# US 8,783,983 B2 · Printer with pivotable chute assembly > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,783,983 B2 - Document ID: US8783983B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/605,337 - Filed: 2012-09-06 - Published: 2014-03-06 - Granted: 2014-07-22 - Earliest claimed: 2012-09-06 - Assignees: Brady Worldwide, Inc. - Applicants: Chow Jin Bryan Chng; Heng Kuang Cheng - Inventors: Chow Jin Bryan Chng; Heng Kuang Cheng - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8783983B2 ## CPC - B65H 31/02: with stationary end support against which pile accumulates - B26D 1/385: {for thin material, e.g. for sheets, strips or the like} - G03G 15/6552: {Means for discharging uncollated sheet copy material, e.g. discharging rollers, exit trays} - G03G 21/1638: {directed to paper handling or jam treatment} - B26D 7/22: Safety devices specially adapted for cutting machines (safety devices in general F16P) - B26D 2007/005: {cutters, e.g. guillotines, used in a label maker or printer} - B41J 11/70: cutting perpendicular to the direction of paper feed - B65H 2301/4212: of articles substantially horizontal - B65H 2402/441: movable for facilitating access to area inside the housing, e.g. pivoting or sliding - B65H 2402/46: Table apparatus - B65H 2405/1134: movable, e.g. pivotable - B65H 2405/1136: inclined, i.e. forming an angle different from 90 with the bottom - B65H 2405/115: Cover - B65H 2407/10: Safety means, e.g. for preventing injuries or illegal operations - B65H 2551/15: Push buttons; Keyboards - B65H 2551/21: Monitors; Displays - B65H 2601/321: Access - B65H 2801/12: Single-function printing machines, typically table-top machines - Y10T 83/2216: Inclined conduit, chute or plane - B65H: HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES - B26D: CUTTING; DETAILS COMMON TO MACHINES FOR PERFORATING, PUNCHING, CUTTING-OUT, STAMPING-OUT OR SEVERING (for growing crops or plants A01D, A01G; for fodder or straw A01F; for bulk butter A01J; for dough A21C; slaughtering A22B; for tobacco, cigars or cigarettes A24; marking-out, perforating or making buttonholes A41H25/00; manufacturing footwear A43D; brushmaking A46D; surgery A61B; disintegrating, mincing or shredding in general B02C; cutting wire, making pins or nails B21F, B21G; of the kind used formetal B23; cutting by abrasive fluid jets B24C5/02; hand-held cutting tools B26B; perforating, cutting-out, stamping-out or punching, or severing by means other than cutting B26F; for wood B27; for stone B28D; working of plastics or substances in a plastic state B29; making boxes, cartons, envelopes or bags, of paper or similarly worked materials, e.g. metal foil, B31B; article or web delivery apparatus incorporating cutting or line-perforating devices B65H35/00; for leather or upholstery B68, C14B; for glass C03B; making matches C06F; for peat C10F; for sugar C13B45/00; for textile materials D06H; civil engineering, building, mining, see Section E; for light guides G02B6/25; cutting processed photographic material G03D15/04) - G03G: ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY - B41J: TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract A printer is disclosed that has a frame and a chute assembly received within the frame in which the chute assembly is pivotable relative to the frame. The chute assembly includes a lower chute part and an upper chute part. The lower chute part is pivotable about a first axis in which the first axis is fixed relative to the frame. The upper chute part is pivotally coupled to the lower chute part and is pivotable about a second axis that is fixed relative to the lower chute part. The lower chute part and the upper chute part are coupled to one another such that, when the upper chute part pivots about the second axis relative to the lower chute part, the lower chute part automatically pivots about the first axis. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A printer having a media path extending there through, the printer comprising: a frame; a chute assembly received within the frame and pivotable relative to the frame, the chute assembly including: a lower chute part pivotable about a first axis, the first axis being fixed relative to the frame; and an upper chute part pivotally coupled to the lower chute part, the upper chute part being pivotable about a second axis that is fixed relative to the lower chute part; wherein the lower chute part and the upper chute part are coupled to one another such that, when the upper chute part pivots about the second axis relative to the lower chute part, the lower chute part automatically pivots about the first axis; a support fixed relative to the frame; a slider having a surface that slidingly engages the support, the slider also being movably coupled to lower chute part such that a movement of the slider relative to the lower chute part results in a pivoting of the lower chute part about the first axis as the surface of the slider slidingly engages the support; and a cam that is fixed with respect to the upper chute part, such that pivoting the upper chute part relative to the lower chute part causes the cam to engage the slider, thereby causing the slider to move relative to the lower chute part and effectuating the pivoting of the lower chute part relative to the first axis. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The printer of claim 1 wherein the slider is movably coupled to the lower chute part along a sliding guide rail. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The printer of claim 1 wherein the lower chute part is rotationally biased about the first axis so as to urge the surface of the slider into sliding engagement with the support. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The printer of claim 1 wherein the cam translates the rotational movement of the upper chute part about the second axis to a linear motion of the slider. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The printer of claim 4 wherein the surface of the slider that slidingly engages the support includes an angled portion that is angled with respect to direction of linear motion of the slider. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The printer of claim 5 wherein the surface of the slider that slidingly engages the support includes a flat portion that lies on the plane parallel with the direction of linear motion of the slider, the flat portion being so disposed as to maintain a rotational position of the lower chute part with respect to the frame against a rotational biasing force. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The printer of claim 1 wherein the slider has a boss that engages a guide profile of the cam. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The printer of claim 1 wherein the first axis and the second axis are parallel with one another and spaced apart from one another. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The printer of claim 1 wherein the chute assembly has a print position in which the media path extends through the chute assembly and a service position in which the upper chute part is lifted. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The printer of claim 1 wherein the upper chute part is connected to the lower chute part using at least one pin. ### Claim 11 A printer having a media path extending there through, the printer comprising: a frame; a chute assembly received within the frame and pivotable relative to the frame, the chute assembly including: a lower chute part pivotable about a first axis, the first axis being fixed relative to the frame; and an upper chute part pivotally coupled to the lower chute part, the upper chute part being pivotable about a second axis that is fixed relative to the lower chute part; wherein the lower chute part and the upper chute part are coupled to one another such that, when the upper chute part pivots about the second axis relative to the lower chute part, the lower chute part automatically pivots about the first axis; a cutting assembly adjacent the chute assembly, the cutting assembly including a fixed blade and a moving blade; wherein the lower chute part obstructs access to at least a portion of the cutting assembly when the lower chute part is pivoted upward. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The printer of claim 11 wherein the portion of the cutting assembly obstructed is a fixed blade. ### Claim 13 A printer having a media path extending there through, the printer comprising: a frame; a chute assembly received within the frame and pivotable relative to the frame, the chute assembly including: a lower chute part pivotable about a first axis, the first axis being fixed relative to the frame; and an upper chute part pivotally coupled to the lower chute part, the upper chute part being pivotable about a second axis that is fixed relative to the lower chute part; wherein the lower chute part and the upper chute part are coupled to one another such that, when the upper chute part pivots about the second axis relative to the lower chute part, the lower chute part automatically pivots about the first axis; wherein the lower chute part is biased in a first rotational direction about the first axis to place the chute assembly in a print position and, when the chute assembly is actuated to a service position by pivoting of the upper chute part, a direction of rotation of the upper chute part about the second axis and the lower chute part about the first axis occurs in a second rotational direction that is opposite to the first rotational direction of biasing. ### Claim 14 A printer having a media path extending there through, the printer comprising: a frame; a chute assembly received within the frame and pivotable relative to the frame, the chute assembly including: a lower chute part pivotable about a first axis, the first axis being fixed relative to the frame; and an upper chute part pivotally coupled to the lower chute part, the upper chute part being pivotable about a second axis that is fixed relative to the lower chute part; wherein the lower chute part and the upper chute part are coupled to one another such that, when the upper chute part pivots about the second axis relative to the lower chute part, the lower chute part automatically pivots about the first axis; a housing including at least one door that provides access to internal components of the printer including the chute assembly and wherein the door and at least one of the upper chute part and the lower chute part have profiled surfaces for engagement with one another such that, if the chute assembly is in a service position and the door of the housing is closed, an engagement of the profiled surfaces of the door and the at least one of the upper chute part and the lower chute part will cause the upper chute part and the lower chute part to be rotated so as to place the chute assembly in a print position. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The printer of claim 14 wherein the at least one of the upper chute part and the lower chute part having the profiled surface is the upper chute part.