Conveyance Unit Cassette Lever Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing conveyance units in image forming apparatuses, such as copiers and printers, require wasteful time and energy to return the eccentric cam to its reference position when the sheet feed cassette is reattached, leading to inefficient operation.
Innovation Solution
A conveyance unit with a cassette and a conveyance interlocked part, featuring a lever, pressing mechanism, and support member, which allows the lift plate to be kept at a lowered position when the cassette is attached and prevents the lever from dropping when detached, thereby reducing energy consumption and improving attachment efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the eccentric cam is used to press down the lift plate in the conventional conveyance unit, then the lift plate can be pressed down to the vicinity of the lowest point, but when the sheet feed cassette is detached and reattached, the eccentric cam becomes disengaged from the cam follower and requires additional rotation to return to the reference position, consuming wasteful time and energy
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the eccentric cam mechanism from the conveyance unit and replaces it with a lever that is integrally formed with the cassette. This eliminates the need for the eccentric cam to be re-engaged with the cam follower when the cassette is reattached, as the lever automatically returns to its initial position upon cassette insertion, thereby removing the wasteful time and energy consumption associated with returning the eccentric cam to its reference position.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces a lever as an intermediary component between the cassette and the lift plate. The lever is configured to be pushed down by a pressing mechanism (such as a spring) to press the lift plate against the bottom plate. When the cassette is detached, the lever is disengaged from the lift plate and automatically returns to its initial position due to the pressing mechanism, serving as a mediator that eliminates the need for manual or mechanical resetting of the eccentric cam system.
2Device complexity
If the eccentric cam is used to control the lift plate, then the lift plate can be pressed down effectively, but the mechanism requires complex interaction between the eccentric cam, cam follower, and spring system
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the eccentric cam and cam follower components from the system and replaces them with a simplified lever mechanism that is integrally formed with the cassette. This reduces the number of interacting parts and simplifies the overall structure while maintaining the reliability of lift plate positioning through the pressing mechanism that ensures the lever returns to its initial position consistently.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention merges the lever with the cassette by making it an integral part of the cassette structure. This combination eliminates the need for separate eccentric cam and cam follower components, reducing device complexity while ensuring that the lever's position is automatically reset when the cassette is reattached, thereby maintaining reliability without complex interactions.
3Ease of operation
If the lever is allowed to drop when the cassette is detached, then the lever can be disengaged from the lift plate, but the lever may fall to an undefined position causing operational issues upon reattachment
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies a pressing mechanism, such as a spring, that exerts a restoring force on the lever to counteract gravity and prevent the lever from dropping to an undefined position when the cassette is detached. This pressing mechanism ensures that the lever automatically returns to and remains in its initial position, maintaining position consistency and reliability upon cassette reattachment while still allowing smooth disengagement during normal operation.
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 solution enhances the efficiency of the conveyance process by minimizing energy wastage and facilitating smoother cassette attachment, ensuring consistent operation and reduced mechanical stress.
Implementation Method 1
The biasing member biases the lift plate to the raised position so as to cause the sheet on the lift plate to contact with a pickup roller
Implementation Method 2
The support member is provided between the apparatus body and the lever so as to suppress a drop of the lever disengaged from the lift plate when the cassette is detached from the apparatus body
Data Source
AI summary
A conveyance unit includes a cassette removably attached to an apparatus body and a conveyance interlocked part provided in the apparatus body. The cassette includes a sheet storage part for storing a sheet, a lift plate liftably provided between a lowered position and a raised position and a biasing member for biasing the sheet to contact with a pickup roller. The conveyance interlocked part includes a lever for engaging with the lift plate when the cassette is attached to the apparatus body and being liftable together with the lift plate, a pressing mechanism for pressing the lever downward, and a support member provided between the apparatus body and the lever so as to suppress a drop of the lever disengaged from the lift plate when the cassette is detached from the apparatus body.