Patent Grant
8938185
The presently disclosed invention relates most generally to cover and hinge assemblies. More particularly, the present invention relates to embodiments of a versatile cover and slotted hinge assembly that supports imaging activities for the purpose of copying or scanning printed matter, which may include encoded data carrying graphical symbols, affixed to items having a range of thicknesses and sizes.
When attempting to a provide fully functional imaging system, the thickness of the item or article must be accommodated. Importantly, for a paper thin label to be properly imaged the label must be held down flat upon an imaging window in order to achieve high quality imaging data. For example, high quality imaging data may be useful for providing print quality verification and reporting of items such as 1-dimensional and 2-dimensional data carrying symbols.
Therefore, it would be most desirable to provide a simple and multi-function cover and hinge structure, for use with an imaging apparatus, in order to accommodate items ranging from thin, to thick, to oversized, while both maximizing flatness of imaged surfaces and minimizing glare from ambient lighting sources. Also, while accommodating thick and over-sized items, it would be most desirable if a cover is provided having a sufficient weight, as items that are quite thin and prone to wrinkling may be very readily imaged, with a minimum of glare from ambient lighting sources.
As will be described hereinafter, the present invention is intended to provide one type of solution, in the form of an improved and versatile imaging window cover and slotted hinge assembly. Further, it would be most desirable to provide such an imaging window cover and hinge structure that permits the cover to remain fully attached to the imaging apparatus housing to which is it affixed, while being able to be placed in a range of positions, including a ‘fully covering position’, a ‘lifted parallel covering position’, a ‘partially lifted and partially rotated covering position’, or a ‘rotated and stowed position’.
A number of other notable characteristics, advantages, and or associated novel features of the present invention will become clear from the description and figures provided herein. Attention is called to the fact, however, that the drawings are illustrative only. In particular, the embodiments included and described, have been chosen in order to best explain the principles, features, and characteristics of the invention, and its practical application, to thereby enable skilled persons to best utilize the invention and a wide variety of embodiments providable that are based on these principles, features, and characteristics. Accordingly, all equivalent variations possible are contemplated as being part of the invention, limited only by the scope of the appended claims.
In accordance with the present invention, a versatile cover and slotted hinge assembly is provided for use “covering” an imaging window of a housing of an imaging apparatus. The cover and slotted hinge assembly preferably includes a cover portion having a plurality of spaced first hinge members coupled thereto. An included plurality of aligned second hinge members are arranged to be fixedly coupled to a vertical wall of the housing of the imaging apparatus, while also rotatably and slideably coupled to the first hinge members. In preferred embodiments of the invention the cover and slotted hinge assembly, which are virtually all portions (except the hinge pin), may be manufactured using a monolithic piece of sheet material, which is cut, bent, and otherwise processed, to produce the cover, first hinge members, and second hinge members.
A most preferred first hinge portion would be comprised of an extending first portion, which is rigidly and fixedly extending from a second edge of the cover (so as to extend outwardly from the second edge). A slotted second portion of the first hinge member is coupled to a distal end of the extending first portion. The slotted second portion may preferably be arranged for extending from the first portion at a substantially orthogonal angle. Other arrangements may certainly be provided for fixedly or rotationally coupling the slotted second portions to their respective extending first portions.
It should be noted that each included second hinge member is preferably structured for fastening to an upper location of a vertical wall of the housing so that the entire second hinge member is positioned at or below a plane established by a windowed possibly top housing surface of the imaging apparatus (which typically includes an imaging window therein). This is important, as it permits the rotatably and slideably coupled first hinge members and the cover fixed or coupled thereto, to be positioned in any position possible between a fully covering position (required for thin flexible items) and a non-covering fully rotated and stowed position (useful with large and or oversized items). When in the fully rotated and stowed position, the entire cover and all portions of the slotted hinge assembly are located fully out of the way, at or below a plane of the windowed housing surface (or equivalently, the imaging window of the housing). As such, a relatively large package, even one larger than the housing, may be placed upon the top windowed housing surface, over the imaging window (for imaging purposes), without contacting the cover or hinge structures. As such, the cover and slotted hinge assembly do not have to be detached and separated from the imaging apparatus housing to support the imaging of large objects.
When considering a possibly most preferred embodiment of the present cover and slotted hinge assembly, the cover and each of the included first hinge members may be formed of a monolithic piece of sheet material, with the second hinge members also manufactured from pieces of same sheet material (and thus causing all portions to have a common thickness).
In the drawings, like elements are assigned like reference numerals. The drawings are not necessarily to scale, with the emphasis instead placed upon the principles and features of the present invention. Additionally, each of the embodiments depicted are but one of a number of possible arrangements utilizing the fundamental components and concepts of the present invention. The drawings are briefly described as follows:
It is important to establish the definition of a number of descriptive terms and expressions that will be used throughout this disclosure. The term ‘imaging apparatus’ may be considered a broadly defined term and include a variety of systems and apparatus that image or scan items for one or more data capture related reasons. However, it is certainly contemplated that the imaging apparatus could certainly include a variety of possible scanner and or copier units, and most preferably print quality verifier units. As understood by skilled persons, print quality verifier units are used for evaluating the print quality of printed matter typically including data carrying graphical symbols. Common data carrying graphical symbols include 1-dimensional and 2-dimensional bar code symbols. The term ‘housing’ will be used to broadly describe an outer physical structure of an imaging apparatus that a presently taught cover and slotted hinge assembly may be affixed to. It is contemplated that the housing includes an imaging window, possibly located within a windowed upper or top wall of a housing surface of the apparatus. The inclusion of the cover and hinge assembly enables a versatile and selective covering and uncovering of the imaging window. Importantly, the slotted hinge assembly of the invention enables items of varying thicknesses and shapes to be imaged through the imaging window, while being one of fully covered, at least partially covered, or not covered at all. When the cover is not employed for covering or partial covering, the cover and portions of the slotted hinge assembly may be rotated into what may be termed a ‘stowed position’ or ‘fully stowed position’. When in the stowed position, the entire cover and all hinge portions are located below a plane established by the surface of the imaging window. As will be discussed and claimed herein, the most preferred embodiments of the invention call for a full-time coupling of the cover and slotted hinge assembly to the housing, prohibiting a separating of the cover from the housing, unless purposefully removed (say by undoing fasteners).
Continuing, the expressions ‘printed matter’, ‘encoded graphical information’, ‘data carrying graphical symbol’ are to be understood to include any of a large variety of well known and or possible graphical, data-encoding, visual and readable symbols, such as 1-dimensional and 2-dimensional barcode symbols. Regardless of the actual printed matter of interest, a face (surface) upon which the printed matter is placed or otherwise located, must be imaged through the imaging window of a housing of the imaging apparatus.
Continuing, the term ‘substantially’ will be employed as a modifier to indicate either exactly or statistically close to the given feature, structure, or characteristic. For example, the phrase ‘substantially parallel’ may indicate that several items/articles are exactly parallel, or say within +/−5 percent of being truly parallel. In like fashion, the expression ‘substantially orthogonal’ may be assumed to indicate that the relative alignment of the two items is at exactly a 90 degree angle, or say within +/−5 degrees of being truly orthogonal. Importantly, the terms ‘couple’, ‘coupled to’, ‘coupling’, and the like, are to be understood to mean that two or more described items or limitations are either directly connected together, or alternately, connected to each other via one or more additional, possibly implied or inherent structures, components, etc. Other important terms and definitions will be provided, as they are needed, to properly define the present invention and its associated novel characteristics and features. In addition, the terms and expressions employed herein have been selected in an attempt to provide a full, complete, and accurate description of the invention. These terms may very well have equivalents that may be known to skilled individuals, which may be long established in the art. As such, the terminology employed has been carefully chosen and is intended for illustration and completeness of description, and may very well have equivalents that are known in the art, but are not employed here.
Referring now to the drawings, an imaging apparatus 20 is depicted in
Although the imaging apparatus 20 and housing 24 illustrated in the included figures are generally intended to be depicted as table-top sized items, it should be understood that the actual size of the imaging apparatus 20 may certainly be considerably larger (i.e., scaled up) or smaller (i.e., scaled down) than those depicted.
As shown in
As clearly shown in
Importantly, when the cover 32 is fully rotated and stowed, the imaging apparatus 20 can readily accommodate large box-like packages. For example, as illustrated in
As such, due to the flexible, functional, and unique structure of the cover and slotted hinge assembly 30, the lifting, rotating, and or stowing of the cover 32 of the cover and slotted hinge assembly 20 is specifically and fully supported—while never having to separate the cover 32 from the imaging apparatus 20. This completely eliminates the possibility of the cover being misplaced or lost!
Turning now to
The included slot 46a will therefore enable the cover 32 to be lifted in the parallel lifting manner, enabling items having a range thicknesses to be covered in either a fully covering position or a lifted parallel covering position. That is, this slotted structure, as clearly shown in
As explicitly depicted in the included figures, and as possibly best seen in
Returning to
Returning again to
As clearly illustrated and possibly best seen in
a) a fully covering position, wherein a paper-thin item may be fully covered by the cover 32 (as shown in
b) a lifted parallel covering position, wherein an item like a ½″ thick book may be readily (parallel) covered (as shown in
c) a partially lifted and partially rotated position, wherein an item with a considerable thickness (e.g., 6 inches thick) may be partially “covered” so that a portion of the ambient light may be blocked (as depicted in
d) a non-covering partially rotated and stowed position (say about 180 degrees from the fully covering position, as shown in
e) a fully rotated and stowed position (as shown in
While there have been described herein a plurality of the currently preferred embodiments of the means and methods of the present invention, those skilled in the art will recognize that other and further modifications may be made without departing from the invention. For example, the relative dimensions and lengths of items such as the extending first portion 42, the slotted second portion 46, the coupling portion 56, etc., may actually be considerably shorter or longer than currently depicted. It should also be noted that alternate hinging arrangements are certainly possible. For example, embodiments are contemplated that are structured having a second hinge pin and rotational-joint where the distal end of the extending first portion 42 is coupled to the slotted second portion 46 (not explicitly illustrated). With this alternate “dual hinge-pin version” of the first hinge members 40, two rotational couplings would be provided, possibly supported by a more discrete second slotted portion structured as a linear member having a hole provided proximate to a first end and a slot provided proximate to a second end (not explicitly depicted).
In addition, to the above possible modifications, a cover and slotted hinge assembly may certainly include more that the two presently illustrated slotted hinge assemblies 34. For example, three or four such assembly may be required, possibly based on the size and weight of the cover 32. Accordingly, the foregoing descriptions of the specific embodiments of the present invention have been provided for the purposes of illustration, description, and enablement. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the specific forms disclosed and or illustrated. Obviously numerous modifications and alterations are possible in light of the above teachings, and it is fully intended to claim all modifications and variations that fall within the scope of the appended claims provided hereinafter.
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