Image Forming Apparatus With Bottom-Access Circuit Board Replacement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing image forming apparatuses require a wide opening of the main housing's bottom surface for circuit board replacement, making it difficult and inconvenient.
Innovation Solution
The design includes a removable first circuit board installed through an opening in the main housing's bottom surface between the side covers, with a cover to prevent dust entry and a holder for easy installation/removal, along with a metal plate guide for stability and connectors for easy electrical connection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of repair
If the bottom surface of the main housing is widely opened to replace the circuit board, then the circuit board can be replaced, but the ease of replacement is reduced due to complex disassembly requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The housing is segmented into modular components: the main housing body, removable side covers, and a bottom cover that can be independently removed. This segmentation allows the circuit board to be accessed by simply removing the bottom cover rather than disassembling the entire housing structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The bottom cover is extracted as a separate removable component from the main housing structure. This extracted component provides direct access to the circuit board mounting area, enabling easy replacement without requiring disassembly of other housing parts.
2Ease of repair
If an opening is provided in the bottom surface for circuit board installation, then the circuit board can be replaced from the bottom surface, but dust may enter the main housing through the opening
Solution Approach 1:
A cover component acts as an intermediary element that can be removed to expose the opening for circuit board replacement, and can be restored to close the opening and prevent dust ingress. This mediator component enables both access and protection functions.
Solution Approach 2:
The bottom cover transitions from a closed state (preventing dust ingress) to an open state (enabling circuit board replacement). This dynamic state change allows the housing to adapt between protection mode and maintenance mode.
3Strength
If the cover is positioned above the contact surface when closed, then force is restrained from being exerted on the cover, but the cover may protrude outward when open
Solution Approach 1:
The cover is designed with differentiated local properties: its bottom surface includes a contact portion that interfaces with the housing body and a top surface that can be positioned at different heights. This local quality differentiation allows the cover to be restrained when closed while enabling controlled positioning when open.
Solution Approach 2:
Guiding structures are preliminarily provided within the housing body to guide the cover's movement and positioning. These guiding structures pre-establish the correct path and final position of the cover, preventing protrusion outward while maintaining ease of operation.
Data Source
AI summary
An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit, a main housing, a sheet tray, and a first circuit board removably installed in the main housing. The main housing accommodates the image forming unit and has a bottom surface, a first side surface on one side, and a second side surface on another side. A first side cover forms the first side surface, and a second side cover of the image forming unit forms the second side surface. The sheet tray is positioned between the first side cover and the second side cover in a first direction. The main housing includes an opening in the bottom surface between the first side cover and the sheet tray in the first direction. The opening allows communication between outside and inside of the main housing and allows the first circuit board to pass therethrough when it is being installed into the main housing.