Printer having geared media pick-up roller

Abstract

A printer is provided having a sheet media transport mechanism, a pick-up roller arranged to be rotated so as to contact and pick-up sheet media from a sheet media supply, and a gear assembly for communicating a driving force of a motor to the pick-up roller to rotate the pick-up roller. A first gear of the gear assembly is directly coupled with a second gear of the gear assembly which is concentric with the pick-up roller. The first gear is configured to disengage from the second gear substantially at the point of delivery of a leading edge of the picked sheet media to the sheet media transport mechanism so as to cease communication of the driving force of the motor to the pick-up roller.

1 . A printer comprising:
 a sheet media transport mechanism;   a pick-up roller arranged to be rotated so as to contact and pick-up sheet media from a sheet media supply and   a gear assembly for communicating a driving force of a motor to the pick-up roller to rotate the pick-up roller,   wherein a first gear of the gear assembly is directly coupled with a second gear of the gear assembly which is concentric with the pick-up roller, the first gear being configured to disengage from the second gear substantially at the point of delivery of a leading edge of the picked sheet media to the sheet media transport mechanism so as to cease communication of the driving force of the motor to the pick-up roller.   
   
   
       2 . A printer according to  claim 1 , wherein the gear assembly is configured to deliver a gearing ratio of 50:1 from the motor to the pick-up roller. 
   
   
       3 . A printer according to  claim 1 , wherein the motor is configured to deliver a maximum torque of 2 mNm. 
   
   
       4 . A printer according to  claim 1 , wherein the first gear re-engages with the second gear substantially at the point of a trailing edge of the picked sheet media leaving contact with the pick-up roller. 
   
   
       5 . A printer according to  claim 4 , wherein the first gear is pivotable relative to the second gear so as to disengage and re-engage therewith. 
   
   
       6 . A printer according to  claim 1 , wherein the pick-up roller incorporates a grip material for gripping the sheet media. 
   
   
       7 . A printer according to  claim 6 , wherein the grip material is rubber. 
   
   
       8 . A printer according to  claim 7 , wherein the sheet media is 100 mm by 150 mm photo paper.