Typewriting machines – Pocket typewriter
Reexamination Certificate
1999-04-13
2001-03-13
Eickholt, Eugene (Department: 2854)
Typewriting machines
Pocket typewriter
C400S663000, C400S693000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06200043
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sheet feeding apparatus for feeding a recording medium to a recording apparatus and an image forming apparatus having such a sheet feeding apparatus, and more particularly, it relates to mounting of the recording apparatus.
2. Related Background Art
Similar to many other equipments, compactness and light-weighted requirements for a recording apparatus (referred to as “printer” hereinafter) have been sought greatly, and, thus, printers have been made compact and light-weighted.
During realization of compactness, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 6-183582, there has been proposed a technique in which a printer body portion for recording an image is separated from an auto sheet feeder (referred to as “ASF” hereinafter) portion (sheet feeding apparatus) for stacking sheets thereon and feeding the stacked sheets (recording media) one by one to an image forming portion of the printer, so that the ASF can be detachably mounted to the printer.
Further, there has also been proposed an ASF which can detachably be mounted, from outside, to a printer having a plurality of sheet feeding openings or a printer in which only manual sheet insertion is permitted, as well as the compact printer.
In such a conventional ASF, the ASF essentially has a concept that it is to be mounted to the printer, and, thus, the printer is a principal part on the desk exceedingly. That is to say, since the conventional ASF cannot perform a function for automatically feeding the sheet by itself only, the ASF can have any form. For example, the only ASF may not be operated by itself or may not be operated in a condition that recording media (referred to as “sheets” hereinafter) are set therein.
However, recently, a mobile field has been noticed to enhance maneuverability, and, thus, portable ability has been requested for printers. To this end, for the ASFs, there has been requested a function for connection to the portable printer on the desk in a more preferable condition, i.e., a function in which a so-called mobile printer having excellent portable ability can be used as a desk-top printer having excellent sheet feeding ability on the desk.
Further, in an ASF to be mounted to the printer from outside, for example, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 4-303336, a drive transmitting means (such as a gear) exposed out of the ASF is connected to a drive transmitting means exposed out of the printer so that a motor disposed within the printer can be used as a drive source for a sheet feed roller for feeding the sheets one by one.
Further, in the ASF to be mounted to the printer from outside, for example, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 9-194085, an apparatus incorporating therein a motor as a drive source for a sheet feed roller has been proposed. In this case, a control means disposed within the printer imparts a control signal to a motor disposed within the ASF through electric contacts between the printer and the ASF to rotate the motor of the ASF.
FIG. 39
is a perspective view showing a printer body of a printer 1000 disclosed in the above Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 4-303336 and an ASF to be mounted to the printer body from outside, in a separated condition.
The ASF
1047
has left and right hooks
1016
,
1017
to be inserted into hook fitting holes
1103
y
,
1103
z
of the printer body
1101
, and the left and right hooks
1016
,
1017
can be rotated by sliding operation portions
1016
c
(only one is shown) provided on left and right side surfaces of the ASF
1047
.
The left and right hooks
1016
,
1017
inserted into the hook fitting holes
1103
y
,
1103
z
are rotated by sliding the left and right operation portions
1016
c
in directions shown by the arrows L
1016
X, L
1017
X to engage the ASF
1047
with the printer body
1101
, thereby securing the ASF to the printer body.
The connection between the ASF
1047
and the printer body
1101
by means of the left and right hooks
1016
,
1017
simultaneously produces connection of sheet paths
1056
,
1101
y
and a gear
1047
z
constituting a sheet route between the ASF
1047
and the printer body
1101
.
When the ASF
1047
is dismounted from the printer body
1101
, the left and right hooks
1016
,
1017
are rotated in directions opposite to the directions for engagement between the ASF
1047
and the printer body
1101
by sliding the left and right operation portions
1016
c
in directions opposite to the directions shown by the arrows L
1016
X, L
1017
X, thereby separating the ASF
1047
from the printer body
1101
.
However, in such a mounting/dismounting mechanism between the printer body
1101
and the ASF
1047
, the operator or user must pay attention to damage of positioning means and connectors (connection portions) in order to convey the sheet from the ASF
1047
to the printer body
1101
without any sheet jam.
Further, since the two hooks
1016
,
1017
are independently rotated, the hooks
1016
,
1017
must be rotated independently in order to separate the ASF
1047
from the printer body
1101
, thereby worsening operability. Further, when the ASF
1047
is connected to the printer body
1101
, it cannot be ascertained whether such connection is effected properly.
In addition, in such a mounting/dismounting mechanism between the printer body and the ASF, when the ASF is connected to the printer body, there arose a problem that a relative positional relationship becomes incorrect.
There also arose a problem that separation between the printer body and the ASF cannot be preformed smoothly.
Further, when the ASF is connected to the printer body by such a mounting/dismounting mechanism between, due to the relative positional error, the sheet cannot flow from the ASF to the printer body smoothly.
In addition, since the separation between the printer body and the ASF is not ensured completely, the printer body and/or the ASF may be damaged.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention aims to eliminate the above-mentioned conventional drawbacks, and an object of the present invention is to provide an ASF (sheet feeding apparatus) and an image forming apparatus having such an ASF, in which excellent mounting ability can be achieved and damage and disengagement of a mounted printer (recording apparatus) can be prevented so that the printer (recording apparatus) having excellent portable ability can be used properly as a desk-top printer having excellent sheet feeding ability on the desk.
The present invention provides a sheet feeding apparatus to which a recording apparatus capable of recording an image on a recording medium by itself can detachably be mounted and which is adapted to feed the recording medium to the mounted recording apparatus, and comprising a recording apparatus supporting portion for supporting the recording apparatus for movement in a mounting direction when the recording apparatus is mounted.
In the present invention, the sheet feeding apparatus may further comprise an eaves portion disposed in parallel with the recording apparatus supporting portion and adapted to regulate an upper shifting movement of the recording apparatus when and after the recording apparatus is mounted.
In the present invention, a length of the recording apparatus supporting portion in the mounting direction may be a length capable of forming a space having a predetermined mounting direction length below the recording apparatus when the recording apparatus is mounted.
In the present invention, the length L2 of the recording apparatus supporting portion in the mounting direction for forming the space below the recording apparatus may have the following relationship with respect to a length L1 of the recording apparatus in the mounting direction:
L1/2≦L2≦L1−15 mm.
In the present invention, the relationship “L1/2≦L2≦L1−15 mm” may be satisfied at at least a part of the recording apparatus supporting portion in a direction perpendicular to the mounting d
Asano Shinya
Hasegawa Koh
Inoue Hiroyuki
Iwasaki Takeshi
Kawasaki Noriko
Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
Eickholt Eugene
Fitzpatrick ,Cella, Harper & Scinto
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