Linkage mechanism for opening and closing an inputting tray and an outputting tray together

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12377673-B2
Application number	US-202318485316-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 12, 2023
Priority date	Jan 4, 2023
Publication date	Aug 5, 2025
Grant date	Aug 5, 2025

Abstract

A linkage mechanism for opening and closing an inputting tray and an outputting tray together includes a base, an outputting tray which includes an intermediate outputting tray pivotally connected to a rear of the base, and a terminal outputting tray pivotally connected to a tail end of the intermediate outputting tray, an inputting tray pivotally connected to a top of the base, at least one first linkage bar and at least one second linkage bar. Two ends of the at least one first linkage bar are pivotally connected to one side of the inputting tray and one side of the intermediate outputting tray, respectively. Two ends of the at least one second linkage bar are pivotally connected to one side of the base and one side of the terminal outputting tray, respectively.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A linkage mechanism for opening and closing an inputting tray and an outputting tray together, comprising:
a base;
an outputting tray including
an intermediate outputting tray pivotally connected to a rear of the base, and
a terminal outputting tray pivotally connected to a tail end of the intermediate outputting tray;

an inputting tray pivotally connected to a top of the base;
at least one first linkage bar linked between the intermediate outputting tray and the inputting tray, two ends of the at least one first linkage bar being pivotally connected to one side of the inputting tray and one side of the intermediate outputting tray, respectively; and
at least one second linkage bar linked between the base and the terminal outputting tray, two ends of the at least one second linkage bar being pivotally connected to one side of the base and one side of the terminal outputting tray, respectively,
wherein the inputting tray has a cam portion extended from a bottom of the inputting tray, the cam portion has a rotating shaft pivotally connected to the top of the base, an arc groove is formed next to the rotating shaft, a sliding path of the arc groove is coaxial with the rotating shaft, and one end of the at least one first linkage bar is slidable and is rotatably connected in the arc groove.

2. The linkage mechanism for opening and closing the inputting tray and the outputting tray together as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the linkage mechanism for opening and closing the inputting tray and the outputting tray together includes two first linkage bars, the two first linkage bars are pivotally disposed to two sides of the intermediate outputting tray and two sides of the inputting tray to bring along the inputting tray to be consecutively opened or closed when the outputting tray is opened or closed.

3. The linkage mechanism for opening and closing the inputting tray and the outputting tray together as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the linkage mechanism for opening and closing the inputting tray and the outputting tray together includes two second linkage bars, the two second linkage bars are pivotally disposed to two sides of the base and two sides of the terminal outputting tray to consecutively open or close the terminal outputting tray when the intermediate outputting tray is opened or closed.

4. The linkage mechanism for opening and closing the inputting tray and the outputting tray together as claimed in claim 1 , wherein when the inputting tray and the outputting tray are in closed states, the inputting tray is covered on an upper surface of the base, the intermediate outputting tray is covered to a rear surface of the base which is located at a downstream of the base, and the terminal outputting tray is covered to a top surface of the inputting tray.

5. The linkage mechanism for opening and closing the inputting tray and the outputting tray together as claimed in claim 1 , wherein two sides of the bottom of the inputting tray connected to a downstream of the base have two cam portions, the two cam portions have two inputting shafts protruded towards each other, the two cam portions define two arc grooves, the two arc grooves are located at two outer sides of the two inputting shafts, respectively, sliding paths of the two arc grooves are coaxial with the two inputting shafts, the linkage mechanism for opening and closing the inputting tray and the outputting tray together includes two first linkage bars, the two first linkage bars are slidable, and the two first linkage bars are pivotally connected in the two arc grooves.

6. The linkage mechanism for opening and closing the inputting tray and the outputting tray together as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a tail end of the terminal outputting tray is provided with an ejecting extension element, the ejecting extension element includes a first extension board, a first gliding groove, a slider, a connecting bar and a first swinging arm, the first gliding groove is defined in the first extension board, the slider is slidably disposed to the terminal outputting tray, two ends of the connecting bar are pivotally connected between the intermediate outputting tray and the slider, the first extension board is slidably disposed to the terminal outputting tray, a sliding path of the first extension board is perpendicular to a pivot axis of the intermediate outputting tray and the terminal outputting tray, one end of the first swinging arm is pivotally connected to the slider, and the other end of the first swinging arm is slidably and rotatably connected to the first gliding groove of the first extension board.

7. The linkage mechanism for opening and closing the inputting tray and the outputting tray together as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the ejecting extension element includes a sliding rail, the sliding rail is positioned to the terminal outputting tray, and the sliding rail is perpendicular to the pivot axis between the intermediate outputting tray and the terminal outputting tray, the slider is slidably disposed to the sliding rail.

8. The linkage mechanism for opening and closing the inputting tray and the outputting tray together as claimed in claim 6 , wherein a sliding path of the first gliding groove is perpendicular to the sliding path of the first extension board, the first swinging arm includes a pivot portion pivotally connected to the terminal outputting tray, a driving portion extended sideward from the pivot portion, and an actuation portion slantwise extended sideward and upward from the pivot portion, the driving portion is pivotally connected to the slider, the actuation portion is slidably pivoted in the first gliding groove.

9. The linkage mechanism for opening and closing the inputting tray and the outputting tray together as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the ejecting extension element further includes a second extension board slidably connected to a top of the first extension board, a first block, a second block and a second swinging arm, a sliding path of the second extension board is parallel to the sliding path of the first extension board, one end of the second swinging arm is pivotally connected to the terminal outputting tray, and the other end of the second swinging arm is slidably and rotatably connected to the second extension board, the first block is disposed to the first extension board, and the first block is positioned to an upstream of the second swinging arm, the second block is disposed at the first extension board, and the second block is positioned to a downstream of the second swinging arm.

10. The linkage mechanism for opening and closing the inputting tray and the outputting tray together as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the ejecting extension element further includes a second gliding groove, the second gliding groove is defined at the second extension board, a sliding path of the second gliding groove is perpendicular to the sliding path of the second extension board, the one end of the second swinging arm is pivotally connected to the terminal outputting tray, and the other end of the second swinging arm is slidably connected in the second gliding groove.

11. A linkage mechanism for opening and closing an inputting tray and an outputting tray together, comprising:
a base;
an outputting tray which is a terminal outputting tray rotatably connected to a rear of the base;
an inputting tray pivotally connected to a top of the base;
at least one first linkage bar linked between the inputting tray and the terminal outputting tray, two ends of the at least one first linkage bar being pivotally connected to one side of the inputting tray and one side of the terminal outputting tray, respectively;
at least o

Assignees

• Foxlink Image Tech Co Ltd

Inventors

• Wang Kuo Shing
• Su Pai Hsien

Classifications

• B65H2405/3321

  Feed tray superposed to discharge tray · CPC title

• B65H2405/1117

  pivotable, e.g. around an axis perpendicular to transport direction, e.g. arranged at rear side of sheet support · CPC title

• B65H2405/115

  Cover · CPC title

• B65H31/20

  adjustable for different article sizes · CPC title

• B65H1/04

  adapted to support articles substantially horizontally, e.g. for separation from top of pile · CPC title