Output hopper for media processing devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11884501-B2
Application number	US-202016825666-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 20, 2020
Priority date	Nov 8, 2017
Publication date	Jan 30, 2024
Grant date	Jan 30, 2024

Abstract

An example disclosed output hopper includes a cavity to receive media units from an output of a media processing device, the cavity to cause the media units to form a stack in a first direction; a first door pivotably movable between a closed position and an open position, the first door to retain the media units in the cavity when in the closed position, wherein the first door is configured to pivot on a first axis substantially parallel to the first direction; wherein: the first door includes a first cutout at a first top edge of the first door; and the first cutout allow the media units to spill over the first and second top edges when a capacity of the cavity is exceeded.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An output hopper comprising:
a bottom including a concave bottom surface;
a ceiling opposite the bottom;
a rear surface extending vertically between the bottom surface and the ceiling;
a first side surface adjacent to the rear surface and extending vertically between the bottom surface and the ceiling;
a second side surface opposite the first side surface and adjacent to the rear surface, the second side surface extending from the bottom surface to the ceiling; and
a first door disposed opposite the rear surface when the first door is in a closed position, the first door adjacent and pivotably coupled to at least one of the first side surface or the second side surface, a first top edge of the first door having a first cutout;
the rear surface, the first side surface, the second side surface, the bottom, and the first door define a cavity configured and dimensioned to receive a plurality of rectangular cards from an output of a media processing device, the cavity to cause the plurality of cards to form a stack in a first direction;
the first door pivotably movable between a closed position and an open position, wherein the first door is configured to pivot on a first axis substantially parallel to the first direction; wherein:
the concave bottom surface of the bottom is accessible when the first door is in the open position, and
the first door is biased in the closed position to retain the plurality of cards resting against the first door so that the first door causes the plurality of cards to align atop each other in the stack in the cavity up to the first cutout and the first cutout allows ones of the plurality of cards to spill over the first cutout in the first door when a capacity of the cavity is exceeded.

2. The output hopper of claim 1 , wherein the first direction extends away from the bottom surface of the output hopper.

3. The output hopper of claim 2 , wherein the cavity is configured such that the plurality of cards rest on the bottom surface.

4. The output hopper of claim 2 , wherein the bottom surface of the output hopper includes a recess configured to provide space between the bottom surface and a surface of a bottommost one of the plurality of cards.

5. The output hopper of claim 1 , wherein, when the first door is in the closed position, a first retaining portion of the first door is configured to engage a minor edge of the plurality of cards.

6. The output hopper of claim 1 , wherein the first axis intersects a media unit plane defined by a surface of one of the cards.

Assignees

• Zebra Tech Corp

Inventors

• Marshall Graham
• Tsiopanos Konstantinos
• Helma Thomas R
• Bankston Noel R

Classifications

• B65H31/02 Primary

  with stationary end support against which pile accumulates · CPC title

• B41J3/407

  for marking on special material · CPC title

• B41J11/58

  Supply holders for sheets or fan-folded webs, e.g. shelves, tables, scrolls, pile holders · CPC title

• B41J13/12 Primary

  specially adapted for {small} cards, envelopes, or the like {, e.g. credit cards, cut visiting cards} · CPC title

• B65H1/06

  for separation from bottom of pile · CPC title