Architecture for an image-forming device

• US 7,639,965 B2
• Filed: 04/19/2006
• Issued: 12/29/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lexmark International Incorporated (Ninestar Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lexmark International Incorporated (Ninestar Corporation)
• Inventors: Gettelfinger, Darin M., Schneider, David Anthony, Palumbo, Franklin Joseph, Bethel, Reginald Keith, Horrall, Paul Douglas
• Primary Examiner(s): Gray; David M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Walsh; Ryan D
• Application Number:
  US11/407,307
• Publication Number:
  US 20070248377A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,350 Days
• Field of Search: 399/107, 399/124, 399/392
• US Class Current: 399/107
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/6529 Transporting G03G15/6555 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 21/1638 directed to paper handling or jam treatment
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2215/00544 Openable part of feed path
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2215/0119 Linear arrangement adjacent plural transfer points

Abstract

An image forming device includes a body having a top, a bottom, a front and a back. In one embodiment, a plurality of horizontally-aligned imaging units, each comprising a photoconductive member, transfer toner images to an intermediate transfer mechanism located below the plurality of imaging units. A pick mechanism may pick media sheets from a media input tray and feeds the media towards the front of the body. For duplex printing, the media sheets may travel along a duplex path that extends along the front of the body. In one embodiment, an access door at the front of the body pivots between a closed position and an open position. In the open position, a user may gain access to both media paths.

Claims

1. An image-forming device comprising:

a body having a front and a back;

a control panel positioned on the front of the body;

a media input tray configured to be inserted into and removed from the body through an opening located in the front of the body;

a plurality of imaging units horizontally aligned within the body between the front and the back and each comprising a photoconductive member;

an intermediate transfer mechanism positioned within the body to receive toner images from the plurality of imaging units and move the toner images to a second transfer area;

a first media path having a substantially vertical section that extends between the front of the body and the intermediate transfer mechanism, and is positioned closer to the front of the body than each of the plurality of imaging units; and

a second media path that extends substantially between the first media path and the front of the body, the second media path including an arcuate section extending below the vertical section and located substantially entirely within an interior of a front section of the media input tray.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the vertical section extends substantially perpendicular to the media input tray.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein the front of the body includes an access door configured to pivot between an open position and a closed position, and wherein the access door exposes the first and second media paths when the access door is in the open position.

4. The device of claim 3 wherein the control panel is positioned on the access door, the control panel facing in a first direction when the access door is in the open position and facing in a second direction approximately 90 degrees different when the access door is in the closed orientation.

5. The device of claim 1 wherein each of the plurality of horizontally-aligned imaging units lie on a distinct vertical plane, each vertical plane being spaced from the front of the body by a different distance.

6. The device of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of toner reservoirs each removably connected to one of the plurality of imaging units, each of the plurality of toner reservoirs are mounted and removed through a top of the body.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the media input tray includes an inlet for receiving a manually fed media sheet into the arcuate section of the second media path.

8. The device of claim 1, further comprising a fuser unit and a power supply disposed in an upper portion of the device proximal to the fuser unit.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the arcuate section is substantially U-shaped.

10. An image-forming device comprising:

a media input tray configured to contain a stack of media sheets;

a body having a front and a back, the front of the body comprising an opening configured to receive the media input tray;

a control panel positioned on the front of the body;

an intermediate transfer mechanism located between the media input tray and a plurality of horizontally-aligned imaging units to receive toner from the imaging units and move the toner to a secondary transfer area;

a first media path comprising a substantially vertical section that extends between the front of the body and the intermediate transfer mechanism, the secondary transfer area being disposed along the first media path;

a pick mechanism configured to feed the media sheets from the media input tray towards the front of the body and into the vertical section of the first media path; and

a second media path that extends between the front of the body and the vertical section of the first media path, the second media path to move media sheets to form an image on a second side, the second media path including an inlet for receiving a manually inserted media sheet into the second media path.

11. The device of claim 10 wherein a first distance between the front of the body and the second media path is less than or equal to a second distance between a rear-most imaging unit and the rear of the body.

12. The device of claim 10 wherein the front of the body includes an access door configured to pivot between an open position and a closed position, and wherein the access door exposes the first and second media paths when the access door is in the open position.

13. The device of claim 12 wherein the control panel is positioned on the access door.

14. The device of claim 10 further comprising a fusing mechanism disposed along the first media path to fuse toner to the media sheets, the distance between the secondary transfer area and the fusing mechanism being less than a length of the media sheets.

15. The device of claim 10, wherein the second media path includes an arcuate section located substantially entirely within the media input tray, the media input tray being at least partly removable from the body.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein the arcuate section is substantially U-shaped.

17. The device of claim 10, further comprising a fuser unit and a power supply disposed in an upper portion of the body proximal to the fuser unit.

18. An image-forming device comprising:

a media input tray configured to contain a stack of media sheets;

a body having a front and a back, the front of the body comprising an opening configured to receive the media input tray;

a control panel positioned on the front of the body;

an intermediate transfer mechanism located between the media input tray and a plurality of horizontally-aligned imaging units to receive toner from the imaging units and move the toner to a secondary transfer area;

a first media path comprising a substantially vertical section that extends between the front of the body and the intermediate transfer mechanism, the secondary transfer area being disposed along the first media path;

a pick mechanism configured to feed the media sheets from the media input tray towards the front of the body and into the vertical section of the first media path;

an access door configured to pivot between open and closed positions along the front of the body, for allowing for manual access to the first media path, wherein the control panel is positioned on the access door.

19. The device of claim 18, further comprising:

a second media path that extends between the front of the body and the vertical section of the first media path, the second media path to move media sheets to form an image on a second side, the second media path including a substantially U-shaped arcuate section extending below the vertical section and located substantially entirely within an interior of a front section of the media input tray.

20. The device of claim 19, further comprising an inlet disposed within the media input tray, for receiving a manually fed media sheet into the second media path.

21. The device of claim 18, further comprising an inlet disposed within the media input tray, for receiving a manually fed media sheet.