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EP0399565A2 Expired / Lapsed EP ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Printer

Assignee: Seiko Epson Corp
•
Filing: 1990-05-28
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2010-05-28
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Abstract

Abstract A printer comprises a discharge member (54) for discharging a recording sheet that has been printed by the electrophotographic process, the discharge member having a recording sheet discharge outlet (80); a plurality of sorter trays (110-118) for receiving a plurality of recording sheets that have been printed; a sorter guide member (84, 86) for guiding a recording sheet from the discharging member (54) to the sorter trays (110-118) and for discharging the recording sheet to the sorter trays; and a member for switching sorters by guiding the sorter guide member to a position of a desired one of the sorter trays. The sorter guide member (84, 86) is pivotably supported by the sorter switching member, and the center of rotation (82) of the sorter guide member (84, 86) is arranged near the recording sheet discharge outlet of the discharge member.

Inventors

  • 👤 Shigeru Sawada
  • 👤 Shinichi Kasai
  • 👤 Jun Tsujimoto
  • 👤 Masako Yokoyama

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction EP
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-30 22:25
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03G; G03G15/00; G03G15/65; G03G15/6538; B; B65; B65H; B65H39/00; B65H39/10; B65H39/105; B65H39/11; G03G15/22; G03G15/23; G03G15/231; G03G15/232; G03G15/234; G03G15/6552; B65H2408/00; B65H2408/10; B65H2408/11; B65H2408/112; B65H2408/1121

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim 142 words
A printer comprising: means (54) for discharging a recording sheet that has been printed preferably by an electrophotographic process, said discharge means having a recording sheet discharge outlet (80); a plurality of sorter trays (110-118) for receiving a plurality of recording sheets that have been printed: sorter guide means (84, 86), for guiding a recording sheet from said discharging means (54) to said sorter trays (110-­118) and for discharging said recording sheet to said sorter trays; and means for switching sorters (110-118) by guiding said sorter guide means (84;86) to a position of a desired one of said sorter trays; wherein said sorter guide means (84, 86) is pivotably supported by said sorter switching means, and the center of rotation (82) of said sorter guide means (84, 86) is arranged near said recording sheet discharge outlet (80) of said discharge means (54).
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 142 words
A printer comprising: means (54) for discharging a recording sheet that has been printed preferably by an electrophotographic process, said discharge means having a recording sheet discharge outlet (80); a plurality of sorter trays (110-118) for receiving a plurality of recording sheets that have been printed: sorter guide means (84, 86), for guiding a recording sheet from said discharging means (54) to said sorter trays (110-­118) and for discharging said recording sheet to said sorter trays; and means for switching sorters (110-118) by guiding said sorter guide means (84;86) to a position of a desired one of said sorter trays; wherein said sorter guide means (84, 86) is pivotably supported by said sorter switching means, and the center of rotation (82) of said sorter guide means (84, 86) is arranged near said recording sheet discharge outlet (80) of said discharge means (54).
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 43 words
A printer as claimed in claim 1, wherein said sorter guide means (84, 86) has an end portion which is provided with rollers (88, 90) for discharging a recording sheet, said rollers being driven by a drive force from said discharge means (54).
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 40 words
A printer as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein each of said sorter trays (110-118) is biased by an elastic member (132-­140) so as to be always opened and constructed so as to be movable by an external force.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 67 words
A printer according to one of the preceding claims employing an electrophotographic process and capable of double-side printing through a going and retuning path, wherein said sorter guide means (84, 86) is movable beween said sorter trays (110-118) and said going and returning path, and guides said recording sheet discharged from said discharge means to said going and returning path (68) at the time of double-side printing.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 70 words
A printer according to one of the preceding claims wherein said sorter trays (250-258) is provided with a detection lever (262-270) which rotates by the weight of said printing sheets accumulated on said sorter trays when a predetermined amount of printing sheets are acculmulated on said sorter trays, and said sorter guide means (332;334) is provided with a lever detection means (340) for detecting the movement of said detection lever.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 38 words
A printer as claimed in claim 5, wherein said sorter guide means (332,334) is provided with a lever which is pivoted by the weight of said printing sheet, said lever detection means detecting the movement of said lever.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 101 words
A printer according to one of the preceding claims comprising: a housing (2) having at least one surface (26) for covering a printer body (I), a faceup tray (78) arranged on a surface of said housing (2) on the side of a recording sheet discharge outlet (80) of the body of said printer; said sorter guide means (84, 86) being pivotably supported by said sorter switching means, the center of rotation of said sorter guide means being arranged near said recording sheet discharge outlet of said discharge means, said sorter guide means shuttling between said sorter trays and said faceup tray.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 26 words
A printer according to one of the preceding claims, wherein said sorter guide means is provided with means for detecting the discharger of said printing sheet.

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