Balanced Cable Routing for Reading Unit Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Image reading apparatuses experience a decrease in reading accuracy due to cable loads acting on carriages mounting reading sensors, causing them to incline during movement, which affects the accuracy of image reading.
Innovation Solution
The image reading apparatus includes a conveyance unit, a casing with a transparent member, a reading unit with a support shaft, and cables held on opposite sides of the shaft to balance rotational moments, preventing carriage inclination and maintaining reading accuracy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If cables are disposed on one side with respect to the sliding shaft, then cable routing is simplified, but the carriage becomes inclined due to unbalanced cable loads
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies asymmetry by intentionally creating symmetric cable routing (opposite to the asymmetric single-side disposition) to balance the loads on the carriage. By disposing cables on both sides of the sliding shaft, the system achieves load symmetry that prevents carriage inclination, thereby maintaining reading accuracy while still providing practical cable routing.
2Ease of manufacture
If cables are disposed on one side with respect to the sliding shaft, then installation is easier, but reading accuracy decreases due to carriage inclination
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the counterweight principle by positioning cables on opposite sides of the sliding shaft to create balanced opposing forces. This symmetric arrangement acts as a mechanical counterbalance that prevents the carriage from inclining during movement, thereby maintaining reading accuracy without significantly complicating the installation process.
3Measurement precision
If cables are held on opposite sides of the support shaft, then carriage inclination is prevented, but cable routing becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies equipotentiality by creating a balanced cable routing system where both sides of the sliding shaft have equivalent cable paths and load characteristics. This symmetric configuration ensures that the carriage operates in a mechanically balanced state during movement, preventing inclination and maintaining reading accuracy while keeping the overall system complexity manageable.
Data Source
AI summary
An image reading apparatus includes a conveyance unit, a casing, a reading unit, a support shaft, a first cable, and a second cable. The reading unit includes a reading sensor configured to read an image of the sheet conveyed in the conveyance path through the transparent member. The support shaft supports the reading unit in a manner of moving in a moving direction orthogonal to a longitudinal direction of the reading unit. The first cable is connected to a first connecting portion disposed in the reading unit, the first cable being held by the reading unit on one side in the longitudinal direction with respect to the support shaft. The second cable is connected to a second connecting portion disposed in the reading unit, the second cable being held by the reading unit on the other side in the longitudinal direction with respect to the support shaft.