Architecture for a media feeding option for an image forming device

• US 7,986,911 B2
• Filed: 03/28/2007
• Issued: 07/26/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lexmark International Incorporated (Ninestar Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lexmark International Incorporated (Ninestar Corporation)
• Inventors: Jimenez, Luis Banguis, Palumbo, Franklin Joseph, Horrall, Paul Douglas
• Primary Examiner(s): Marini; Matthew G
• Application Number:
  US11/692,211
• Publication Number:
  US 20080240819A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,581 Days
• Field of Search: 399/392, 399/391, 399/388, 399/393, 347/104, 271/9.01, 271/9.09, 400691-693
• US Class Current: 399/392
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/6502 Supplying of sheet copy material; Cassettes therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2215/00392 Manual input tray

Abstract

The present application is directed to image forming devices with option trays to introduce media into a media path. One embodiment include the image forming device having a body with a front, back, top, and bottom sides. The sides may form an interior space to contain an imaging unit. The imaging unit may include elements for producing toner images. A media path may extend in a substantially vertical orientation within the interior space. An integrated tray may be positioned at the bottom side of the body and include a first input tray and a manual feed inlet on the front side of the body. Each of first input tray and manual feed inlet form sections of the media path. An option tray may be operatively connected to the bottom side of the body, and may include a second input tray and a multi-purpose feeder. The option tray further lengthens the media path and provides additional avenues to introduce media sheets into the media path.

Claims

1. An image forming device comprising:

a body with front, back, top, and bottom sides that form an interior space to contain an imaging unit comprising a plurality of imaging stations each including at least a toner reservoir, developer roll, photoconductive roll;

a media output area positioned on the top side of the body;

a media path extending substantially vertically within the interior space, a first section of the media path extending between the output area and the imaging unit;

an integrated tray for introducing media sheets therefrom and positioned within the body at the bottom side of the body and including a first input tray and a manual feed inlet on the front side of the first input tray, each of first input tray and manual feed inlet forming a second section of the media path with the body that connects to the first section of the media path; and

an option tray for introducing media sheets therefrom and positioned within a housing that is removably attached to the bottom side of the body, the option tray operatively connected to the integrated tray and including a second input tray and a multi-purpose feeder, the second input tray and multipurpose feeder forming an extension section to the media path outside of the body that aligns with the second section of the media path in the body when the body is placed on top of the option tray, the multi-purpose feeder including a door that is movable between a closed orientation that aligns with the front side of the body and an open orientation that extends outward from the front side;

wherein substantially the entire media path is positioned within a front one-third of the body in proximity to the front side; and

the option tray further includes rolls positioned downstream from the second input tray and the multi-purpose feeder, the rolls positioned a distance from a second transfer area in the body to move the media sheets directly from the option tray, through the integrated tray, and into the second transfer area without receiving an additional driving force between the rolls and the second transfer area.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein a media sheet capacity of the second input tray is greater than a media sheet capacity of the first input tray.

3. The device of claim 1, further comprising a duplex path positioned between the media path and the front side of the body.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the integrated tray includes an inlet extending through the bottom side of the integrated tray and aligning with the option tray to receive the media sheets from the second input tray and the multi-purpose feeder.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein a motor positioned in the housing of the option tray drives both a pick mechanism in the second input tray and an input roll at the multi-purpose feeder, the motor operating in a first direction to drive the pick mechanism and in a second direction to drive the input roll.

6. The device of claim 5, further including second rolls positioned within the option tray downstream from both the second input tray and the multi-purpose feeder to move media sheets from the option tray and through the integrated tray.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the integrated tray is removably attached to the body.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of imaging stations are arranged substantially horizontally within the interior space.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the manual feed inlet includes an opening on the front side of the first input tray, a pair of rolls positioned downstream from the opening, and a sensor positioned at the rolls to sense a leading edge of a media sheet and activate the rolls.

10. An image forming device comprising:

a body with front, back, top, and bottom sides with an interior space to contain an imaging unit comprising a plurality of imaging stations each including at least a toner reservoir, developer roll, photoconductive roll;

a media output area positioned on the top side of the body;

a media path extending substantially vertically within the interior space, the media path positioned within the interior space in closer proximity to the front side than the back side, a first section of the media path extending between the output area and the imaging unit;

an integrated tray for introducing media sheets therefrom and removably positioned at the bottom side of the body, the integrated tray including a first input tray, a manual feed and a second section of the media path that extends between top and bottom sides of the integrated tray and connects to the first section of the media path, the second section of the media path further including first and second branches that lead respectively from the first input tray and the manual feed; and

an option tray for introducing media sheets therefrom and removably positioned within a housing that is removably attached to the bottom side of the body, the option tray operatively connected to the integrated tray and including a second input tray, a multipurpose feed and an extension section to the media path outside of the body that extends between a top and a bottom of the option tray and aligns with the second section of the media path in the integrated tray, the extension section of the media path further including a third branch that leads from the second input tray and a fourth branch that leads from the multi-purpose feeder, the option tray further including a pair of opposed rolls positioned along the second section of the media path, the rolls positioned a distance from a second transfer area in the body to move the media sheets directly from the option tray, through the integrated tray, and into the second transfer area without receiving an additional driving force between the rolls and the second transfer area.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein the multi-purpose feeder includes a door that is movable between a closed orientation that aligns with the front side of the body and an open orientation that extends outward from the front side.

12. The device of claim 10, further comprising a motor positioned in the housing of the option tray that moves the media sheets from both the second input tray and the multi-purpose feeder, the motor operating in a first direction to move the media sheets from the second input tray and in a second direction to move the media sheets from the multi-purpose feeder.

13. The device of claim 10, wherein substantially the entire media path is positioned within a front quarter of the body in proximity to the front side.

14. An image forming device comprising:

a body with front, back, top, and bottom sides that form an interior space;

an output area on the top side of the body;

a plurality of imaging stations positioned within the interior space;

an intermediate transfer member positioned adjacent to each of the plurality of imaging stations to receive a toner image from each station at a first transfer area;

a second transfer area positioned along the intermediate transfer member;

a media path extending within the interior space and through the second transfer area, a first section of the media path extending between the output area and the plurality of imaging stations;

a first tray removably attached to a bottom of the body and including a second section of the media path that extends outward from a top of the first tray and aligns with the first section of the media path in the body, the second section of the media path includes a first branch that leads from a first input tray and a second branch that leads from a manual feed, the first tray including a first motor to move media sheets from the first input tray and the manual feed to the second transfer area; and

a second tray removably positioned within a housing and operatively connected to the first tray and including an extension section of the media path outside of the body that extends between a top and a bottom of the second tray and outward from a top of the second tray and aligns with the second section of the media path in the first tray, the extension section of the media path further including a third branch that leads from a second input tray and a fourth branch that leads from a multi-purpose feeder, the second tray including a second motor positioned in the housing of the second tray to move media sheets from the second input tray and the multi-purpose feeder to the second transfer area;

wherein the second tray further include includes rolls positioned downstream from the second input tray and the multi-purpose feeder, the rolls being driven by the second motor and positioned to drive the media sheets directly from the second tray into the second transfer area without receiving an additional driving force between the rolls and the second transfer area.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein the first motor operates in a first direction to move the media sheets from the first tray to the second transfer area and in a second direction to move the media sheets from the manual input to the second transfer area.

16. The device of claim 14, wherein the media path, including the first section and the second section, includes a substantially vertical orientation.

17. The device of claim 14, wherein the first tray and the second tray each open from the front side, and further including a control panel positioned at the front side.

18. The device of claim 14, wherein a duplex path is positioned between the front side and the media path and is connected at one end to the first section of the media path adjacent the output area and at its other end to the second branch of the second section of the media path.