Patent US5232214A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5232214A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Paper supplying apparatus and method using a detachable cassette
Assignee: Minolta Co Ltd
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Filing: 1991-11-19
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Granted: 1993-08-03
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Expires: 2011-11-19
Abstract
Abstract This invention discloses a paper supplying device for supplying paper sheets to an image forming portion of an image forming apparatus, which include a cassette attachable to the body of the image forming apparatus for storing the paper sheets therein, an accommodating portion provided at the body of the image forming apparatus for accommodating the cassette thereinto, paper supplying member disposed at an upper portion in said accommodating portion for supplying the paper sheets in the cassette in a direction opposed to a cassette insertion direction toward the image forming portion, and guiding member provided in the accommodating portion for guiding the cassette in a first position through a second position toward a third position, the cassette being completely inserted into the accommodating portion in said first position and an uppermost surface of the paper sheets in the cassette being pressed into contact with the paper supplying member in the third position.
Inventors
- 👤 Yasuhiro Matsuura
- 👤 Tetsuya Ouchi
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 21:36
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65H; B65H1/00; B65H1/26; B65H1/266; B65H1/04; G; G03; G03G; G03G15/00; G03G15/65; G03G15/6502; B65H2405/00; B65H2405/10; B65H2405/12; B65H2405/121
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
171 words
A paper supplying device for supplying paper sheets to an image forming portion of an image forming apparatus, which comprises: a cassette attachable to a body of the image forming apparatus for storing the paper sheets therein; an accommodating portion provided at the body of the image forming apparatus for accommodating said cassette thereinto; paper supplying means disposed at an upper portion in said accommodating portion for supplying the paper sheets in the cassette in a direction opposed to a cassette insertion direction toward the image forming portion; and guiding means provided in the accommodating portion for guiding the cassette from a first position wherein an uppermost surface of the paper sheets in the cassette are in pressing contact with said paper supplying means to a second position wherein the paper supplying means is not in contact with the uppermost surface, said second position being located at the downstream side of the first position with respect to the cassette insertion direction upon the detachment of the cassette from the first position.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
171 words
A paper supplying device for supplying paper sheets to an image forming portion of an image forming apparatus, which comprises: a cassette attachable to a body of the image forming apparatus for storing the paper sheets therein; an accommodating portion provided at the body of the image forming apparatus for accommodating said cassette thereinto; paper supplying means disposed at an upper portion in said accommodating portion for supplying the paper sheets in the cassette in a direction opposed to a cassette insertion direction toward the image forming portion; and guiding means provided in the accommodating portion for guiding the cassette from a first position wherein an uppermost surface of the paper sheets in the cassette are in pressing contact with said paper supplying means to a second position wherein the paper supplying means is not in contact with the uppermost surface, said second position being located at the downstream side of the first position with respect to the cassette insertion direction upon the detachment of the cassette from the first position.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
44 words
A paper supplying device as claimed in claim 1 further comprising: separating means disposed at the upper portion in the accommodating portion for preventing the paper sheets other than the uppermost paper sheet in the cassette from being supplied by the paper supplying means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
20 words
A paper supplying device as claimed in claim 2 wherein said separating means is retractable from the paper supplying means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
40 words
A paper supplying device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the cassette inserted into the accommodating portion is moved to the first position through the second position to be attached to the accommodating portion by use of the guiding means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
34 words
A paper supplying device as claimed in claim 3 wherein separating means is retracted from the paper supplying means in response to movement from the first position to the second position of the cassette.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
99 words
A paper supplying device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the cassette includes walls for regulating the width of the paper sheets in the cassette, a supporting member for supporting the paper sheets thereover and first urging means for upwardly urging the supporting member, the walls being provided with stoppers which are in pressing contact with the uppermost paper sheet in the cassette so that the paper supplied out of the cassette by the paper supplying means are grasped between the supporting member and the stoppers when the cassette in the first position is moved to the second position.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
37 words
A paper supplying device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the cassette has a lever which is provided with a pair of guide pins and the guiding means includes guide grooves for respectively guiding said guide pins.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
28 words
A paper supplying device as claimed in claim 1 wherein an urging means is disposed in the accommodating portion for urging the cassette in a cassette detachment direction.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
31 words
A paper supplying device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the guiding means is provided with nonreturn means for certainly guiding the cassette from the second position to the first position.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
184 words
In a paper supplying device for supplying paper sheets to an image forming portion in an image forming apparatus comprising a cassette in the body of the image forming apparatus for storing the paper sheets to be supplied, an accommodating portion provided at the body of the image forming apparatus and having an insertion port for accommodating the cassette inserted through said insertion port, and paper supplying means disposed at an upper portion in the accommodating portion for supplying the paper sheets in the cassette in a direction opposed to a cassette insertion direction toward the image forming portion, a method comprising the steps of: guiding the cassette in a first position to a second position, an uppermost surface of the paper sheets in the cassette being in pressing contact with the supplying means in the first position and said second position being located at an upstream side of the first position with respect to the paper supply direction; and detaching the cassette in the second position by guiding the cassette in the paper supply direction from the accommodating portion through the insertion port.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
184 words
In a paper supplying device for supplying paper sheets to an image forming portion in an image forming apparatus comprising a cassette in the body of the image forming apparatus for storing the paper sheets to be supplied, an accommodating portion provided at the body of the image forming apparatus and having an insertion port for accommodating the cassette inserted through said insertion port, and paper supplying means disposed at an upper portion in the accommodating portion for supplying the paper sheets in the cassette in a direction opposed to a cassette insertion direction toward the image forming portion, a method comprising the steps of: guiding the cassette in a first position to a second position, an uppermost surface of the paper sheets in the cassette being in pressing contact with the supplying means in the first position and said second position being located at an upstream side of the first position with respect to the paper supply direction; and detaching the cassette in the second position by guiding the cassette in the paper supply direction from the accommodating portion through the insertion port.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
115 words
A paper supplying device for supplying paper sheets to an image forming portion of an image forming apparatus, which comprises: a cassette attachable to a body of the image forming apparatus for storing the paper sheets therein; and paper supplying portion provided in the image forming apparatus and including means for supplying the paper sheets from the cassette which is inserted in the paper supplying portion, and means for guiding the cassette in a direction opposite a paper supply direction from a paper feeding position to an intermediate position in the paper supplying portion, and means for guiding the cassette in a paper supply direction from the intermediate position out of the paper supplying portion.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
115 words
A paper supplying device for supplying paper sheets to an image forming portion of an image forming apparatus, which comprises: a cassette attachable to a body of the image forming apparatus for storing the paper sheets therein; and paper supplying portion provided in the image forming apparatus and including means for supplying the paper sheets from the cassette which is inserted in the paper supplying portion, and means for guiding the cassette in a direction opposite a paper supply direction from a paper feeding position to an intermediate position in the paper supplying portion, and means for guiding the cassette in a paper supply direction from the intermediate position out of the paper supplying portion.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
38 words
A paper supplying device as claimed in claim 11, further comprising: a guide member provided at the paper supplying portion for downwardly guiding the cassette after guiding the cassette in the direction opposed to the paper supply direction.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
88 words
A method for detaching a paper accommodating cassette from a paper supplying portion of an image forming apparatus, said method comprising the steps of: first moving in a direction opposed to a paper supplying direction the cassette inserted in the paper supplying portion of the image forming apparatus upon the detachment of the cassette; second moving in the paper supplying direction the cassette inserted in the paper supplying portion of the image forming apparatus; and detaching the cassette from the paper supplying portion of the image forming apparatus.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
88 words
A method for detaching a paper accommodating cassette from a paper supplying portion of an image forming apparatus, said method comprising the steps of: first moving in a direction opposed to a paper supplying direction the cassette inserted in the paper supplying portion of the image forming apparatus upon the detachment of the cassette; second moving in the paper supplying direction the cassette inserted in the paper supplying portion of the image forming apparatus; and detaching the cassette from the paper supplying portion of the image forming apparatus.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
143 words
A paper supplying device for supplying paper sheets to an image forming apparatus, which comprises: a cassette attachable to a body of the image forming apparatus for storing the paper sheets therein; an accommodating portion provided at the body of the image forming apparatus for accommodating said cassette therein; paper supplying means disposed at an upper portion in said accommodating portion for supplying the paper sheets in the cassette in a direction opposed to a cassette insertion direction toward the image forming portion when the cassette is in a paper position wherein the uppermost sheet in the cassette is in pressing contact with said paper supplying means; means for guiding the cassette in the cassette insertion direction from the paper supply position to a detached position; and guiding means provided in the accommodating portion for downwardly guiding the cassette from the detached position.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
143 words
A paper supplying device for supplying paper sheets to an image forming apparatus, which comprises: a cassette attachable to a body of the image forming apparatus for storing the paper sheets therein; an accommodating portion provided at the body of the image forming apparatus for accommodating said cassette therein; paper supplying means disposed at an upper portion in said accommodating portion for supplying the paper sheets in the cassette in a direction opposed to a cassette insertion direction toward the image forming portion when the cassette is in a paper position wherein the uppermost sheet in the cassette is in pressing contact with said paper supplying means; means for guiding the cassette in the cassette insertion direction from the paper supply position to a detached position; and guiding means provided in the accommodating portion for downwardly guiding the cassette from the detached position.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
165 words
A paper supplying device for supplying a paper sheet to an image-forming portion in an image-forming apparatus, which comprises: a cassette for storing a stack of paper sheets attachable to a body of the image forming apparatus; an accommodating portion provided at the body of the image-forming apparatus for accommodating said cassette therein; paper supplying means disposed at an upper portion in said accommodating portion for supplying the paper sheets in the cassette in a direction opposite to the cassette insertion direction toward the image-forming portion; guiding means provided in the accommodating portion for guiding the cassette during detachment from a paper feeding position to a second position, said second position located at a downstream side of the paper feeding position with respect to the cassette insertion direction, a leading end of an uppermost paper sheet of the sheet stack with respect to the sheet supply direction being positioned to confront with the paper supplying means when said cassette is in the paper feeding position.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
165 words
A paper supplying device for supplying a paper sheet to an image-forming portion in an image-forming apparatus, which comprises: a cassette for storing a stack of paper sheets attachable to a body of the image forming apparatus; an accommodating portion provided at the body of the image-forming apparatus for accommodating said cassette therein; paper supplying means disposed at an upper portion in said accommodating portion for supplying the paper sheets in the cassette in a direction opposite to the cassette insertion direction toward the image-forming portion; guiding means provided in the accommodating portion for guiding the cassette during detachment from a paper feeding position to a second position, said second position located at a downstream side of the paper feeding position with respect to the cassette insertion direction, a leading end of an uppermost paper sheet of the sheet stack with respect to the sheet supply direction being positioned to confront with the paper supplying means when said cassette is in the paper feeding position.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1996-08-02 | 1997-02-01 | 1997-08-03 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2000-08-02 | 2001-02-01 | 2001-08-03 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2004-08-02 | 2005-02-01 | 2005-08-03 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |