Overfill control apparatus for a media input tray
AssigneeHewlett-Packard Company
InventorWill G. Fetherolf
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An input tray mechanism for feeding sheet media to a page printer includes a structural configuration for preventing overfilling of sheet media therein. A support structure includes a receiving area, an enlarged opening thereto, and a shelf formed at a base of the enlarged opening for inhibiting passage of excess media beyond the shelf and further into the support structure. The shelf prevents overfill of the input tray mechanism by abruptly stopping excess media from passing further into the input tray mechanism. In a preferred embodiment, the support structure is formed as part of a side adjuster for the input tray, and the support structure is vertically oriented for receiving sheet media in an upright, on-end position.
Claims27
A media input tray apparatus comprising:
- (a) a support structure formed so as to receive sheet media therein and having an enlarged opening thereto;
- and,
- (b) a singular component abutment overfill control mechanism formed at a base of the enlarged opening for inhibiting excess media from passing further into the support structure.
A media receiving apparatus, comprising:
- (a) at least first and second support structures disposed so as to form a media passage area therebetween and having a first gap;
- (b) an angled or curved surface associated with at least one of the support structures, the angled or curved surface forming a widening gap with respect to the media passage area first gap;
- and,
- (c) an abutment fixedly disposed at an intersecting portion of the media passage area and the angled or curved surface for inhibiting media overfill of the media passage area relative to the first gap.
A media holding apparatus for an image forming device comprising:
- a receiving area having a first gap for receiving a first quantity of sheet media therein;
- and,
- an enlarged opening area in connection with the receiving area, the enlarged opening area forming at least a second gap that is greater than the first gap, wherein the enlarged opening area and receiving area are connected in association with a fixed shelf such that any sheet media in excess of the first quantity that attempts passage into the receiving area from the opening area is abruptly restrained by the fixed shelf from passing therein.
An image forming device comprising:
- (a) a housing having a print engine;
- and,
- (b) an input tray mechanism adaptively interfitting with the housing, the input tray mechanism disposed so as to receive sheet media from an external source for subsequent feeding into the print engine, the input tray mechanism comprising:
- (i) a first structure formed to cooperate with a second structure for receiving the sheet media therebetween in a first gap;
- and,
- (ii) a shelf fixedly disposed in connection with the first structure and near the first gap, whereby any of the sheet media that is in excess of an amount of sheet media capable of passing through the first gap is caught on the shelf and disallowed entry through the first gap as the sheet media is fed from the external source into the input tray mechanism.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.