Cartridge Support Member Pivot Mechanism for Printer
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Solution Overview
Problem
The design of color laser printers with a support member that is pulled out along an upward slope to the horizontal makes it difficult for users to replace cartridges due to the downstream end being higher than the upstream end.
Innovation Solution
An image forming device with a main casing and a cartridge support member that is pivotable about a fulcrum part near the upstream portion, allowing it to move from an internal position to an external position and then to a cartridge mounting position where the cartridges can be easily installed or removed, with the support member tilting to facilitate user access.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the support member is pulled out along an upward slope to the horizontal, then the downstream end is higher than the upstream end, but this makes the operation of replacing cartridges more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The support member is designed to be movable between a pulled-out state (where it slopes upward) and a cartridge mounting state (where it is tilted downward). This dynamic reconfiguration allows the support member to provide both easy access for users and proper gravitational orientation for cartridge installation, resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and shape configuration.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces a rotational degree of freedom, allowing the support member to pivot between different orientations. By rotating the support member from a horizontal pulled-out position to a tilted mounting position, the system adds dimensional flexibility that enables both the upstream portion to be accessible and the downstream end to be lower than the upstream end during cartridge installation.
2Device complexity
If the support member is pulled out along an upward slope, then the structure is simplified, but the downstream end being higher than the upstream end creates difficulty in cartridge handling
Solution Approach 1:
The support member transitions from a static upward slope configuration to a dynamic system that can pivot between pulled-out and mounting positions. This allows the simple upward slope structure to be maintained when pulled out, while enabling a tilted configuration during cartridge installation, thus maintaining structural simplicity while improving ease of operation.
3Ease of operation
If the support member is designed to pivot about a fulcrum part, then cartridge mounting is facilitated, but the mechanism becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The fulcrum part is integrated directly into the main casing, merging the pivot mechanism with the housing structure. This eliminates the need for separate pivot joints or complex mounting mechanisms, allowing the support member to rotate about a fixed point in the casing while maintaining overall structural simplicity and facilitating easy cartridge mounting.
Data Source
AI summary
An image forming device includes a main casing and a cartridge support member. The main casing provides a fulcrum part. The cartridge support member supports a plurality of cartridges and is movable among an internal position in which the cartridge support member is accommodated in the main casing, an external position in which the cartridge support member is pulled outside the main casing, and a cartridge mounting position. The cartridge support member is slidable in a pulled-out direction from the internal position to the external position, and is pivotable between the external position and the cartridge mounting position. The cartridge support member has an upstream portion and a downstream portion disposed downstream of the upstream portion in the pulled-out direction. The cartridge support member pivots about the fulcrum part positioned near the upstream portion when the cartridge support member moves from the external position to the cartridge mounting position.