Inventors:
Roy Lyman - Coventry RI, US
Gregory Panebianco - E. Greenwich RI, US
Stephen Petersen - Lincoln RI, US
International Classification:
B41J 3/36
Abstract:
The present invention provides a docking station and an associated method for docking a portable printer. The portable printer has a printhead, media drive, and media support externally configured to be latched onto the docking station, and the docking station is adapted for convenient one-hand docking and undocking of the portable printer. The docking station includes a base member having a first surface configured to receive the portable printer, and a latching mechanism including a manually operable actuator and coupled thereto one or more latches adapted to automatically engage and securely dock the portable printer on the first surface of the base member when the printer is positioned on the first surface. The actuator is capable of actuating the latch to unlatch a latched printer and to bias the printer upwardly for removal of the printer from the station.