Cantilevered Roller Transport Guide for Paper Jam Reduction

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional paper feed devices in image forming apparatuses face issues with sheet transport, particularly with inflexible or curled sheets, leading to bending or paper jams due to the complexity of attaching a transport guide member, which often results in the retaining ring being misplaced or causing apparatus failure.

Innovation Solution

A paper feed device design featuring a pickup roller and paper feed roller cantilever-supported at one end, with a transport guide member that includes a roller movement regulation portion and a sheet guide portion to maintain the distance between the rollers and guide the sheet effectively, eliminating the need for a retaining ring and enhancing sheet transport performance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a transport guide member is attached to the shaft portion of the paper feed roller using a retaining ring, then the sheet transport performance is improved, but the device complexity increases and the retaining ring may be dropped or cause apparatus failure

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesheet transport performanceVSAvoidattachment complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The transport guide member is merged with the paper feed roller assembly by integrating it into the roller support structure. The guide member is positioned and secured using the existing roller mounting mechanism, eliminating the need for separate retaining rings and reducing the number of discrete components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The roller support structure serves multiple functions: it supports the paper feed roller, positions the transport guide member, and provides structural stability. By making the support structure multi-functional, the patent eliminates the need for dedicated retaining rings and reduces overall device complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Reliability

If a retaining ring is used to attach the transport guide member, then the sheet transport performance is improved, but the ease of operation deteriorates due to troublesome attachment and risk of dropping components

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesheet transport performanceVSAvoidattachment convenience

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The transport guide member is merged with the paper feed roller assembly by integrating it into the roller support structure. The guide member is positioned and secured using the existing roller mounting mechanism, eliminating the need for separate retaining rings and reducing the number of discrete components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The roller support structure performs its own function of securing the transport guide member through its inherent design. The support structure's geometry and positioning features automatically hold the guide member in place during assembly, eliminating the need for separate retaining operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Reliability

If a retaining ring is used to attach the transport guide member, then the sheet transport performance is improved, but the loss of substance increases due to risk of retaining ring being dropped or causing apparatus failure

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesheet transport performanceVSAvoidretaining ring failure risk

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The transport guide member is merged with the paper feed roller assembly by integrating it into the roller support structure. The guide member is positioned and secured using the existing roller mounting mechanism, eliminating the need for separate retaining rings and reducing the number of discrete components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The harmful retaining ring component is completely removed from the system. Instead of using a separate retaining ring that could be dropped or cause failure, the patent extracts this problematic element and replaces it with an integrated support structure that achieves the same function without the harmful component.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentUS9766581B2Paper feed device and image forming apparatus

Publication Date: 2017.09.19 KONICA MINOLTA INC

AI summary

A paper feed device of an image forming apparatus includes: a pickup roller which contacts, from above, the uppermost sheet of sheets stacked in a paper feed cassette so as to feed out the sheet; a paper feed roller which further feeds the sheet to the downstream side in a transport direction; and a pickup holder which supports the pickup roller. The pickup roller and the paper feed roller are cantilever-supported at one ends of shaft portions which penetrate the centers of shaft lines. On the free ends of the shaft portions thereof, a transport guide member is provided that includes: a roller movement regulation portion which holds the shaft portions and which regulates the movements of the rollers in the direction of the shaft lines; and a sheet guide portion which guides the transport of the sheet between the pickup roller and the paper feed roller.