The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jul. 12, 2005
Filed:
Mar. 12, 2004
Masahiko Yamada, Omi-mura, JP;
Hideki Kawakami, Hara-machi, JP;
Masahiko Yamada, Omi-mura, JP;
Hideki Kawakami, Hara-machi, JP;
Seiko Epson Corporation, , JP;
Abstract
A locking/unlocking mechanism for an operable cover of a body such as a printer to lock and unlock the body with a single operation and to a printer having an operable cover and a locking/unlocking mechanism for the operable cover. The operable cover is locked when a cover side engaging part in the cover engages a body-side engaging part in the body. The printer has a cover opening buttonwhich is depressed to a first operating positionB, causing a locking leverin the locking/unlocking mechanismto slide from a locked positionA to an unlocked positionB. The locking lever has an engaging channelwhich releases the cover-side engaging partof the operable cover, thereby disengaging the operable coverbut not opening it. When the cover opening buttonis further depressed to a second (final) operating positionC, the locking leverswings vertically pivoting on a guide pin, which causes a cover-lifting surfaceof the locking leverto push the cover-side engaging partof the operable coverupward which opens the operable cover. The operable coveris thus both unlocked and opened by simply pressing the cover opening button