Attachment Assist Device for Safer Retractable Unit Insertion
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Summary
Problems
Existing image forming apparatuses face challenges in efficiently and safely inserting retractable units, such as sheet trays, due to resistive forces, which can lead to increased insertion force requirements and potential damage, failing to meet accessibility standards for users with disabilities.
Innovation solutions
An attachment assist device with an engagement member and catch portion, along with a drawing unit, is used to guide the retractable unit into position, optimizing the engagement position to reduce the force required for insertion and prevent damage by aligning with the action points of resistive forces.
TRIZ Analysis
Specific contradictions:
General conflict description:
Principle concept:
If the sheet tray is made heavy to ensure stability and proper positioning, then the sheet tray can be securely held in place, but the user has to press the sheet tray with greater force to insert it, which may cause impact damage
Why choose this principle:
A drawing mechanism acts as an intermediary between the user and the sheet tray. The mechanism includes a pivotable arm that engages with an engagement pin on the sheet tray, and a toggle spring that provides drawing force to pull the sheet tray into the main body, reducing the direct force the user must apply
Principle concept:
If the sheet tray is made heavy to ensure stability and proper positioning, then the sheet tray can be securely held in place, but the user has to press the sheet tray with greater force to insert it, which may cause impact damage
Why choose this principle:
The drawing mechanism performs preliminary action by automatically pulling the sheet tray into the main body using the toggle spring's stored energy. The pivotable arm engages the engagement pin before insertion, and the toggle spring pre-charges to provide the necessary drawing force, so the user doesn't need to apply excessive force during insertion
Application Domain
Data Source
AI summary:
An attachment assist device with an engagement member and catch portion, along with a drawing unit, is used to guide the retractable unit into position, optimizing the engagement position to reduce the force required for insertion and prevent damage by aligning with the action points of resistive forces.
Abstract
An attachment assist device includes an engagement member provided in one of a main body and a retractable unit, a catch portion provided in the other of the two, to engage the engagement member when the retractable unit is positioned at a drawing start position, and a drawing unit provided in the main body, to draw the retractable unit to a drawing completion position in the main body against multiple resistive forces acting on the retractable unit. On a projection plane on which the retractable unit is projected in an attachment direction, an engagement position where the engagement member engages the catch portion is disposed inside a rectangular area defined by two opposing corners respectively positioned at points of action of two of the multiple resistive forces acting on the retractable unit while the retractable unit moves from the drawing start position to the drawing completion position.