The present invention relates to a medium passage switching mechanism and a related image forming device, and more specifically, to a medium passage switching mechanism which can guide different media to enter into different exit passages selectively, and a related image forming device.
Image forming devices, such as scanners and printers, are widely used in homes or offices for bringing convenience in people's lives. In order to capture images of different types of scanned media, such as paper or cards, or to form images on different types of printed media, such as paper or cards, an image forming device is usually provided with multiple passages and a switching mechanism, so that a user can operate the switching mechanism according to a type of a scanned medium or a type of a printed medium, so as to guide the medium to enter into a proper passage, which prevents the scanned medium or the printed medium from being stuck in the image forming device due to entry of an improper passage. However, the conventional switching mechanism has a complicated structure and difficult operation. Therefore, there is a need to provide an improved switching mechanism.
It is an objective of the present invention to provide a medium passage switching mechanism disposed on a casing of an image forming device, and a related image forming device for solving the aforementioned problem.
In order to achieve the aforementioned objective, the present invention discloses a medium passage switching mechanism disposed on a casing of an image forming device. An entrance passage, a first exit passage and a second exit passage are formed in the casing. The medium passage switching mechanism includes a medium tray, a guiding component and a linking component. The medium tray is pivoted to the casing and pivotally switchable between a first position and a second position. The guiding component is pivoted to the casing and pivotally switchable between a third position and a fourth position. The linking component is movably connected to the medium tray and the guiding component. The linking component is a one-piece structure. The medium tray drives the linking component to drive the guiding component to pivot relative to the casing from the third position to the fourth position along a first pivoting direction when the medium tray is pivoted relative to the casing from the first position to the second position along the first pivoting direction. The guiding component guides a medium to enter into the second exit passage from the entrance passage when the guiding component is located at the fourth position. The medium tray drives the linking component to drive the guiding component to pivot relative to the casing from the fourth position to the third position along a second pivoting direction opposite to the first pivoting direction when the medium tray is pivoted relative to the casing from the second position to the first position along the second pivoting direction, and the guiding component guides the medium to enter into the first exit passage from the entrance passage when the guiding component is located at the third position.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the linking component is a torsional spring. The linking component includes a first connecting portion and a second connecting portion, and the first connecting portion and the second connecting portion are respectively movably connected to the guiding component and the medium tray.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the medium tray includes a tray pivoting portion and a tray connecting portion. The tray pivoting portion is pivoted to the casing, and the tray connecting portion is offset from the tray pivoting portion and movably connected to the second connecting portion of the linking component.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the guiding component conceals the second exit passage but not conceals the first exit passage for guiding the medium to enter into the first exit passage from the entrance passage when the guiding component is located at the third position, and the guiding component conceals the first exit passage but not conceals the second exit passage for guiding the medium to enter into the second exit passage from the entrance passage when the guiding component is located at the fourth position.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the guiding component conceals the second exit passage but not conceals the first exit passage for guiding the medium to enter into the first exit passage from the entrance passage when the guiding component is located at the third position, and the guiding component conceals the first exit passage but not conceals the second exit passage for guiding the medium to enter into the second exit passage from the entrance passage when the guiding component is located at the fourth position.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the guiding component includes a guiding pivoting portion and a guiding connecting portion. The guiding pivoting portion is pivoted to the casing, and the guiding connecting portion is movably connected to the first connecting portion of the linking component.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the guiding component conceals the second exit passage but not conceals the first exit passage for guiding the medium to enter into the first exit passage from the entrance passage when the guiding component is located at the third position, and the guiding component conceals the first exit passage but not conceals the second exit passage for guiding the medium to enter into the second exit passage from the entrance passage when the guiding component is located at the fourth position.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the medium tray includes at least one engaging portion, and the at least one engaging portion engages with at least one cooperating portion formed on the casing when the medium tray is pivoted to the first position.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the guiding component conceals the second exit passage but not conceals the first exit passage for guiding the medium to enter into the first exit passage from the entrance passage when the guiding component is located at the third position, and the guiding component conceals the first exit passage but not conceals the second exit passage for guiding the medium to enter into the second exit passage from the entrance passage when the guiding component is located at the fourth position.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the guiding component conceals the second exit passage but not conceals the first exit passage for guiding the medium to enter into the first exit passage from the entrance passage when the guiding component is located at the third position, and the guiding component conceals the first exit passage but not conceals the second exit passage for guiding the medium to enter into the second exit passage from the entrance passage when the guiding component is located at the fourth position.
In order to achieve the aforementioned objective, the present invention further discloses an image forming device. The image forming device includes a casing and a medium passage switching mechanism. An entrance passage, a first exit passage and a second exit passage are formed in the casing. The medium passage switching mechanism is disposed on the casing and for guiding a medium to enter into the first exit passage or the second exit passage from the entrance passage. The medium passage switching mechanism includes a medium tray, a guiding component and a linking component. The medium tray is pivoted to the casing and pivotally switchable between a first position and a second position. The guiding component is pivoted to the casing and pivotally switchable between a third position and a fourth position. The linking component is movably connected to the medium tray and the guiding component. The linking component is a one-piece structure. The medium tray drives the linking component to drive the guiding component to pivot relative to the casing from the third position to the fourth position along a first pivoting direction when the medium tray is pivoted relative to the casing from the first position to the second position along the first pivoting direction. The guiding component guides the medium to enter into the second exit passage from the entrance passage when the guiding component is located at the fourth position. The medium tray drives the linking component to drive the guiding component to pivot relative to the casing from the fourth position to the third position along a second pivoting direction opposite to the first pivoting direction when the medium tray is pivoted relative to the casing from the second position to the first position along the second pivoting direction, and the guiding component guides the medium to enter into the first exit passage from the entrance passage when the guiding component is located at the third position.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the linking component is a torsional spring. The linking component includes a first connecting portion and a second connecting portion, and the first connecting portion and the second connecting portion are respectively movably connected to the guiding component and the medium tray.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the medium tray includes a tray pivoting portion and a tray connecting portion. The tray pivoting portion is pivoted to the casing, and the tray connecting portion is offset from the tray pivoting portion and movably connected to the second connecting portion of the linking component.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the guiding component conceals the second exit passage but not conceals the first exit passage for guiding the medium to enter into the first exit passage from the entrance passage when the guiding component is located at the third position, and the guiding component conceals the first exit passage but not conceals the second exit passage for guiding the medium to enter into the second exit passage from the entrance passage when the guiding component is located at the fourth position.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the guiding component conceals the second exit passage but not conceals the first exit passage for guiding the medium to enter into the first exit passage from the entrance passage when the guiding component is located at the third position, and the guiding component conceals the first exit passage but not conceals the second exit passage for guiding the medium to enter into the second exit passage from the entrance passage when the guiding component is located at the fourth position.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the guiding component includes a guiding pivoting portion and a guiding connecting portion. The guiding pivoting portion is pivoted to the casing, and the guiding connecting portion is movably connected to the first connecting portion of the linking component.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the guiding component conceals the second exit passage but not conceals the first exit passage for guiding the medium to enter into the first exit passage from the entrance passage when the guiding component is located at the third position, and the guiding component conceals the first exit passage but not conceals the second exit passage for guiding the medium to enter into the second exit passage from the entrance passage when the guiding component is located at the fourth position.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the medium tray includes at least one engaging portion. At least one cooperating portion is formed on the casing, and the at least one engaging portion engages with the at least one cooperating portion when the medium tray is pivoted to the first position.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the guiding component conceals the second exit passage but not conceals the first exit passage for guiding the medium to enter into the first exit passage from the entrance passage when the guiding component is located at the third position, and the guiding component conceals the first exit passage but not conceals the second exit passage for guiding the medium to enter into the second exit passage from the entrance passage when the guiding component is located at the fourth position.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the guiding component conceals the second exit passage but not conceals the first exit passage for guiding the medium to enter into the first exit passage from the entrance passage when the guiding component is located at the third position, and the guiding component conceals the first exit passage but not conceals the second exit passage for guiding the medium to enter into the second exit passage from the entrance passage when the guiding component is located at the fourth position.
In summary, in the present invention, the linking component movably connected to the medium tray and the guiding component is the one-piece structure, and the medium tray drives the linking component to drive the guiding component to pivot relative to the casing to selectively guide the medium to enter into the first exit passage or the second exit passage from the entrance passage. Therefore, the present invention has advantages of simple structure and easy operation.
These and other objectives of the present disclosure will no doubt become obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art after reading the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment that is illustrated in the various figures and drawings.
In the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments, reference is made to the accompanying drawings which form a part hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration specific embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. In this regard, directional terminology, such as “top”, “bottom”, “front”, “back”, etc., is used with reference to the orientation of the Figure (s) being described. The components of the present invention can be positioned in a number of different orientations. As such, the directional terminology is used for purposes of illustration and is in no way limiting. Accordingly, the drawings and descriptions will be regarded as illustrative in nature and not as restrictive. Also, the term “connect” or “pivot” is intended to mean either an indirect or direct mechanical connection. Thus, if a first device is connected or pivoted to a second device, that connection may be through a direct mechanical connection, or through an indirect mechanical connection via other devices and connections.
Please refer to
The medium passage switching mechanism 12 includes a medium tray 121, a guiding component 122 and a linking component 123. The medium tray 121 is pivoted to the casing 11 and adjacent to an exit end 1131 of the second exit passage 113 away from the entrance passage 111. The medium tray 121 can be pivotally switched between a first position as shown in
Specifically, in order to drive the linking component 123 by the medium tray 121 to drive the guiding component 122 to pivot relative to the casing 11 when the medium tray 121 pivots relative to the casing 11, as shown in
Furthermore, the medium tray 121 includes a tray pivoting portion 1211 and a tray connecting portion 1212. The tray pivoting portion 1211 is pivoted to the casing 11. The tray connecting portion 1212 is offset from the tray pivoting portion 1211 and movably connected to the second connecting portion 1232 of the linking component 123.
In addition, the guiding component 122 includes a guiding pivoting portion 1221 and a guiding connecting portion 1222. The guiding pivoting portion 1221 is pivoted to the casing 11. The guiding connecting portion 1222 is movably connected to the first connecting portion 1231 of the linking component 123.
Please refer to
When the medium is made of soft material, such as the sheet of paper, the medium tray 121 can be operated to pivot relative to the casing 11 from the second position as shown in
Please further refer to
In this embodiment, preferably, each of the two engaging portions 1213 can be an engaging hook, and each of the two cooperating portions 114 can be an engaging notch. However, the structural configuration and the number of the engaging portion and the cooperating portion are not limited to this embodiment. For example, in another embodiment, the medium tray can include only one engaging portion, and there can be only one cooperating portion formed on the casing, wherein the engaging portion and the cooperating portion can be an engaging notch and an engaging hook respectively. Alternatively, in another embodiment, when the resilient force generated by the linking component can be overcome by any other mechanism, e.g., a frictional force, the engaging portion and the cooperating portion can be omitted.
In contrast to the prior art, in the present invention, the linking component movably connected to the medium tray and the guiding component is the one-piece structure, and the medium tray drives the linking component to drive the guiding component to pivot relative to the casing to selectively guide the medium to enter into the first exit passage or the second exit passage from the entrance passage. Therefore, the present invention has advantages of simple structure and easy operation.
Those skilled in the art will readily observe that numerous modifications and alterations of the device and method may be made while retaining the teachings of the disclosure. Accordingly, the above disclosure should be construed as limited only by the metes and bounds of the appended claims.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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109142796 | Dec 2020 | TW | national |
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Number | Date | Country | |
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20220177243 A1 | Jun 2022 | US |