Patent Application
20140008864
1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to precise paper-stacking, and more particularly to an aligning apparatus providing correctly oriented paper for printers.
2. Description of Related Art
A paper tray for a printer supports a stack of paper. When the printer is in operation, the paper on the paper tray is transmitted into the printer. When a top piece of paper of the stack of papers is transmitted into the printer, a piece of paper below the top piece of paper may be disturbed to become inclined or misaligned. Therefore, the stack of papers becomes disarranged. Furthermore, when the inclined or misaligned sheet of paper is transmitted into the printer, content printed on the paper is also inclined or misaligned.
Therefore, there is room for improvement within the art.
Many aspects of the embodiments can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the embodiments. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.
The disclosure is illustrated by way of example and not by way of limitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings in which like references indicate similar elements. It should be noted that references to “an” or “one” embodiment in this disclosure are not necessarily to the same embodiment, and such references mean “at least one.”
The paper tray 10 includes a top side 13 and a bottom side 15. The paper tray 10 includes a first edge 11 and a second edge 12 parallel to the first edge 11. The top side 13 forms a plurality of blocking tabs 111 and a mounting block 18 adjacent to the first edge 11. The plurality of blocking tabs 111 is arrayed in a line. The top side 13 defines two sliding grooves 122 adjacent to the second edge 12. The two sliding grooves 122 extend in a direction perpendicular to the second edge 12. An opening 121 is defined between the two sliding grooves 122. The bottom side 15 defines a plurality of first mounting holes 151 adjacent to the first edge 11. The bottom side 15 defines a plurality of first securing holes 152 adjacent to the second edge 12.
The driving module 30 includes a motor 31, an endless and flexible transmission belt 32, an inactive gear 33, a securing member 40, and a ordering block 60. The motor 31 includes an active gear 311. The motor 31 rotates the active gear 311. The motor 31 defines a plurality of second mounting holes 312 corresponding to the plurality of first mounting holes 151. An inner side of the transmission belt 32 defines a plurality of transmission teeth 321. The transmission belt 32 is adapted to wind around the active gear 311 and the inactive gear 33. The inactive gear 33 includes a shaft 331.
The securing member 40 mounts the inactive gear 33 on the paper tray 10. The securing member 40 includes a first piece 41, a second piece 42 parallel to the first piece 41, and a connection piece 47 connected to the first piece 41 and the second piece 42. Each of the first piece 41 and the second piece 42 defines a pivot hole 45. The second piece 42 defines a plurality of second securing holes 43 corresponding to the plurality of first securing holes 152.
Referring to
Two sliding feet 65 are mounted on the ordering block 60. Each sliding foot 65 includes an inserting post 651 and a sliding piece 652.
Referring to
Referring to
The inserting posts 651 of the two sliding feet 65 are inserted in the inserting holes 62 of the ordering block 60 to secure the two sliding feet 65 on the ordering block 60. Then, the ordering block 60 is placed on the top side 13 of the paper tray 10. The first sensor 81 faces the reflecting piece 83. The sliding pieces 652 of the two sliding feet 65 are inserted in the guiding grooves 122 of the paper tray 10. The guiding piece 65 extends through the opening 121. The transmission belt 32 runs through the receiving slot 611 of the guiding piece 61. One transmission tooth 321 of the transmission belt 32 engages in the tooth slot 614 of the guiding piece 61. Thereby, the paper aligning apparatus is assembled.
After a stack of sheets of paper is placed on the paper tray 10, the first sensor 81 emits light on a topmost piece of paper of the stack, the topmost piece of paper reflects light to the reflecting piece 83. The reflecting piece 83 in turn reflects light back to the first sensor 81. When the topmost piece of paper is transmitted into the printer, the light reflected back to the first sensor 81 is changed. Then, the first sensor 81 controls the motor to move the transmission belt 32. Because one transmission tooth 321 of the transmission belt 32 is engaged in the tooth slot 614 of the guiding piece 61, the ordering block 60 moves together with the transmission belt 32. The ordering blocks 60 pushes any sheets of paper which are resting against the blocking tabs 111, to neatly re-align and restack the sheets of paper. Then, the motor 31 rotates in reverse to move the ordering block 60 back.
If one or more pieces of paper of the stack of paper are inclined to cover any one of the second sensors 82, the motor 31 also rotates to drive the ordering blocks 60 to re-align the stack of paper from multiple directions. After the stack of paper has been restacked, the motor 31 rotates in reverse to move the ordering block 60 back.
It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the embodiments have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and functions of the embodiments, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in the matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the present disclosure to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 101124622 | Jul 2012 | TW | national |
