paper retrieval opening provided in said housing adjacent said paper retrieval station for providing access to said paper retrieval station, said paper supply opening and said paper retrieval opening being provided at spaced locations from one another in said housing, and said housing being constructed to provide a substantially closed enclosure, except for said paper supply opening and said paper retrieval opening, for sheets of paper moved along said paper path to thereby minimize sound eminating from within said housing during operation of the integrated printer and paper feeding apparatus;
• said housing further including an openable paper retrieval cover member adjacent said paper retrieval opening, said paper retrieval cover member being operative to substantially close said paper retrieval opening in said housing, and being openable to provide access to said paper retrieval station for removing sheets of paper therefrom;
• paper storing means for storing a plurality of individual sheets of paper, said paper storing means being removably insertable through said paper supply opening in said housing for mounting said paper storing means within said housing at said paper supply station so that said individual sheets of paper stored in said paper storing means are completely contained within said housing, said paper storing means including supply opening closing means arranged thereon for closing said paper supply opening of said housing when said paper storing means is inserted through said paper supply opening and mounted within said housing;
• paper feeding means arranged within said housing at said paper supply station for feeding individual sheets of paper along said paper supply means along a feed portion of said paper path when said paper supply means is inserted through and mounted within said housing, said feed portion of said paper path extending from said paper supply station toward said printing station;
• printing means arranged at said printing station within said housing for printing on a sheet of paper;
• paper advancing means arranged within said housing along said paper path for advancing a sheet of paper fed by said paper feeding means past said printing means to effect printing thereon and for thereafter advancing said sheet of paper after printing has been effected thereon along an exit portion of said paper path toward said paper retrieval station within said housing, said exit portion of said paper path extending from said printing station to said paper retrieval station;
• paper receptacle means arranged at said paper retrieval station within said housing for receiving and storing sheets of paper advanced by said paper advancing means from said printing means;
• paper ejecting means arranged within said housing along said exit portion of said path and adjacent said paper receptacle means for engaging a sheet of paper being advanced along said exit portion of said paper path by said paper advancing means and ejecting the engaged sheet of paper into said paper receptacle means;
• said housing including a first housing part and a second housing part, said first housing part having said paper supply opening therein and having said paper feeding means and said printing means contained interiorly therewithin, and said second housing part having said paper retrieval opening therein and having said paper receptacle means contained therewithin, said second housing part further being openable with respect to said first housing part to provide access to the interior of said first housing part;
• and
• control means for controlling the operation of said paper feeding means, said printing means, said paper advancing, and said paper ejecting means, whereby said housing together with said supply opening closing means on said paper storing means and said openable paper retrieval cover member provide a substantially closed enclosure for said paper feeding means, said printing means, said paper advancing means, and said paper ejecting means, and for said individual sheets of paper before, during and after printing is effected thereon to minimize sound eminating from within said housing during operation of said printing and paper feeding apparatus.

An integrated printer and paper feeding apparatus comprising:

• a housing:
• paper storing means within said housing for storing a plurality of individual sheets of paper;
• paper feeding means within said housing for feeding individual sheets of paper from said paper storing means along a paper feed path;
• printing means within said housing for printing on a sheet of paper;
• paper advancing means arranged within said housing along said paper feed path for advancing a sheet of paper past said printing means to effect printing thereon;
• control means for controlling the operation of said paper feeding means, said printing means and said paper advancing means;
• and
• a paper gripping mechanism for engaging paper being moved through said apparatus, said paper gripping mechanism including:
• (a) paper gripping means arranged adjacent said paper advancing means and movable between a first position in which a sheet of paper is gripped between said paper gripping means and said paper advancing means and a second position in which said paper gripping means is spaced from said paper advancing means;
• (b) a first member and a second member positioned along a paper exit path, said first member being movable between a first position in which said first member is spaced from said second member and a second position in which a sheet of paper is gripped between said first and second member;
• (c) paper gripping controlling means for controlling the movement of said paper gripping means and said first member between said respective first and second positions, said paper gripping controlling means being movable in a first direction and a second direction;
• and (d) connection means for coupling said paper gripping means and said first member to said paper gripping controlling means so that said paper gripping means moves from said first position toward said second position when said paper gripping controlling means is moved in said first direction, and so that said first member moves from said first position toward said second position when said paper gripping controlling means is moved in said second direction.

An integrated printer and paper feeding apparatus comprising:

• a housing;
• paper storing means within said housing for storing a plurality of individual sheets of paper;
• paper feeding means within said housing arranged overlying said paper storing means for feeding individual sheets of paper from said paper storing means along a paper feed path;
• paper printing means within said housing for printing on a sheet of paper;
• paper advancing means arranged within said housing along said paper feed path for advancing a sheet of paper past said printing means to effect printing thereon;
• paper ejecting means arranged within said housing along a paper exit path for engaging a sheet of paper from within said paper advancing means and ejecting the engaged sheet of paper from said apparatus, said paper ejecting means including a pair of spaced apart rollers arranged on opposite sides of said paper exit path, one of said rollers being movable between an open position spaced adjacent the other of said rollers and a closed position in contact with the other of said rollers;
• control means for controlling the operation of said paper feeding means, said paper printing means, said paper advancing means, and said paper ejecting means;
• and
• a paper gripping mechanism for engaging paper being moved through said apparatus by said paper advancing means, said paper gripping mechanism comprising:
• (a) a paper ball movable within said housing between a closed position in contact with said paper advancing means and an open position spaced adjacent said paper advancing means;
• (b) a sector gear rotatable in opposite directions;
• (c) connecting means for connecting said paper bail and said one roller of said paper ejecting means to said sector gear;
• and (d) rotating means for rotating said sector gear in first and second opposite directions, said sector gear moving said paper bail from said closed position to said open position during rotation of said sector gear in said first direction while permitting said one roller to reamin in said open position and moving said one roller from said open position to said closed position upon rotation of said sector gear in said second direction while permitting said paper bail to remain in said closed position.

An integrated printer and paper feeding apparatus comprising:

• a housing;
• paper storing means within said housing for storing a plurality of individual sheets of paper;
• paper feeding means within said housing for feeding individual sheets of paper from said paper storing means along a paper feed path;
• printing means within said housing for printing on a sheet of paper;
• paper advancing means arranged within said housing along said paper feed path for advancing a sheet of paper past said printing means to effect printing thereon;
• control means for controlling the operation of said paper feeding means, said printing means and said paper advancing means;
• said paper storing means comprising a first paper tray having a plurality of individual sheets of paper therein and a second paper tray having a plurality of individual sheets of paper therein, said first and second paper trays being spaced from one another within said housing;
• said paper feeding means comprising a first paper feeding device for engagement with said sheets of paper within said first paper tray and a second paper feeding device for engagement with said sheets of paper within said second paper tray, said first and second paper feeding devices comprising guide means for defining said paper feed path between said first and second paper trays respectively and said paper advancing means, and first and second transversely spaced feed rollers for feeding a sheet of paper respectively from said first and second paper trays along said paper feed path to said paper advancing means;
• and
• wherein said control means includes a drive gear operatively coupled to said first feed roller through a first clutch and operatively coupled to said second feed roller through an idler gear and a second clutch, said first clutch being operable upon rotation in one direction and said second clutch being operable upon rotation in said one direction.

An integrated printer and paper feeding apparatus comprising:

• a housing;
• paper storing means within said housing for storing a plurality of individual sheets of paper;
• paper feeding means within said housing arranged overlying said paper storing means for feeding individual sheets of paper from said paper storing means along a paper feed path;
• paper printing means within said housing for printing on a sheet of paper;
• paper advancing means arranged within said housing along said paper feed path for advancing a sheet of paper past said printing means to effect printing thereon;
• paper ejecting means arranged within said housing along a paper exit path for engaging a sheet of paper from within said paper advancing means and ejecting the engaged sheet of paper from said apparatus;
• control means for controlling the operation of said paper feeding means, said paper printing means, said paper advancing means and said paper ejecting means;
• said paper storing means comprising a first paper tray having a plurality of individual sheets of paper therein and a second paper tray having a plurality of individual sheets of paper therein, said first and second paper trays being spaced from one another within said housing;
• said paper feeding means comprising a first paper feeding device for engagement with said sheets of paper within said first paper tray and a second paper feeding device for engagement with said sheets of paper within said second paper tray, said first and second paper feeding devices comprising guide means for defining said paper path between said first and second paper trays respectively and said paper advancing means, and first and second transversely spaced feed rollers for feeding a sheet of paper respectively from said first and second paper trays along said paper feed path to said paper advancing means;
• and
• wherein said control means includes a drive gear operatively coupled to said first feed roller through a first clutch and operatively coupled to said second feed roller through an idler gear and a second clutch, said first clutch being operable upon rotation in one direction and said second clutch being operable upon rotation in said one direction, and a motor for rotation of said drive gear in a forward direction to effect rotation of said first clutch in said one direction and in an opposite direction to effect rotation of said second clutch in said one direction, whereby said first and second drive rollers are respectively rotated.