Architectures for multi-functional image forming devices

• US 7,675,536 B2
• Filed: 04/19/2006
• Issued: 03/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lexmark International Incorporated (Ninestar Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lexmark International Incorporated (Ninestar Corporation)
• Inventors: Foldes, Francis Jr., Sieckowski, Steven David, Gettelfinger, Darin M., Palumbo, Franklin Joseph, Bethel, Reginald Keith, Horrall, Paul Douglas
• Primary Examiner(s): Luu; Matthew
• Assistant Examiner(s): Liu; Kendrick X
• Application Number:
  US11/407,261
• Publication Number:
  US 20070247511A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,420 Days
• Field of Search: 347/108, 347/170, 347/263, 399/110, 399/111
• US Class Current: 347/263
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/6529 Transporting G03G15/6555 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 21/1638 directed to paper handling or jam treatment

Abstract

Multi-functional image forming devices that may include a base color laser printer comprising a front side, a back side, a top, and a bottom. The color laser printer may further include a media path, a laser printhead, and a plurality of image forming units. A scanning mechanism comprising a scan bed may be mounted on the top of the base color laser printer. In one embodiment, the media path includes a first section positioned within the base color laser printer and a second section that extends between the scanning mechanism and the top of the base color laser printer. In one embodiment, the scanning mechanism is pivotally mounted to the base color laser printer and movable to access the second section of the media path.

Claims

1. A multi-functional image forming device comprising:

a base printer having a front side with a control panel and comprising a media path and an image formation section, the media path comprising an input tray positioned at a bottom of the base printer to hold a stack of media sheets and an output area positioned at a top of the base printer, the base printer including a fuser mechanism;

a scanning mechanism positioned at the top of the base printer, the scanning mechanism comprising a body including a scanning bed;

the input tray positioned below the image formation section and being removable from the front of the base printer and the output area positioned at a back of the base printer;

an output tray;

the media path comprising a first section substantially vertically positioned within the base printer, a second section adjacent to the scanning mechanism and extending between the scanning mechanism and the top of the base printer comprising the media path downstream of the fuser mechanism and upstream of the output tray, and a duplex path substantially vertically positioned proximally to the first section, the media path wrapping substantially around three sides of the image formation section; and

an access door substantially forming a front side of the image forming device when in the closed position and providing access to both the first section of the media path and the duplex path when in the open position;

wherein the scanning mechanism is pivotally attached to the base printer and movable between a first position with the scanning bed being substantially parallel to the input tray and a second position with the scanning bed at an inclined angle relative to the input tray, and

wherein moving the scanning mechanism in the second position provides a simultaneous access to the second section of the media path and to one or more toner reservoirs within the base printer.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the image formation section is a color laser image formation section that further comprises a laser printhead and a plurality of image forming units.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the scanning mechanism is pivotally attached towards a side of the base printer.

4. The device of claim 2, wherein the plurality of toner reservoirs are each operatively connected to one of the plurality of image forming units, the plurality of toner reservoirs being substantially horizontally disposed within the base printer and being independently mountable and removable from the top of the base printer when the scanning mechanism is in the second position, the second section of the media path comprising a plurality of separate roller mechanisms disposed between the fuser mechanism and the output tray, the scanning member being the only member which is moved in order to simultaneously access the toner reservoirs and the second section of the media path between a most upstream one of the one or more roller mechanisms and a most downstream one thereof.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the scanning mechanism extends across the plurality of toner reservoirs in the first position to prevent access and is moved away from the plurality of toner reservoirs in the second position to allow removal of the plurality of toner reservoirs from the base printer and allow access to remove media jams from a section of the media path.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein the media path includes a substantially C-shape that begins at the bottom of the base printer, extends vertically along the front of the base printer, and terminates at the back of the base printer.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the output tray is positioned at the back of the base printer at an angle of about 60 degrees relative to a horizontal portion of the base printer.

8. The device of claim 2, further comprising an intermediate transfer member that receives toner from each of the plurality of image forming units and transfers the toner towards a second transfer area of the media path.

9. The device of claim 8 wherein the access door is pivotally mounted on the front of the base printer, the access door being movable to access the duplex section and the first section of the media path between the second transfer area and the fuser mechanism.

10. The device of claim 9, further comprising a control panel positioned on the access door, the control panel facing in a first direction when the access door is in a closed orientation and facing in a second different direction when the access door is in an open orientation.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the second section of the media path further comprises two or more separate roller mechanisms disposed between the fuser mechanism and the output tray, wherein moving the scanning mechanism to the second position provides access to the second section of the media path between a most upstream of the roller mechanisms and a most downstream one thereof.

12. A multi-functional image forming device comprising:

a base printer comprising a front side with a control panel, a back side, a top, and a bottom;

a fuser mechanism;

a media output tray;

a media path;

a scanning mechanism comprising a scan bed mounted on the top of the base printer;

the media path comprising a first section positioned within the base printer and a second section adjacent the scanning mechanism and extending between the scanning mechanism and the top of the base printer and comprising the media path downstream of the fuser mechanism and upstream of the media output tray, the first section being substantially vertically disposed with the base printer, the media path further comprising a substantially vertical duplex section disposed proximally to the first section;

an access door pivotally attached to the base printer and substantially forming a front side thereof when in the closed position and providing access to both the first section and the duplex section when in the open position; and

the scanning mechanism pivotally mounted to the base printer and movable between a first position being substantially parallel to the input tray and a second position with the scanning bed at an inclined angle relative to the input tray, the scanning mechanism movable to simultaneously access the second section of the media path and a plurality of toner reservoirs in the second position.

13. The device of claim 12, further comprising a laser printhead, a plurality of image forming units, and the plurality of toner reservoirs, the image forming units and the toner reservoirs being substantially horizontally disposed within the base printer.

14. The device of claim 12, further comprising discharge rollers positioned in the second section of the media path and at least one roller mechanism in the second section of the media path downstream of the discharge rollers, the scanning mechanism providing access to the second section of the media path between the discharge rollers and the at least one roller mechanism when in the second position.

15. The device of claim 13, wherein the scanning mechanism is the only mechanism needing to be moved in order to manually access the plurality of toner reservoirs and the second section of the media path when in the second position.

16. The device of claim 14 wherein the media output tray is disposed at an angle of about 60 degrees relative to a horizontal plane, the at least one roller mechanism feeding media into the media output tray during operation of the image forming device.

17. The device of claim 13, further comprising an intermediate transfer member substantially horizontally disposed within the base printer and that receives toner from each of the plurality of image forming units and transfers the toner at a second transfer area, the access door providing access to the media path between the second transfer area and the fuser mechanism.

18. The device of claim 12, further comprising an input tray, wherein the input tray and the second section of the media path are substantially parallel, the input tray, first section and second sections of the media path forming a substantially C-shape.

19. A multi-functional image forming device comprising:

a base printer comprising a front side, a back side, a top, and a bottom;

a fuser mechanism;

a media output tray;

a scanning mechanism mounted on the top of the base printer;

a media path comprising a first section positioned within the base printer and a second section adjacent the scanning mechanism and extending along a space formed between the scanning mechanism and the top of the base printer, the second section being downstream of the fuser mechanism and upstream of the media output tray, the media path further including a duplex section located proximally and substantially parallel to the first section;

an access door mounted on the front side of the base printer, the access door movable between a closed orientation and an open orientation to access the first section of the media path and the duplex section, the access door substantially forming the front side of the base printer; and

a control panel positioned on the access door, the control panel facing in a first direction when the access door is in the closed orientation and facing in a second direction when the access door is in the open orientation;

wherein the scanning mechanism is pivotally attached to the base printer and movable between a first position with the scanning bed being substantially parallel to the input tray and a second position with the scanning bed at an inclined angle relative to the input tray, and

wherein moving the scanning mechanism in the second position provides a simultaneous access to the second section of the media path and to a plurality of toner reservoirs within the base printer.

20. The device of claim 19, further comprising a laser printhead, a plurality of image forming units, a plurality of toner reservoirs, discharge rollers downstream of the fuser mechanism and at least one set of rollers downstream of the discharge rollers and upstream of the media output tray, the image forming units and the toner reservoirs being substantially horizontally disposed within the base printer.

21. The device of claim 20, wherein the scanning mechanism is pivotally mounted to the base printer and is the only mechanism needing to be moved in order to manually access the second section of the media path between the discharge rollers and the at least one set of rollers, and the plurality of toner reservoirs.

22. The device of claim 19, wherein the second section of the media path is substantially horizontally positioned, and the media output tray is disposed at an angle of about 60 degrees relative to the second section of the media path.