Typewriting machines – Sheet or web – For feeding sheet from stack or pack holder
Reexamination Certificate
1998-09-17
2001-05-08
Funk, Stephen R. (Department: 2854)
Typewriting machines
Sheet or web
For feeding sheet from stack or pack holder
C271S145000, C206S449000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06227732
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a sheet package which is most suitably applied to a printer, and a printer in which sheets are set by the sheet package.
In a conventional color printer such as a color video printer or the like, a color image picked up by a video camera or the like is printed on a photographic paper (i.e., sheet) according to a thermal transfer system using a thermal head, a platen and an ink ribbon. This type of printer is known as a sublimation type color printer in which three to four color dyes such as cyan, magenta, yellow, black or the like are thermally transferred onto a sheet by sublimation, and which are then fused. The photographic paper is selected in accordance with the type of the color printer. A special sheet whose surface is low in friction coefficient and glossy so that it is very slippery and also which is weighty, is used as photographic paper used in any color printer. As in the case of a general FAX and a copying machine, 50 to 100 sheets of photographic paper are inserted into a sheet feed tray in a stacked state, and then set (loaded) into a color printer.
Photographic paper used in these types of color printers is packed every 100 sheets while the sheets are stacked in a vinyl bag. When a user sets the packed sheets into the color printer, the user opens the vinyl bag to take out the sheets of the photographic paper therein while the sheets are left stacked, and inserts the sheets into a sheet feed tray. However, since the photographic paper sheets are very slippery and weighty, the photographic paper sheets are simply dispersed or fall down onto the floor or the like if the holding balance of the photographic paper sheets by hands is even slightly broken during the setting work of the photographic paper sheets. If these sheets fall down onto the floor or the like, the image quality and the grade after printing is completed are remarkably deteriorated due to scratches on the surface of the photographic paper or attachment of dust or the like to the photographic paper. Accordingly, in the sheet setting work of the photographic paper, the photographic paper cannot be roughly handled unlike the sheet set work in a general FAX or copying machine, and the user must carry out the sheet set work of the photographic paper with the greatest possible care so that no scratch is made on the surface of the photographic paper or dust or the like is attached to the photographic paper. Therefore, the set work of the photographic paper imposes very large labor to users. Further, since it is necessary to select the type of the photographic paper in accordance with the type of the color printer, the user must visually confirm the type of the photographic paper in the set work of the photographic paper at any time, and this is very cumbersome.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been implemented in order to overcome the above problem, and has an object to provide a sheet package which facilitates a sheet set work of setting sheets into a color printer or the like, and a printer using the sheet package.
In order to attain the above object, according to a first aspect of the present invention, a sheet package in which sheets to be printed are accommodated has an outer shape which is matched with the shape of the sheets, a height at which a plurality of sheets can be stacked in the sheet package, and an outlet/inlet port through which the sheets are inserted when the sheets are accommodated in the sheet package, and taken out when a print operation is performed on the sheets, wherein the sheets are fed to a printer while accommodated in the sheet package.
The sheet package may further comprise a sheet backside insertion preventing pawl for preventing the sheets from being inserted from the backside of the sheet package.
The sheet package may further comprise a sheet type identifying code displayed thereon.
The sheet package may further comprise erroneous insertion preventing means for preventing the sheet package from being erroneously inserted into the printer.
The sheet package may be provided with a flexible portion which is flexible in only one direction and formed at the substantial center portion of the sheet package in a sheet insertion direction.
The sheet package may further comprise a sheet presence/absence identifying hole.
The sheet package may further comprise a sheet positioning hole for the printer.
The sheet package may further comprise a sheet outlet/inlet guide piece which is formed on the lower surface of a sheet outlet/inlet port of the sheet package.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, a printer having a sheet tray in which sheets are set together with a sheet package having an outer shape which is matched with the shape of the sheets, a height at which a plurality of sheets can be stacked in the sheet package; and an outlet/inlet port through which the sheets are inserted when the sheets are accommodated in the sheet package, and taken out when a print operation is performed on the sheets.
In the printer, the sheet package further comprises a sheet type identifying display, and a sensor for detecting the sheet type identifying display.
In the printer, the sheet package further comprises erroneous insertion preventing means for preventing the sheet package from being erroneously inserted into the printer. Further the sheet feed tray has an engaging portion which engages with the said erroneous insertion preventing means.
In the printer, the sheet package further comprises a flexible portion which is flexible in only one way at the substantial center portion of the sheet insertion direction, and the sheet feed tray further comprises a lift plate which lifts up the flexible portion.
In the printer, the sheet package further includes a sheet presence/absence judging hole, and a sensor for detecting the sheet presence/absence judging hole.
In the printer, the sheet package further includes a position defining hole in a sheet feed tray, and the sheet feed tray further includes a projection which is inserted into the position defining hole.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3651933 (1972-03-01), Bell
patent: 3727823 (1973-04-01), Sullivan
patent: 4085884 (1978-04-01), Hogenett et al.
patent: 4555213 (1985-11-01), Tamura et al.
patent: 4876706 (1989-10-01), Tajima
patent: 5067835 (1991-11-01), Yamamoto et al.
patent: 5137269 (1992-08-01), Yamamoto
patent: 5314179 (1994-05-01), Oda et al.
patent: 5690329 (1997-11-01), Van Peteghem et al.
patent: 5806844 (1998-09-01), Bailey et al.
Fujita Masahide
Higuchi Ken
Katsuno Hiroshi
Funk Stephen R.
Sony Corporation
Wittenberg Malcolm B.
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