Conveyance Guide Locating Mechanism for Image Forming Apparatus
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing image forming apparatuses face instability and inaccuracy in the locating of conveyance guides, leading to unsatisfactory image quality, paper jams, and malfunctions during opening and closing operations due to the lack of a stable operable connection between the transfer roller and conveyance guide.
Innovation Solution
The apparatus includes a main body with a roller locating portion and a guide locating portion, where the conveyance unit is mounted to open and close, featuring a transfer roller unit, a conveyance guide, and a biasing member that ensures accurate abutment of the conveyance guide with the guide locating portion using a torsion spring to prevent misalignment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the conveyance guide is fixed to the main body, then accurate locating of the conveyance guide is enabled, but releasing a jam becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The conveyance guide is made movable relative to the main body through a guide shaft that allows limited movement. The guide shaft can move along the conveyance guide when jam release is needed, enabling the conveyance guide to be separated from the paper jam while maintaining accurate locating during normal operation through the locating projection and locating hole mechanism
Solution Approach 2:
The locating mechanism is segmented into a movable locating projection on the guide shaft and a stationary locating hole on the main body. This segmentation allows the conveyance guide to be separated into independent movable and fixed components, enabling both accurate locating and easy jam release
2Ease of operation
If the conveyance guide is fixed to the conveyance unit and displaced towards the main body, then operation characteristics for releasing jam are ensured, but deviation in the disposition of the conveyance guide results from component deviation of the conveyance unit
Solution Approach 1:
The guide shaft acts as an intermediary component between the conveyance guide and the main body. It provides a stable reference through the locating projection that interfaces with the locating hole on the main body, eliminating the effect of conveyance unit component deviation on conveyance guide positioning while still allowing jam release movement
3Measurement precision
If a locating projection is inserted into a locating hole to position the conveyance guide, then the conveyance guide is positioned on the main body, but stable operable connection between the transfer roller and conveyance guide is lacking
Solution Approach 1:
The locating mechanism is merged with the transfer roller assembly. The guide shaft is rotatably supported by the transfer roller, and the locating projection on the guide shaft works together with the locating hole to provide both positioning and operational stability. This merging ensures that the conveyance guide maintains stable connection during opening and closing operations
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 ensures stable and accurate abutment of the conveyance guide with the guide locating portion, reducing the risk of paper jams and improving image quality by maintaining precise alignment during opening and closing operations.
Implementation Method 1
a biasing member that biases the conveyance guide toward the guide locating portion
Implementation Method 2
using a torsion spring to prevent misalignment
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
An image forming apparatus include a main body (2) and a conveyance unit (3). The main body includes an image carrier forming a toner image on a surface, a roller locating portion formed on both axial ends of the image carrier, and a guide locating portion (6) formed in proximity to the roller locating portion. The conveyance unit is mounted to open and close on the main body, and includes a transfer roller unit, a conveyance guide (12), and a biasing member. The transfer roller unit has a transfer roller (25) forming a transfer nip portion (24) with the image carrier, and a separation lever configured to provide pivotal support for the transfer roller and being disposed to rotate. The conveyance guide is configured to guide a sheet of paper to the transfer nip portion, includes a regulating portion (41). The biasing member is configured to bias the conveyance guide toward the guide locating portion.