Image forming device with an adjustable scan unit
View Patent ↗An image forming device including a print unit having a housing and a scan unit disposed on the top surface of the housing. The scan unit is coupled to the housing such that the scan unit is operable to scan an image in an upright position and in a horizontal position. The coupling includes the scan unit slidingly engaging with the print unit along a first edge of the scan unit. A linkage member is pivotably coupled to the scan unit and the print unit for supporting the scan unit in the upright position.
1. An image forming device comprising:
a print unit having a housing that has a top surface; and
a scan unit coupled to the top surface of the housing and movable between a substantially vertical position and a substantially horizontal position, the scan unit operating to scan a sheet of media in each of the substantially vertical position and the substantially horizontal position,
wherein the scan unit comprises a scan lid, a scan bed and mechanical linkages, each mechanical linkage coupling the scan lid to the scan bed, the mechanical linkages allowing the scan lid to pivot about the scan bed substantially along a first edge thereof and to pivot about the scan bed substantially along a second edge thereof, the second edge of the scan bed being different from the first edge thereof,
wherein each mechanical linkage comprises a connecting element being elongated and having a first end and a second end, the first end of the connecting element being pivotally connected to the scan bed and the second end of the connecting element being pivotally connected to the scan lid,
wherein each mechanical linkage further comprises a first magnet disposed in proximity to the first end of the connecting element, and wherein the first magnet serves to temporarily couple together the scan lid and the connecting element,
wherein each mechanical linkage further comprises a second magnet disposed in proximity to the second end of the connecting element, and wherein the second magnet serves to temporarily couple together the scan bed and the connecting element, and
wherein the first magnet serves to temporarily couple together the scan lid and the connecting element when the scan lid is pivoted about the first edge of the scan bed, and the second magnet serves to temporarily couple together the scan bed and the connecting element when the scan lid is pivoted about the second edge of the scan bed.
2. The image forming device of claim 1 , wherein the print unit housing includes at least one channel defined along the top surface thereof and the scan unit includes at least one slide mechanism disposed within the at least one channel of the print unit to allow movement of the scan unit between the substantially vertical position and the substantially horizontal position, relative to the print unit.
3. The image forming device according to claim 2 , further comprising a linkage member pivotably attached to the top surface of the print unit and a back surface of the scan unit for supporting the scan unit when in the substantially vertical position.
4. The image forming device of claim 1 , wherein the scan unit extends outwardly from a front portion of the print unit when in the substantially horizontal position.
5. An image forming device comprising:
a print unit having a housing, the housing having a top surface;
a scan unit coupled to the top surface of the housing and having a scan bed and a scan lid, the scan lid being connected to the scan bed, the scan unit being movable between an upright position and a horizontal position relative to the print unit,
wherein the scan unit further includes a connector mechanism coupled between the scan lid and the scan bed such that the scan lid is pivoted about the scan bed along a first edge of the scan bed and pivoted about the scan bed along a second edge of the scan bed, the first edge of the scan bed being different from the second edge thereof, wherein the scan unit further includes a pair of slide members pivotably coupled to and extended from the scan unit, the slide members slidingly engage with the top surface of the housing, and wherein the top surface of the housing further includes a pair of channels disposed on opposed sides of the top surface, each of the slide members being disposed within a corresponding one of the pair of channels to allow movement of the scan unit between the upright position and the horizontal position.
6. The image forming device according to claim 5 , further comprising a linkage member rotatably attached to each of the print unit and the scan unit for supporting the scan unit when in the upright position.
7. The image forming device according to claim 5 , wherein the scan unit extends outwardly from a front portion of the print unit when in the horizontal position.
8. The image forming device according to claim 5 , wherein the connector mechanism comprises a pair of connecting members, each connecting member being elongated and having a first end and an opposed second end, the connecting member pivotally coupling at the first end to the scan bed and pivotally coupling at the second end to the scan lid.
9. The image forming device according to claim 8 , wherein each connecting member includes a first magnet disposed in proximity with the first end of the connecting member and a second magnet disposed in proximity with the second end thereof, the first magnet providing temporary coupling between the connecting member and the scan lid and the second magnet providing temporary coupling between the connecting member and the scan bed.
10. The image forming device according to claim 1 , wherein the first edge of the scan bed is opposed the second edge of the scan bed.
11. An image forming device comprising:
a print unit having a housing that has a top surface; and
a scan unit coupled to the top surface of the housing and movable between a substantially vertical position and a substantially horizontal position, the scan unit operating to scan a sheet of media in each of the substantially vertical position and the substantially horizontal position,
wherein the print unit housing includes at least one channel defined along the top surface thereof and the scan unit includes at least one slide mechanism disposed within the at least one channel of the print unit housing and pivotably coupled to the scan unit to allow movement of the scan unit between the substantially vertical position and the substantially horizontal position, relative to the print unit.
12. The image forming device according to claim 11 , further comprising a linkage member pivotably attached to the top surface of the print unit housing and a back surface of the scan unit for supporting the scan unit when in the substantially vertical position.
13. An image forming device comprising:
a print unit having a housing, the housing having a top surface; and
a scan unit coupled to the top surface of the housing and having a scan bed and a scan lid, the scan lid being connected to the scan bed, the scan unit being movable between an upright position and a horizontal position relative to the print unit,
wherein the scan unit further includes a pair of slide members pivotably coupled to the scan unit, and wherein the slide members slidingly engage with the top surface of the print unit housing.
14. The image forming device according to claim 13 , wherein the top surface of the housing further includes a pair of channels disposed on opposed sides of the top surface, each of the slide members being disposed within a corresponding one of the pair of channels to allow movement of the scan unit between the upright position and the horizontal position.