Paper insert device for printer

• US 5,332,323 A
• Filed: 10/13/1992
• Issued: 07/26/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Murai, Shunji, Yanagisawa, Satoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Burr, Edgar S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, ANTHONY H
• Application Number:
  US07/959,542
• Time in Patent Office: 651 Days
• Field of Search: 400/605, 400/616.1, 400/616.2, 400/616.3, 400/603, 400/603.1, 400/690.4, 400/595, 400/642, 400/647, 400/647.1, 400/600
• US Class Current: 400/605
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 11/48 Apparatus for condensed record, tally strip, or like work using two or more papers, or sets of papers , e.g. devices for switching over from handling of copy material in sheet form to handling of copy material in continuous form and vice versa or point-of-sale printers comprising means for printing on continuous copy material, e.g. journal for tills, and on single sheets, e.g. cheques or receipts B41J15/042 takes precedence

Abstract

The invention is for a paper insert device for a printer having a tractor cover for openably covering an opening before a tractor, a cut paper guide located above the tractor and behind an opening for manual insertion of a cut paper, and a manual insert cover for openably covering the opening. The manual insert cover is substantially flush with the cut paper guide when open.

Claims

1. A paper insert device for a printer, comprising:

a front wall provided with a first opening for manual insertion of cut paper;

a second opening for setting of continuous paper;

a tractor located behind said second opening for feeding the continuous paper;

a tractor cover for operably covering said second opening, said tractor cover pivotally supported for opening and closing so as to permit setting of the continuous paper to said tractor when said tractor cover is open;

a cut paper guide located above said tractor and behind said first opening for guiding the cut paper inserted from said first opening;

a cut paper supporter for operably covering said first opening and supporting the cut paper to be fed to said cut paper guide in an open condition of said cut paper supporter; and

a common support shaft, said tractor cover pivotally supported by said common support shaft to allow opening and closing of said tractor cover and said cut paper supporter pivotally supported by said common support shaft to allow opening and closing of said cut paper supporter.

2. The paper insert device as defined in claim 1, wherein said cut paper supporter is substantially flush with said cut paper guide in the open condition of said cut paper supporter.

3. A printer, comprising:

a front wall having a first opening for allowing insertion of cut paper therefrom and a second opening for allowing insertion of continuous paper therefrom;

a cut paper guide located behind said first opening for guiding the cut paper inserted from said first opening;

a continuous paper guide located behind said second opening for guiding the continuous paper inserted from said second opening;

a first cover for operably covering said first opening and supporting the cut paper to be fed when in an open condition and said first cover is substantially an aligned extension of said cut paper guide;

a second cover for operably covering said second opening, said second cover pivotally supported for opening and closing to permit setting the continuous paper to said continuous paper guide when said second cover is open; and

support means for pivotally supporting both said first cover and said second cover for opening and closing thereof.

4. The printer as defined in claim 3, further comprising a projection formed on said front wall and an arm member pivotally mounted at one end thereof to said second cover, said arm member having an elongated slide hole slidably engaged with said projection of said front wall and a retention hole at a second end for retainably engaging said projection.

5. The printer as defined in claim 3, wherein a slit for allowing passage of the continuous paper therethrough to said continuous paper guide is defined between said front wall and said second cover in a closed condition thereof.

6. A noise abatement device for a printer, comprising:

a pair of openings in a front surface, a first opening for manually feeding cut paper sheets and a second opening for setting and feeding continuous feed paper to a printhead;

a manual feed cover for covering the first opening for manually feeding the cut paper sheets;

a continuous feed cover for covering the second opening for setting and feeding continuous feed paper, said continuous feed cover pivotally supported for opening and closing to permit setting of the continuous paper when said continuous feed cover is open;

support means for pivotally supporting both said manual feed cover and said continuous feed cover;

a cut paper sheet guide mounted in the printer adjacent the first opening for manually feeding the cut paper sheets; and

a continuous paper sheet guide mounted in the printer adjacent to the second opening for setting and feeding continuous feed paper, wherein said manual feed cover when in an open position provides a sheet insertion tray that is aligned with said cut paper sheet guide.

7. The noise abatement device as claimed in claim 6, wherein said support means comprises a common support shaft that pivotally supports said manual feed cover and said continuous feed cover.

8. The noise abatement device as claimed in claim 7, wherein said common support shaft comprises a stub extending from each side of said first opening for manually feeding the cut paper sheets and a paired abutting stub extending from each side of said continuous feed cover, each pair of abutting stubs having pivotally mounted thereon said manual feed cover by means of a hole in each side of said manual feed cover.

9. The noise abatement device as claimed in claim 6, further comprising retention means for holding said continuous feed cover in an open position.

10. The noise abatement device as claimed in claim 9, wherein said retention means comprises a pair of rocker arms, each rocker arm having two ends, one end of each said rocker arm pivotally mounted to a side of said continuous feed cover, and an elongated slot extending to a retention hole at a second end, said retention hole engaging a projection extending from the side edge of the opening for setting and feeding continuous feed paper.

11. The noise abatement device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the manual feed covering further comprises retention means for engaging side edges of the first opening for manually feeding cut paper sheets to hold said manual feed cover in position as a cut paper sheet insertion tray when said manual feed cover is opened.

12. The noise abatement means as claimed in claim 6, further comprising a tractor feed positioned adjacent said continuous paper sheet guide on a side opposite of said continuous paper sheet guide from said second opening for setting and feeding continuous paper feed, said continuous paper sheet guide and said tractor feed defining an inclined path from a bottom of said second opening for setting and feeding continuous feed paper toward a paper feed path internal to the printer, said inclined path providing a first noise baffle.

13. The noise abatement means as claimed in claim 12, wherein when said continuous feed cover is closed, a gap exists between a side of the continuous feed cover opposite that side pivotally mounted to said support means and an opposing edge of the second opening for setting and feeding continuous feed paper, said gap permitting continuous feed paper to be fed into the printer during operation.

14. The noise abatement means as claimed in claim 6, further comprising an extension of the front surface of the printer, said extension extending at an angle toward a point separated from a side of said cut paper sheet guide opposite to where said cut paper sheet guide is mounted adjacent to the first opening for manually feeding the cut paper sheets, said extension providing a second noise baffle.