Multifunction printer with integrated scanner/stapler
AssigneeHewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
InventorsPaul K. Mui, Russell A. Mendenhall, Roberto Obregon, Eric L. Andersen, Wesley A. Fujii
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A multifunction printer apparatus includes a printer, with a printer media path, and a scanner/stapler assembly detachably secured to the printer. The scanner/stapler assembly includes a scanner and a stapler-configured media path that begins at the printer media path and emerges from the scanner/stapler assembly along a direction perpendicular to a feed direction of the scanner.
Claims48
A multifunction printer apparatus, comprising:
- a printer including a printer media path;
- and
- a scanner/stapler assembly detachably secured to the printer, the scanner/stapler assembly including a scanner, a stapler media path and a stapler adjacent the stapler media path, the stapler media path beginning from the printer media path and emerging from the scanner/stapler assembly along a direction perpendicular to a feed direction of the scanner.
A multifunction printer apparatus, comprising:
- a printer including a printer media path;
- a scanner/stapler assembly including a scanner with a scanner input tray and a stapler media path with a stapler;
- and
- means for detachably securing the scanner/stapler assembly to the printer such that a feed direction of the scanner input tray is orthogonal to the printer media path.
A multifunction printer apparatus, comprising:
- a printer with a detachable scanner/stapler assembly that together provide a plurality of printed media output paths including a stapler-configured media output path perpendicular to a scanner feed direction of the detachable scanner/stapler assembly, the printer being configured to selectively divert printed media to one or more of the printed media output paths depending upon information associated with the printed media output paths.
An accessory for a multifunction printer apparatus that includes a printer with a front side and a printer media path, the accessory comprising:
- a detachable scanner/stapler assembly configured to be mechanically coupled to the printer such that a stapler-configured media path of the detachable scanner/stapler assembly mechanically interfaces with the printer media path of the printer and such that a scan feed direction of the scanner/stapler assembly is parallel to the front side of the printer and orthogonal to all printed media output directions of the detachable scanner/stapler assembly and the printer.
A method for providing a printer with a scanner/stapler assembly, comprising the steps of:
- detachably securing a scanner/stapler assembly to a printer;
- inserting an item of scan media into the scanner/stapler assembly along a scan direction;
- and
- directing an item of print media through the printer along a direction transverse to the scan direction.
A multifunction printer apparatus, comprising:
- a printer including a printer media path;
- and
- a scanner/stapler assembly detachably secured to the printer, the scanner/stapler assembly including a scanner, a stapler media path and a stapler adjacent the stapler media path, the stapler media path beginning from the printer media path and emerging from the scanner/stapler assembly along a direction that is not parallel to a feed direction of the scanner.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.