Automatic Document Feeder Positioning via Protruding Guide Portions
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing automatic document feeders face challenges in achieving accurate clearance for document passage due to interposed frame surfaces, which complicates the adjustment and precision of the document feeding path.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a movable first unit with protruding portions that contact the surface forming the document feeding path, utilizing torsion springs for urging and positioning, and strategically placed locking portions to enhance clearance accuracy and prevent deformation, allowing for precise document feeding.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a frame surface is interposed between the inside portion guide member and the first cover portion for positioning, then the structure is simplified and easier to manufacture, but the accuracy of clearance for document passage deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the positioning function from the frame surface and relocates it to protruding portions on the guide member. This separation allows the frame surface to be removed from the clearance path, eliminating its negative impact on positioning accuracy while maintaining the simplicity of the overall structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The protruding portions serve as an intermediary element that transfers the positioning function from the frame surface to the guide member. These protruding portions contact the first cover portion directly, providing precise positioning without requiring the frame surface to be part of the clearance path.
2Ease of operation
If the first cover portion is made freely rockable for easy opening and closing, then the ease of operation is improved, but the positioning accuracy of the cover portion deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service positioning through the protruding portions that automatically engage with the first cover portion when it is closed. The rockable connection allows easy opening and closing, while the protruding portions automatically provide precise positioning without requiring manual adjustment or complex locking mechanisms.
3Manufacturing precision
If the protruding portions are positioned far from the pivot to increase clearance accuracy, then the accuracy of document passage is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The protruding portions serve multiple functions: they provide positioning accuracy for the first cover portion, maintain the required clearance for document passage, and work with the rockable connection to enable easy operation. This multi-functionality achieves high positioning accuracy without increasing device complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This configuration increases the accuracy of document passage through the feeding path by positioning the units with torsion springs and maintaining compactness, while ensuring smooth feeding and easy jam removal, even with a reading unit present.
Implementation Method 1
the urging members each be a torsion spring, the torsion springs each have a winding portion that is wound around the pivot
Data Source
AI summary
An upstream-side unit of a reading unit of an automatic document feeder has protruding portions that protrude toward a surface that forms a document feeding path in a mechanism body unit on both sides of a document in the width direction outside a feeding portion that forms the document feeding path. Positioning of the upstream-side unit provided so as to be rotatable with respect to the mechanism body unit is performed by making protruding portions come in contact with a guide surface of the mechanism body unit, the guide surface forming the document feeding path. By adopting this configuration, because the protruding portions provided on both sides of the document in the width direction outside the document feeding path are used to perform positioning, it is possible to increase the accuracy of clearance for allowing a document to pass through the document feeding path.