Loading next media sheet while current media sheet is being ejected

Abstract

Subsequent to completion of printing on a current media sheet, a pick transmission of the printing device linking a motor of the printing device to a pick roller of the printing device is engaged to load a next media sheet via the motor driving the pick roller. While the next media sheet is being loaded due to the motor driving the pick roller, the current media sheet is ejected via the motor driving an eject roller of the printing device.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A non-transitory computer-readable data storage medium storing program code executable by a printing device to perform processing comprising:
 subsequent to completion of printing on a current media sheet, engaging a pick transmission of the printing device linking a motor of the printing device to a pick roller of the printing device to load a next media sheet via the motor driving the pick roller; and   while the next media sheet is being loaded due to the motor driving the pick roller, ejecting the current media sheet via the motor driving an eject roller of the printing device.   
     
     
         2 . The non-transitory computer-readable data storage medium of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the motor drives both the pick roller when the pick transmission is engaged and the eject roller.   
     
     
         3 . The non-transitory computer-readable data storage medium of  claim 1 , wherein the processing further comprising:
 upon loading of the next media sheet, disengaging the pick transmission, causing the motor to cease driving the pick roller;   subsequent to disengagement of the pick transmission, advancing the next media sheet via the motor driving both a turn roller of the printing device and a feed roller of the printing device; and   while the next media sheet is being advanced, printing on the next media sheet.   
     
     
         4 . The non-transitory computer-readable data storage medium of  claim 1 , wherein the pick transmission is engaged subsequent to completion of printing on a second side of the current media sheet after a first side of the current media sheet has been printed, the current media sheet being duplex printed,
 and wherein prior to being engaged, the pick transmission is disengaged and the motor does not drive the pick roller.   
     
     
         5 . The non-transitory computer-readable data storage medium of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 subsequent to completion of printing on the first side of the current media sheet, partially ejecting the current media sheet via the motor driving the eject roller;   loading the current media sheet into a duplex printing path of the printing device via the motor driving the eject roller in a reverse direction;   advancing the current media sheet via the motor driving both a turn roller of the printing device and a feed roller of the printing device; and   while the current media sheet is being advanced, printing on the second side of the current media sheet.   
     
     
         6 . The non-transitory computer-readable data storage medium of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 prior to partially ejecting the current media sheet, engaging the pick transmission to load the current media sheet via the motor driving the pick roller;   upon loading of the current media sheet, disengaging the pick transmission;   subsequent to disengagement of the pick transmission, advancing the current media sheet via the motor driving both the turn roller and the feed roller; and   while the current media sheet is being advanced, printing on the first side of the current media sheet.   
     
     
         7 . The non-transitory computer-readable data storage medium of  claim 1 , wherein the pick transmission of the printing device is engaged subsequent to completion of printing on a first side of the current media sheet, the current media sheet being simplex printed, and the current media sheet having a thickness greater than a plain paper thickness and/or the current media sheet being printed in a higher than default quality mode,
 and wherein prior to being engaged, the pick transmission is disengaged and the motor does not drive the pick roller.   
     
     
         8 . The non-transitory computer-readable data storage medium of  claim 1 , wherein engagement of the pick transmission causes no more than a threshold amount of reverse motion of the current media sheet, corresponding to a distance between a print zone of the printing device and a feed roller driven by the motor to advance the current media sheet through the print zone. 
     
     
         9 . The non-transitory computer-readable data storage medium of  claim 1 , wherein a hold time of a print carriage of the printing device during engagement of the pick transmission is less than a threshold length of time. 
     
     
         10 . A printing device comprising:
 print hardware to print on a current media sheet within a print zone;   a motor;   a feed roller driven by the motor to advance the current media sheet through the print zone;   an eject roller driven by the motor to eject the current media sheet subsequent to completion of printing on the current media sheet;   a pick roller to load a next media sheet when driven by the motor;   a pick transmission linking the motor to the pick roller, engagement of the pick transmission causing the motor to drive the pick roller, and disengagement of the pick transmission causing the motor to cease driving the pick roller; and   a controller to, subsequent to the completion of printing on the current media sheet, engage the pick transmission to load the next media sheet while the current media sheet is being ejected.   
     
     
         11 . The printing device of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 a turn roller driven by the motor to advance the current media sheet through the print zone in conjunction with the feed roller.   
     
     
         12 . The printing device of  claim 10 , wherein the controller is to engage the pick transmission to load the next media sheet while the current media sheet is being ejected subsequent to completion of printing on a second side of the current media sheet after a first side of the current media sheet has been printed, the current media sheet being duplex printed,
 and wherein the controller is to, subsequent to completion of printing on the first side of the current media sheet and the current media sheet has been partially ejected, drive the eject roller in a reverse direction to load the current media sheet into a duplex printing path.   
     
     
         13 . The printing device of  claim 10 , wherein the controller is to engage the pick transmission to load the next media sheet while the current media sheet is being ejected subsequent to completion of printing on a first side of the current media sheet, the current media sheet being simplex printed, and the current media sheet having a thickness greater than a plain paper thickness and/or the current media sheet being printed in a non-draft mode,
 and wherein prior to being engaged, the pick transmission is disengaged and the motor does not drive the pick roller.   
     
     
         14 . The printing device of  claim 10 , wherein the engagement of the pick transmission causes no more than a threshold amount of reverse motion of the current media sheet, corresponding to a distance between the print zone and the feed roller. 
     
     
         15 . The printing device of  claim 10 , wherein the print hardware comprises a print carriage having a hold time during the engagement of the pick transmission less than a threshold length of time.