Method and apparatus for securing a flatbed scanner carriage
AssigneeHewlett-Packard Company
InventorKenneth J. Gilpin
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system and method for securing a moveable scanner device within a scanning system comprises a housing having a transparent platen provided thereon. The scanner device is operatively associated with the housing and is moveable along a displacement path. A drive system comprising a drive belt connected to the scanner device and a tensioning system operatively associated with the drive belt moves the scanner device along the displacement path. A control system operatively associated with the drive system actuates the drive system to move the scanner device to a stowed position along the displacement path, the location of the stowed position being such that a force exerted on the scanner device and directed along the displacement path is not transmitted to the drive belt tensioning system.
Claims21
A method, comprising:
- providing a scanning system having a carriage assembly therein that is operatively associated with a drive system so that the carriage assembly is moveable along a displacement path, the drive system including a drive belt, the carriage being mounted to the drive belt, and a drive belt tensioning system operatively associated with the drive belt;
- and
- moving the carriage to a stowed position along the displacement path, the location of the stowed position being such that a force exerted on the carriage and directed along the displacement path is not transmitted to the drive belt tensioning system.
Scanner apparatus, comprising:
- a scanner device operatively associated with a housing so that said scanner device is moveable along a displacement path;
- a drive system operatively associated with said scanner device, said drive system moving said scanner device along the displacement path, said drive system comprising
- a drive belt, said scanner device being mounted to said drive belt;
- and
- a drive belt tensioning system operatively associated with said drive belt;
- and
- a control system operatively associated with said drive system, said control system actuating said drive system to move said scanner device to a stowed position along the displacement path, the location of the stowed position being such that a force exerted on said scanner device and directed along the displacement path is not transmitted to said drive belt tensioning system.
Scanner apparatus, comprising:
- a scanner device operatively associated with a housing so that said scanner device is moveable along a displacement path adjacent a platen portion of said housing;
- a drive system operatively associated with said scanner device, said drive system moving said scanner device along the displacement path, said drive system comprising
- a drive belt, said scanner device being mounted to said drive belt;
- and
- a drive belt tensioning system operatively associated with said drive belt;
- and
- a control system operatively associated with said drive system, said control system actuating said drive system to move said scanner device to a stowed position along the displacement path, the location of the stowed position being such that a force exerted on said scanner device and directed along the displacement path is not transmitted to said drive belt tensioning system.
A method, comprising:
- providing a scanner device having a carriage assembly therein that is operatively associated with a drive system so that the carriage assembly is moveable along a displacement path, the drive system including a drive belt, the carriage being mounted to the drive belt, and a drive belt tensioning system operatively associated with the drive belt;
- and
- operating the drive system of the scanner device to move the carriage to a stowed position along the displacement path, the location of the stowed position being such that a force exerted on the carriage and directed along the displacement path is prevented from reaching the drive belt tensioning system.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.