U.S. patent application number 13/556230 was filed with the patent office on 2013-05-30 for multi-function peripheral.
This patent application is currently assigned to Kinpo Electronics, Inc.. The applicant listed for this patent is Kai-Yuan Cheng, Pei-Chi Ho, Kai-Chuan Hsu, Chen-Fu Huang, Chung-Liang Huang, An-Hsiu Lee, Chao-Hsuan Lee, Michael Medrano Recinto. Invention is credited to Kai-Yuan Cheng, Pei-Chi Ho, Kai-Chuan Hsu, Chen-Fu Huang, Chung-Liang Huang, An-Hsiu Lee, Chao-Hsuan Lee, Michael Medrano Recinto.
Application Number | 20130134652 13/556230 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 46784890 |
Filed Date | 2013-05-30 |
United States Patent
Application |
20130134652 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Huang; Chen-Fu ; et
al. |
May 30, 2013 |
MULTI-FUNCTION PERIPHERAL
Abstract
A multi-function peripheral (MFP) suited for printing/scanning a
paper or a business card is provided. The MFP includes a body and a
printing/scanning unit, a feeding roller, and a plurality of idle
rollers disposed in the body. The body has a feeding path that the
printing/scanning unit, the feeding roller, and the idle rollers
are located thereon. The printing/scanning unit used for
printing/scanning the paper or the business card on the feeding
path. The idle rollers lean against the feeding roller
respectively. A path length between two leaning points of any two
adjacent idle rollers contacting the feeding roller is shorter than
a size of the business card.
Inventors: |
Huang; Chen-Fu; (New Taipei
City, TW) ; Cheng; Kai-Yuan; (New Taipei City,
TW) ; Lee; Chao-Hsuan; (New Taipei City, TW) ;
Ho; Pei-Chi; (New Taipei City, TW) ; Recinto; Michael
Medrano; (New Taipei City, TW) ; Lee; An-Hsiu;
(New Taipei City, TW) ; Hsu; Kai-Chuan; (New
Taipei City, TW) ; Huang; Chung-Liang; (New Taipei
City, TW) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Huang; Chen-Fu
Cheng; Kai-Yuan
Lee; Chao-Hsuan
Ho; Pei-Chi
Recinto; Michael Medrano
Lee; An-Hsiu
Hsu; Kai-Chuan
Huang; Chung-Liang |
New Taipei City
New Taipei City
New Taipei City
New Taipei City
New Taipei City
New Taipei City
New Taipei City
New Taipei City |
|
TW
TW
TW
TW
TW
TW
TW
TW |
|
|
Assignee: |
Kinpo Electronics, Inc.
New Taipei City
TW
Cal-Comp Electronics & Communications Company
Limited
New Taipei City
TW
|
Family ID: |
46784890 |
Appl. No.: |
13/556230 |
Filed: |
July 24, 2012 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
271/109 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04N 1/00615 20130101;
H04N 1/00588 20130101; H04N 1/00602 20130101; H04N 1/121 20130101;
H04N 1/0461 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
271/109 |
International
Class: |
B65H 5/06 20060101
B65H005/06; B65H 3/06 20060101 B65H003/06 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Nov 24, 2011 |
TW |
100143145 |
Claims
1. A multi-function peripheral (MFP), adapted to print and scan a
piece of paper or a business card, the MFP comprising: a body,
having a feeding path; a scanning/printing unit, disposed in the
body and located on the feeding path, wherein the scanning/printing
unit performs scanning/printing towards the paper or the business
card passing through the feeding path; a feeding roller, disposed
in the body and located on the feeding path; a plurality of idle
rollers, disposed in the body and located on the feeding path,
wherein the idle rollers respectively lean against the feeding
roller, wherein on the feeding path, a path length of two leaning
points of any two adjacent idle rollers contacting the feeding
roller is shorter than a size of the business card.
2. The multi-function peripheral as claimed in claim 1, wherein a
dimension of the business card includes 5 cm.times.9.4 cm or 10
cm.times.9.4 cm.
3. The multi-function peripheral as claimed in claim 1, wherein a
diameter of the feeding roller is greater than or equal to 1.75
times a diameter of each of the idle rollers.
4. The multi-function peripheral as claimed in claim 1, wherein the
body further includes a paper entrance and a paper exit, the piece
of paper or the business card respectively enters the feeding path
through the paper entrance, and exits the body through the paper
exit.
5. The multi-function peripheral as claimed in claim 4, further
comprising: a paper pick-up roller, located on the feeding path and
adjacent to the paper entrance; a paper dividing roller, located on
the feeding path and between the paper pick-up roller and the
feeding roller; and a paper exit roller, located on the feeding
path and adjacent to the paper exit.
6. The multi-function peripheral as claimed in claim 1, wherein the
body comprises: a base, having the feeding path; a top cover,
assembled to the base lifted or shut, so as to cover the feeding
path; and a flexible element, connecting the top cover and one of
the idle rollers, wherein when the top cover is removed from the
base, the idle roller is removed from the feeding path with the top
cover, wherein when the top cover is assembled to the base, the top
cover and the flexible element drive the idle roller to lean
against the feeding roller.
7. The multi-function peripheral of claim 1, wherein a hardness of
the business card is greater than a hardness of the piece of
paper.
8. The multi-function peripheral as claimed in claim 1, wherein the
feeding path includes at least one curve.
9. The multi-function peripheral as claimed in claim 8, wherein the
feeding roller is located at an area of the curve.
10. The multi-function peripheral as claimed in claim 9, wherein a
curvature radius of the feeding roller is less than or equal to a
curvature radius of the curve.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims the priority benefit of Taiwan
application serial no. 100143145, filed on Nov. 24, 2011. The
entirety of the above-mentioned patent application is hereby
incorporated by reference herein and made a part of this
specification.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The invention relates to a multi-function peripheral (MFP),
and more particularly to a multi-function peripheral capable of
printing and scanning business cards.
[0004] 2. Description of Related Art
[0005] In current offices, MFP machines are tools that are
indispensable. MFP machines include photocopiers, printers,
scanners, and MFPs with other functions. In conventional MFPs,
paper transmission is performed by a plurality of rollers of a
paper transmission passage of the MFP (such as a paper feeding
roller located at a paper entrance, and a paper exit roller located
at a paper exit).
[0006] When the above MFP needs to scan or print business cards,
the MFP is limited to the dimensions and material quality of the
paper of the business cards. Thus, the MFP is unable to perform
paper transmission like the paper feeding path of printing or
scanning general paper. For example, the dimensions of a business
card are far smaller than the dimensions of a general piece of
paper. Therefore, the rollers disposed in the MFP for transmitting
general paper will be unable to effectively transmit business
cards. Furthermore, the material quality of the paper of business
cards is much harder than general paper. Thus, using current paper
feeding paths will cause business cards to bend irregularly or be
damaged.
[0007] Accordingly, current technology will configure an additional
paper entrance, to form a smoother paper feeding path, and have
rollers with distances that match the dimensions of a business
card. However, this way the manufacturing cost of MFPs
increases.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] The invention provides an MFP, capable of printing paper and
business cards.
[0009] An embodiment of the invention provides an MFP, adapted to
print and scan a piece of paper or a business card. The MFP
includes a body, a printing/scanning unit, a feeding roller, and a
plurality of idle rollers. The body has a feeding path. The
scanning/printing unit, the feeding roller, and the idle rollers
are disposed in the body and are located on the feeding path. The
scanning/printing unit is used for printing/scanning the paper or
the business card on the feeding path. The idle rollers
respectively lean against the feeding roller. A path length between
two leaning points of any two adjacent idle rollers contacting the
feeding roller is shorter than a size of the business card.
[0010] In an embodiment of the invention, the dimensions of the
business card include 5 cm.times.9.4 cm or 10 cm.times.9.4 cm.
[0011] In an embodiment of the invention, a diameter of the feeding
roller is greater than or equal to 1.75 times a diameter of each of
the idle rollers.
[0012] In an embodiment of the invention, the printing/scanning
unit is located between any two adjacent idle rollers.
[0013] In an embodiment of the invention, the body further includes
a paper entrance and a paper exit. The paper or business card
respectively enters the feeding path through the paper entrance,
and leaves the body through the paper exit.
[0014] In an embodiment of the invention, the MFP further includes
a paper pick-up roller, a paper dividing roller, and a paper exit
roller located on the feeding path. The paper pick-up roller is
adjacent to the paper entrance. The paper dividing roller is
located between the paper pick-up roller and the feeding roller.
The paper exit roller is adjacent to the paper exit.
[0015] In an embodiment of the invention, the body includes a base,
a top cover, and a flexible element. The base has the feeding path.
The top cover is assembled to the base lifted or shut, so as to
cover the feeding path. The flexible element connects the top cover
and one of the idle rollers. When the top cover is lifted-up and
opened corresponding to the base, the idle roller moves away from
the feeding path with the top cover. When the top cover is
laid-down and shut corresponding to the base, the top cover drives
the idle roller to lean against the feeding path.
[0016] In an embodiment of the invention, a hardness of the
business card is greater than a hardness of the paper.
[0017] In an embodiment of the invention, the feeding path includes
at least one curve.
[0018] In an embodiment of the invention, the feeding roller is
located at an area of the curve.
[0019] Based on the above, in the embodiments of the invention,
multiple idle rollers respectively contact the feeding roller, and
a path length between two leaning points of any two adjacent idle
rollers contacting the feeding roller is shorter than a size of the
business card. Therefore, during the process of the business card
being transmitted on the feeding path, the business card will be
clamped by at least two idle rollers and the feeding roller,
causing the business card to be successively transmitted through
the feeding path. This way, the MFP and similar feeding paths can
print/scan general paper and business cards, thereby reducing
manufacturing cost and improving efficiency.
[0020] In order to make the aforementioned and other features and
advantages of the invention more comprehensible, embodiments
accompanying figures are described in detail below.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0021] The accompanying drawings constituting a part of this
specification are incorporated herein to provide a further
understanding of the invention. Here, the drawings illustrate
embodiments of the invention and, together with the description,
serve to explain the principles of the invention.
[0022] FIG. 1 is a partial side view of an MFP according to
embodiment of the invention.
[0023] FIG. 2 is a schematic view of the MFP of FIG. 1 when fed
paper.
[0024] FIG. 3 is a schematic view of the MFP of FIG. 1 under
another condition.
DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
[0025] FIG. 1 is a partial side view of an MFP according to
embodiment of the invention. FIG. 1 is used to illustrate the
configurations of the related components of the MFP on a feeding
path. FIG. 2 is a schematic view of the MFP of FIG. 1 when fed
paper. FIG. 2 only illustrates the necessary components of the
invention, so as to clearly describe their relationships. Referring
to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, in the embodiment, an MFP 100 includes a body
110, a printing/scanning unit 120, a feeding roller 130, and a
plurality of idle rollers 140A, 140B. The printing/scanning unit
120, the feeding roller 130, and the plurality of idle rollers
140A, 140B are disposed in the body 110. The body 110 includes a
feeding path L1. The scanning/printing unit 120, the feeding roller
130, and the idle rollers 140A, 140B are located on the feeding
path L1. It should be noted that the printing/scanning unit 120 of
the embodiment is an apparatus that can perform image processing
functions (scanning, printing, or both) towards objects on the
feeding path L1 (herein a piece of paper or a business card 200),
but are not limited to the above functions.
[0026] In further detail, the body 110 of the MFP 100 includes a
base 112 and a top cover 114. The base 112 has the feeding path L1,
and a paper entrance E1 and a paper exit E2 connected to the
feeding path L1. Further, the MFP 100 includes a paper pick-up
roller 150, a paper dividing roller 160, and a paper exit roller
170 located on the feeding path L1. The paper pick-up roller 150 is
adjacent to the paper entrance E1. The paper dividing roller 160 is
located between the paper pick-up roller 150 and the feeding roller
130. The paper exit roller 170 is adjacent to the paper exit E2.
The paper or the business card 200 enters from the paper entrance
E1 and sequentially transmits to the feeding path L1 through the
paper pick-up roller 150 and the paper dividing roller 160. Then
the paper or business card 200 is transmitted through the feeding
roller 130 and the idle rollers 140A, 140B leaning against the
feeding roller 130. After receiving the image processing from the
scanning/printing unit 120, the paper or business card 200 is
transmitted out of the body 110 through the paper exit roller 170
of the paper exit E2.
[0027] When the feeding structure of the MFP 100 is scanning or
printing paper, paper can successfully pass through the feeding
path L1 to receive the image processing from the scanning/printing
unit 120. However, it should be noted that in order for the MFP 100
to also use the same feeding path L1 and perform scanning/printing
towards the business card 200, the MFP 100 of the invention not
only disposes a plurality of idle rollers 140A, 140B to lean
against the feeding roller 130, but also on the feeding path L1, a
path length between any two adjacent idle rollers is shorter than a
size of the business card 200.
[0028] For example, the length and width of the business card 200
is 5 cm.times.9.4 cm or 10 cm.times.9.4 cm. Therefore, in the
embodiment, a path length between the leaning points A1, A2 of the
two adjacent idle rollers 140A, 140B contacting the feeding roller
130 is shorter than the sizes of the business card 200.
Accordingly, when the business card 200 is being transmitted
through the feeding path L1, the business card 200 will be
respectively clamped by at least two idle rollers 140A, 140B and
the feeding roller 130. This way, the business card 200 will
assuredly be transmitted through without being jammed. The
embodiment only illustrates two idle rollers 140A, 140B. However,
the invention is not limited thereto. Any design of more than two
idle rollers respectively leaning against the feeding roller 130
can be adapted to the invention.
[0029] On the other hand, the leaning points A3, A4, and A5 of the
paper pick-up roller 150, the paper dividing roller 160, and the
paper exit roller 170, respectively, are similar to the leaning
points A1, A2. That is to say, in these leaning points A1 to A5,
any two adjacent leaning points on the feeding path L1 will satisfy
having a path length shorter than a size of the business card
200.
[0030] In addition, in the embodiment, the feeding path L1 includes
at least one curve C1. The feeding roller 130 is located at the
curve C1 area, and a radius of the feeding roller 130 is
substantially smaller than or equal to a curvature radius of the
curve C1. This effectively lowers the external size of the MFP 100,
allowing it to have a thinner and lighter exterior. However, since
the hardness (rigidity) of the business card 200 is greater than
paper, the curve C1 of the feeding path L1 may cause the business
card 200 to bend or be damaged. Accordingly, in the invention,
besides the idle rollers 140A, 140B respectively leaning against
the feeding roller 130, a diameter of the feeding roller 130 is
also greater than or equal to 1.75 times a diameter of each of the
idle rollers 140A, 140B.
[0031] In other words, through increasing the diameter of the
feeding roller 130, not only does it ensure the idle rollers 140A,
140B to clamp against the business card 200, but it also lowers the
curvature of the feeding path L1, allowing the business card 200 to
successfully pass through the feeding path L1 between the idle
rollers 140A, 140B and the feeding roller 130 without being
damaged.
[0032] FIG. 3 is a schematic view of the MFP of FIG. 1 under
another condition. Referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 3, in the
embodiment, the base 112 includes an opening E3. The body 110
further includes a flexible element 116, wherein the top cover 114
is assembled to the base 112 and closes on the opening E3. Herein,
the opening E3 is used as one of the problem-eliminating structures
of the MFP 100 when the MFP 100 malfunctions. For example, when the
MFP 100 has a paper jam, the top cover 114 can be disassembled from
the base 112 so that a part of the feeding path L1 is exposed by
the opening E3. This way, the user can remove the damaged paper or
business card 200.
[0033] In addition, the flexible element 116 is, for example, a
metal flexible arm, connected between the top cover 114 and one of
the idle rollers 140A. Therefore, when the top cover 114 is
disassembled from the base 112, the idle roller 140A is removed
from the feeding path L1 with the top cover. This way the user can
conveniently acquire the paper or business card 200 on the feeding
path L1. Further, after the top cover 114 is assembled to the base
112, the top cover 114 and the flexible element 116 provide the
radial force for the idle roller 140A to lean against the feeding
roller 130. This also allows a radial condition between the idle
roller 140A and the feeding roller 130 to be movable (the
conditions of the dashed lines of idle roller 140A as shown in FIG.
1 and FIG. 2). In other words, besides the elasticity of the
flexible element 116 allowing the idle roller 140A to lean against
the feeding roller 130, the distance between the idle roller 140A
and the feeding roller 130 can be adjusted according to the
thickness of the paper or the business card 200 on the feeding
path. This increases the range of the applicable thicknesses of the
MFP 100 towards paper or business cards 200.
[0034] To sum up, in the embodiments of the invention, multiple
idle rollers respectively contact the feeding roller, and a path
length between two leaning points of any two adjacent idle rollers
contacting the feeding roller is shorter than a size of the
business card. Therefore, during the process of the business card
being transmitted on the feeding path, the business card will be
clamped by at least two idle rollers and the feeding roller,
causing the business card to be successively transmitted through
the feeding path.
[0035] Further, by increasing the size of the feeding roller, the
diameter of the feeding roller is greater than or equal to 1.75
times the diameter of the idle rollers. This allows the curvature
of the feeding path to be lowered, further ensuring that the
business card is not damaged during the feeding process.
[0036] Through the above configuration, the MFP and similar feeding
paths can print/scan general paper and business cards, thereby
reducing manufacturing cost and improving efficiency.
[0037] Although the invention has been described with reference to
the above embodiments, it will be apparent to one of the ordinary
skill in the art that modifications to the described embodiment may
be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.
Accordingly, the scope of the invention will be defined by the
attached claims not by the above detailed descriptions.
* * * * *