Multi-function media eject system in an ink jet printer
AssigneeLexmark International, Inc.
InventorsDouglas Laurence Robertson, Randall David Mayo, Barry Baxter Stout, Michael Anthony Marra, III, Walter Kevin Cousins, Herman Anthony Smith
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A multi-function media eject system and method for operation particularly useful for ink jet printers. At the start of a print job, the media type and print format are determined. If the media is either banner paper or envelope, or if the print format is draft quality printing, wings and kickers of the eject system are disabled, so the media exits the printer without support from the wings or influence from the kickers.
Claims34
A media eject system for a printer having an output tray, said system comprising:
- an edge wing for supporting an edge of media exiting the printer, said edge wing movable between support and non-support positions;
- a kicker for engaging a trailing edge of media and moving the media into the tray, said kicker movable between a retracted position and an extended position and operable to move the media into the tray by movement of said kicker from said retracted position to said extended position;
- and
- a controller for determining a print condition including at least one of a media type and a print format, and for adjusting positions of said wing and said kicker at the start of a print job dependent upon said print condition.
A method for operating a media eject system of a printing device, said method comprising steps of:
- providing edge wings having a wings up position for supporting media exiting the printer and a wings down position providing no support to media exiting the printer, and a kicker for moving media, the kicker having a retracted position and an extended position and adapted for moving the media as the kicker is moved from the retracted position to the extended position;
- determining a print condition for each print job, the print condition including at least one of a media type being printed and a printing format being used;
- and
- adjusting positions of the wing and the kicker in response to said print condition, to selectively provide media support and kicker function for specific print conditions, and to provide no media support and no kicker function for other specific print conditions, as the media exits the printer.
A method for operating a media ejection system during a print job in a printer, the media ejection system including edge support wings for supporting the media exiting the printer and a kicker for accelerating the media exiting the printer, said method comprising steps of:
- determining a print condition for the print job to be at least one of the conditions including the media being an envelope, the media being banner paper and the print format being a draft printing mode;
- and
- adjusting the wings and the kicker to non-operating conditions in response to determining the print condition for the print job to be at least one of the conditions including the media being an envelope, the media being banner paper and the print format being a draft printing mode;
- and
- passing the media out of the printer without support by the wings and without acceleration by the kicker.
A method of operating a printer having an eject system including wings for supporting sheets of media exiting the printer, the method comprising steps of:
- determining the type of media being printed;
- determining the print format being used;
- moving the wings to non-supporting positions if the media is banner paper, before the media exits the printer;
- moving the wings to non-supporting positions if the media is envelope, before the media exits the printer;
- and
- moving the wings to non-supporting positions if the print format is draft, before the media exits the printer.
A method of operating a printer having an eject system including a kicker for accelerating the sheets of media exiting the printer, the method comprising steps of:
- determining the type of media being printed,
- determining the print format being used;
- moving the kicker to a non-operative position if the media is banner paper, before the media exits the printer;
- moving the kicker to a non-operative position if the media is envelope, before the media exits the printer;
- and
- moving the kicker to a non-operative position if the print format is draft, before the media exits the printer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.