Concealed Air Intake Layout for Printer Cooling and Appearance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing image forming apparatuses face issues with air intake ports that deteriorate the appearance and fail to provide sufficient cooling due to their placement on exterior surfaces, leading to inadequate airflow for effective temperature regulation.
Innovation Solution
The apparatus incorporates an air intake port disposed within the apparatus body, overlapped with a cover member and storage portion cover, ensuring efficient airflow while maintaining a sleek appearance by concealing the port when closed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If the air intake port is disposed on the side cover or curved surface, then the cooling function is provided, but the appearance property is deteriorated
Solution Approach 1:
The air intake port is extracted from the exterior surface (side cover or curved surface) and repositioned to the interior body portion, removing the harmful visual impact while preserving the cooling function. The port is now located on the body portion and covered by the cover member and storage portion cover, achieving aesthetic improvement without sacrificing cooling performance.
2Shape
If the air intake port is disposed on the curved surface, then the appearance property is maintained, but the cooling efficiency is insufficient due to small area
Solution Approach 1:
The air intake port is relocated from the curved surface (exterior) to the body portion (interior), changing the spatial dimension of the port's location. This dimensional shift allows the port to be covered by the cover member and storage portion cover, maintaining appearance while enabling a larger effective area for air intake and improving cooling efficiency.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the air intake port is disposed on the side cover, then the cooling function is provided, but the appearance property is deteriorated
Solution Approach 1:
The air intake port is extracted from the exterior surface (side cover) and repositioned to the interior body portion, removing the harmful visual impact while preserving the cooling function. The port is now located on the body portion and covered by the cover member and storage portion cover, achieving aesthetic improvement without sacrificing cooling performance.
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 allows for effective cooling of internal components while preserving the aesthetic integrity of the device, enhancing cooling efficiency without compromising design aesthetics.
Implementation Method 1
an air blowing portion disposed within the apparatus body and configured to generate an airflow
Implementation Method 2
an air intake port through which air taken in by the air blowing portion passes
Data Source
AI summary
An image forming apparatus includes an apparatus body, a sheet storage portion, and an air blowing portion disposed within the apparatus body. The apparatus body includes a body portion oriented toward an upstream side in an attaching direction of the sheet storage portion, the body portion including an air intake port, and a cover member provided to be openable and closable with respect to the body portion. The sheet storage portion includes a storage portion body and a storage portion cover. In a state where the cover member is closed with respect to the body portion and the sheet storage portion is attached to the apparatus body, the air intake port is disposed to be overlapped with the cover member and the storage portion cover when viewed in the attaching direction and is covered by the cover member and the storage portion cover.