Paper accommodating assembly for office machine

Details Paper accommodating assembly for office machine Paper accommodating assembly for office machine

2000-07-05

2002-05-07

Ellis, Christopher P. (Department: 3651)

Sheet feeding or delivering

Feeding and delivering

C271S126000, C271S157000, C271S162000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06382617

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a paper accommodating assembly of an office machine, such as a printer, a copy machine, a scanner, a fax, a multi-function office machine or an all-in-one office machine, for accommodating paper sheets to be processed and paper sheets having been processed by the office machine.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
An office machine inevitably requires a component, such as a cassette, a tray, a slot or the like, for accommodating paper sheets to be processed by the office machine. The office machine also requires a component, such as a cassette, a tray, a slot or the like, for accommodating paper sheets having been processed by the office machine.
The current design for office machines gravitate towards the desk-top type, multi-function and even all-in-one in order to increase usefulness and portability. The so-called multi-function or all-in-one office machines combine the capabilities of a wide range or a full range of office equipment into one. Obviously, the aforesaid office machines require simple-configuration, light-weight and compact components to reduce weight of the machines and space occupied by the machines. Therefore, paper accommodating devices of various type have been developed, e.g., the paper accommodating devices capable of moving within the office machine, or the paper accommodating devices capable of serving as a smooth surface of the office machine as being closed. The related prior arts are as follows: U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,387,043; D411,228; D400,918; D390,258; D370,025; D387,085; and D382,583.
However, the initial paper accommodating device and finish paper accommodating device disclosed in the prior arts are designed to operate independently from each other, which means the feeding operation of paper sheets accommodated by the initial paper accommodating device is not influenced by the operation of the finish paper accommodating device. That is why a finish paper accommodating device could remain closed when the feeding operation of paper sheets accommodated by an initial paper accommodating device still proceeds. Paper jam usually occurs in the office machine equipped with such initial and finish paper accommodating devices.
Accordingly, an objective of the invention is to provide an initial paper accommodating device and a finish paper accommodating device of an office machine. The initial paper accommodating device is for accommodating paper sheets to be processed by the office machine. The finish paper accommodating device is for accommodating paper sheets having been processed by the office machine. In particular, the finish paper accommodating device is rotatably closed or open. When closed, the finish paper accommodating device serves as a smooth surface of the office machine. The initial paper accommodating device is capable of moving within the office machine whereby the space occupied by the office machine can be reduced.
In addition, another objective of the invention is to assemble the aforesaid initial and finish paper accommodating devices so that the feeding path of paper sheets accommodated by the initial paper accommodating device is connected or blocked in response to the closing or opening of the finish paper accommodating device.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is the objective of the invention to provide a paper accommodation assembly for an office machine for accommodating paper sheets to be processed and paper sheets having been processed by the office machine. In particular, the paper accommodating assembly can reduce the space occupied by the office machine.
Another objective of the invention is to provide a paper accommodating assembly for an office machine. In particular, the paper accommodating assembly is capable of selectively connecting or blocking the feeding path of paper sheets to be processed by the office machine to prevent from paper jams.
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the office machine also includes a pickup roller. When contacting the paper sheets on top to be processed by the office machine, the pickup roller selectively picks up the uppermost paper sheet and further delivers the uppermost paper sheet. The paper accommodating assembly includes a first paper accommodating device and a second paper accommodating device. The first paper accommodating device is pivotally mounted on the office machine. When rotated to an open position, the first paper accommodating device is for accommodating paper sheets having been processed by the office machine. When rotated to a closed position, the first paper accommodating device serves as a smooth surface of the office machine. The second paper accommodating device is for accommodating the paper sheets to be processed by the office machine. The second paper accommodating device supports the paper sheets moving forward to the pickup roller in response to the movement of the first paper accommodating device.
The advantage and spirit of the invention may be understood by the following recitations together with the appended drawings.


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