Mailing machine with a repositionable user controller
AssigneePitney Bowes Inc.
InventorsDavid H. Brooks, Jr., Ania Mastriano, Howard M. Stevens, Kenneth A. Schulz
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A mailing machine is provided with a removable control panel device that is repositionable thereby enabling the operator to position the control panel device to face in different directions with respect to the mailing machine. The repositioning of the control panel device allows an operator to clearly view a display on the device from any work area of the mailing machine. For example, if an operator is standing near an input end of the mailing machine, the control panel device can be rotated such that it can be viewed by the operator while standing near the input end of the mailing machine.
Claims17
A mailing machine comprising:
- a base unit;
- a cover secured to the base unit;
- a well formed in the cover, the well including at least one stop device provided on a rim of the well and extending into the well;
- a rotating portion disposed in the well, the rotating portion including a plurality of tabs around a perimeter of the rotating portion that extend from the rotating portion, the tabs contacting a top surface of the well, the rotating portion being supported in the well by the tabs, at least one tab contacting the at least one stop device in the well to restrict rotation of the rotating portion within the well;
- and
- a docking station secured to the rotating portion, the docking station adapted to secure a user controller and couple the user controller to the mailing machine, the rotating portion being rotatable within the well to reposition the docking station with respect to the cover such that the user controller secured to the docking station can be positioned in a plurality of different positions with respect to the mailing machine.
A mailing machine comprising:
- a cover;
- a slot in the cover extending along a portion of the cover;
- and
- an interface board adapted to slide within in the slot, the interface board including a docking station for mounting a user controller,
- wherein the user controller inserted into the docking station can be moved by sliding the interface board within the slot to position the user controller in a plurality of different positions with respect to the mailing machine.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.