Granted Patent B2

US 9,221,632 · App. 13/435,905 · Granted Dec 29, 2015

Abstract

Claims (38)

1. A media cassette loader for assisting a replenisher to load media items into a media cassette having a cassette body which can be placed over the media cassette loader, the media cassette loader comprising:

a base having (i) a first major side surface portion, (ii) a second major side surface portion which is opposite the first major side surface portion, (iii) a first side wall portion which extends transverse to the first and second major side surface portions, and (iv) a second side wall portion which extends transverse to the first and second major side surface portions and substantially parallel to the first side wall portion;

a media loading surface disposed on the first major side surface portion and on which media items to be loaded into the media cassette can be stacked before the media cassette body is placed over the media cassette loader, wherein the media loading surface is inclined at an angle to the first major side surface portion;

a first support handle disposed on the first side wall portion of the media cassette loader; and

a second support handle disposed on the second side wall portion of the media cassette loader, wherein the first and second support handles extend substantially parallel to the media loading surface and are located such that the first and second support handles abut to upper edges on longitudinal sides of the media cassette body when the media cassette body is placed over the media loading surface.

2. A media cassette loader according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a first end wall upstanding from a lower end of the media loading surface to support media items stacked on the media loading surface, wherein the media loading surface and the first end wall are dimensioned to be accommodated within a media cassette body.

3. A media cassette loader according to claim 2 , wherein a side-wall of the first side wall portion upstands from the media loading surface and includes an upper portion parallel to the media loading surface so that the distance between the media loading surface and the top of the upper portion is constant along the entire length of the media loading surface.

4. A media cassette loader according to claim 3 , wherein the upper portion is dimensioned to locate between the side-wall of the media cassette body and a media width guide within the media cassette body.

5. A media cassette loader according to claim 3 , wherein the media cassette loader is (i) open above the media loading surface on an opposing side to the side-wall, and (ii) open above the media loading surface in a plane parallel with the media loading surface.

6. A media cassette loader according to claim 2 , wherein the first end wall is disposed at an acute angle to the media loading surface.

7. A media cassette loader according to claim 2 , further comprising:

a second end wall opposite the first end wall.

8. A media cassette loader according to claim 7 , wherein the second end wall is relatively low compared with the first end wall.

9. A media cassette loader according to claim 2 , wherein the media loading surface and the first end wall are dimensioned so that even if the media loader is overstuffed with media items, a sufficient gap is provided within the cassette body so that the overstuffing condition is reduced or obviated once the media cassette loader is removed.

10. A media cassette loader according to claim 1 , wherein the media loading surface defines a central groove extending longitudinally therealong so that media items are located transversely to the central groove as they are stacked on the media loading surface.

11. A media cassette loader for assisting a replenisher to load media items into a media cassette having a cassette body which can be placed over the media cassette loader, the media cassette loader comprising:

a base having a first major side surface portion and a second major side surface portion which is opposite the first major side surface portion;

a media loading surface disposed on the first major side surface portion and on which media items to be loaded into the media cassette can be stacked before the media cassette body is placed over the media cassette loader, wherein the media loading surface is inclined at an angle to the first major side surface portion;

at least one internal lateral wall portion disposed on the second major side surface portion and extending transverse to the second major side surface portion;

at least one internal longitudinal wall portion disposed on the second major side surface portion and extending transverse to both the at least one internal lateral wall portion and the second major side surface portion of the base to provide rigidity to the media cassette loader;

(i) the at least one internal lateral wall portion includes at least two internal lateral wall portions disposed on the second major side surface portion and extending transverse to the second major side surface portion;

(ii) the at least one internal longitudinal wall portion includes at least two internal longitudinal wall portions disposed on the second major side surface portion and extending transverse to both the at least two internal lateral wall portions and the second major side surface portion of the base to provide rigidity to the media cassette loader; and

a removal longitudinal handle for enabling a replenisher to remove the media cassette loader from the cassette body of the media cassette after the cassette body has been placed over a stack of media items on the media cassette loader to surround the stack of media items and the combined unit of the media cassette loader and the media cassette has been rotated to a position which allows the replenisher to remove the media cassette loader from the cassette body of the media cassette and thereby to transfer the stack of media items from the media cassette loader to the media cassette, wherein the removable longitudinal handle extends transverse between the at least two internal lateral wall portions and extends substantially parallel to the at least two internal longitudinal wall portions.

12. A media cassette loader according to claim 11 , further comprising:

A first support handle disposed on a first side wall portion of the media cassette loader; and

A second support handle disposed on an opposite second side wall portion of the media cassette loader, wherein the first and second support handles extend substantially parallel to the media loading surface and are located such that the first and second support handles abut to upper edges on longitudinal sides of the media cassette body when the media cassette body is placed over the media loading surface.

13. A media cassette loader for assisting a replenisher to load media items into a media cassette having a cassette body which can be placed over the media cassette loader, the media cassette loader comprising:

a base having a first major side surface portion and a second major side surface portion which is opposite the first major side surface portion;

a substantially rectangular media loading surface disposed on the first major side surface portion and on which media items to be loaded into the media cassette can be stacked before the media cassette body is placed over the media cassette loader, wherein the substantially rectangular media loading surface is inclined in two planes from a high position at one diagonal point on the substantially rectangular media loading surface to a low position at an opposite diagonal point on the substantially rectangular media loading surface;

at least one lateral wall portion disposed on the second major side surface portion and extending transverse to the second major side surface portion;

at least one longitudinal wall portion disposed on the second major side surface portion and extending transverse to both the at least one lateral wall portion and the second major side surface portion of the base to provide rigidity to the media cassette loader;

(i) the at least one lateral wall portion includes at least two lateral wall portions disposed on the second major side surface portion and extending transverse to the second major side surface portion; and

(ii) the at least one longitudinal wall portion includes at least two longitudinal wall portions disposed on the second major side surface portion and extending transverse to both the at least two lateral wall portions and the second major side surface portion of the base to provide rigidity to the media cassette loader; and

a removal longitudinal handle for enabling a replenisher to remove the media cassette loader from the cassette body of the media cassette after the cassette body has been placed over a stack of media items on the media cassette loader to surround the stack of media items and the combined unit of the media cassette loader and the media cassette has been rotated to a position which allows the replenisher to remove the media cassette loader from the cassette body of the media cassette and thereby to transfer the stack of media items from the media cassette loader to the media cassette, wherein the removable longitudinal handle extends transverse between the at least two lateral wall portions and extends substantially parallel to the at least two longitudinal wall portions.

14. A media cassette loader according to claim 13 , further comprising:

a first support handle disposed on a first side wall portion of the media cassette loader; and

a second support handle disposed on an opposite second side wall portion of the media cassette loader, wherein the first and second support handles extend substantially parallel to the media loading surface and are located such that the first and second support handles abut to upper edges on longitudinal sides of the media cassette body when a media cassette body is placed over the media loading surface.

Assignments (10)