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US 6,688,590 B2Granted
Dual tray printer with single drive shaft and dual media picks
AssigneeLexmark International, Inc.
InventorsAaron Wendell Billings, David Allen Crutchfield, David Vincent Iorio, Galen Arthur Rasche
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A mechanism (120) which can be used in a printer (110), for example, for selectively moving sheets from first and second sheet stacks, including a rotating shaft (123), a mechanism for causing the rotating shaft (123) to rotate in first and second directions, and first and second media picks (121, 122). Rotation of the rotating shaft (123) in the first direction causes the first media pick (121) to move a sheet from the first sheet stack (51) and rotation of the rotating shaft (123) in the second direction causes the second media pick (122) to move a sheet from the second sheet stack (52).
Claims28
A printer apparatus that includes a mechanism for selectively moving sheets from first and second sheet stacks, including:
- a) a printer that has a first sheet stack and a second sheet stack that is spaced from the first sheet stack, each sheet stack having a top portion and a bottom portion;
- b) a rotating shaft on the printer next to the bottom of at least one of the sheet stacks;
- c) a motor for causing the rotating shaft to rotate in a first direction and in a second direction;
- d) a first media pick for moving a sheet from the first sheet stack, the first media pick being mounted on the rotating shaft;
- e) a second media pick for moving a sheet from the second sheet stack, the second media pick being mounted on the rotating shaft, wherein:
- f) rotation of the rotating shaft in the first direction causes the first media pick to move a sheet from the first sheet stack;
- and
- g) rotation of the rotating shaft in the second direction causes the second media pick to move a sheet from the second sheet stack.
5 more elements
An apparatus for selectively moving sheets from first and second sheet stacks, including:
- a) a rotating shaft;
- b) a motor for causing the rotating shaft to rotate in a first direction and in a second direction;
- c) a first media pick for moving a sheet from the first sheet stack, the first media pick being operatively connected to the rotating shaft;
- d) a second media pick for moving a sheet from the second sheet stack, the second media pick being operatively connected to the rotating shaft, wherein:
- e) rotation of the rotating shaft in the first direction causes the first media pick to move a sheet from the first sheet stack;
- f) rotation of the rotating shaft in the second direction causes the second media pick to move a sheet from the second sheet stack;
- and
- g) wherein there are multiples of the apparatus.
5 more elements
A printer apparatus comprising:
- a) a printer that has a first sheet stack and a second sheet stack that is spaced from the first sheet stack, each sheet stack having a top portion and a bottom portion;
- b) a rotating shaft mounted in between the sheet stacks;
- c) a motor for causing the rotating shaft to rotate in a first direction and in a second direction;
- d) a pair of media picks that are mounted on the rotating shaft, in between the sheet stacks;
- e) wherein rotation of the rotating shaft in the first direction causes at least one of the media picks to move a sheet from the first sheet stack, and
- f) rotation of the rotating shaft in the second direction causes at least one of the media picks to move a sheet from the second sheet stack.
3 more elements
An apparatus for selectively moving sheets from first and second sheet stacks, including:
- a) a rotating shaft;
- b) a motor for causing the rotating shaft to rotate in a first direction and in a second direction;
- c) a first media pick for moving a sheet from the first sheet stack, the first media pick being operatively connected to the rotating shaft;
- d) a second media pick for moving a sheet from the second sheet stack, the second media pick being operatively connected to the rotating shaft, wherein rotation of the rotating shaft in the first direction causes the first media pick to move a sheet from the first sheet stack, and rotation of the rotating shaft in the second direction causes the second media pick to move a sheet from the second sheet stack;
- and
- e) a pressure system for pressing media into contact with the first media pick.
3 more elements
An apparatus for selectively moving sheets from first and second sheet stacks, including:
- a) a rotating shaft;
- b) a motor for causing the rotating shaft to rotate in a first direction and in a second direction;
- c) a first media pick for moving a sheet from the first sheet stack, the first media pick being operatively connected to the, rotating shaft;
- d) a second media pick for moving a sheet from the second sheet stack, the second media pick being operatively connected to the rotating shaft, wherein:
- e) rotation of the rotating shaft in the first direction causes the first media pick to move a sheet from the first sheet stack;
- f) rotation of the rotating shaft in the second direction causes the second media pick to move a sheet from the second sheet stack;
- g) a second media pick, the second media pick being operatively connected to the rotating shaft, wherein:
- h) rotation of the rotating shaft in the first direction causes the first media pick and the second media pick to move a sheet from the first sheet stack;
- and
- i) rotation of the rotating shaft in the second direction causes the first media pick and the second media pick to move a sheet from the second sheet stack.
7 more elements
A printer apparatus, comprising:
- a) a printer that has a first sheet stack and a second sheet stack that is spaced from the first sheet stack, each sheet stack having a top portion and a bottom portion;
- b) a rotating shaft on the printer in between the first and second sheet stacks;
- c) a motor for causing the rotating shaft to rotate in a first direction and in a second direction;
- d) a first media pick, the first media pick being mounted on the rotating shaft in between the first and second sheet stacks;
- e) a second media pick, the second media pick being operatively connected to the rotating shaft, wherein:
- f) rotation of the rotating shaft in the first direction causes a sheet to be moved from the first sheet stack, and
- g) rotation of the rotating shaft in the second direction causes a sheet to be moved from the second sheet stack.
4 more elements
An apparatus for selectively moving sheets from first and second sheet stacks, including:
- a) a rotating shaft;
- b) a motor for causing the rotating shaft to rotate in a first direction and in a second direction;
- c) a first media pick, the first media pick being operatively connected to the rotating shaft;
- d) a second media pick, the second media pick being operatively connected to the rotating shaft, wherein:
- e) rotation of the rotating shaft in the first direction causes a sheet to be moved from the first sheet stack;
- f) rotation of the rotating shaft in the second direction causes a sheet to be moved from the second sheet stack;
- and
- g) wherein there re multiples of the apparatus.
5 more elements
A printer sheet feed apparatus for selectively moving sheets from first and second sheet stacks, including:
- a) a chassis that has first and second sheet stack holders, each sheet stack holder having a bottom portion;
- b) a rotating shaft supported by the chassis at a position in between the bottom portions of the sheet stack holders;
- c) a motor for causing the rotating shaft to rotate in a first direction and in a second direction;
- d) a plurality of media picks mounted on the rotating shaft in between the sheet stack holders and near the bottom of at least one of the sheet stack holders;
- e) wherein rotation of the rotating shaft in the first direction causes a sheet to be moved from the first sheet stack holder;
- and
- f) rotation of the rotating shaft in the second direction causes a sheet to be moved from the second sheet stack holder.
4 more elements
A printer sheet feed apparatus for selectively moving sheets from first and second sheet stack holders, comprising:
- a) a chassis supporting first and second sheet stack holders, each holder having a top portion and a bottom portion;
- b) a rotating shaft supported by the chassis at a position in between the sheet stack holders and next to the bottom portion of a sheet stack holder;
- c) a motor for causing the rotating shaft to rotate in a first direction and in a second direction;
- d) a first media pick positioned in between the bottom portions of the sheet stack holders for moving a sheet downwardly from the first sheet stack holder, the first media pick rotating shaft at a position in between the sheet stack holders;
- e) a second media pick for moving a sheet downwardly from the second sheet stack holder, the second media pick driven by the rotating shaft at a position in between the sheet stack holders;
- f) wherein rotation of the rotating shaft in the first direction causes the first media pick to move a sheet from the first sheet stack, and
- g) rotation of the rotating shaft in the second direction causes the second media pick to move a sheet from the second sheet stack.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.