Conveying Guide Interlock Prevents Damage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Image forming apparatuses with conveying guides in door portions face issues of damage when users attempt to close the door without canceling independent holding or when the conveying guide contacts the apparatus body during closure, leading to potential breakage or damage.
Innovation Solution
A sheet conveying apparatus with a rotatably supported conveying guide that can be held in an open position and interlocks to close automatically when the conveyance unit is mounted back into the apparatus body, preventing damage by ensuring the guide is properly closed during door closure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of repair
If the conveying guide is independently held in an open state for jam recovery, then maintenance properties are improved, but the conveying guide may be damaged if the door is closed without canceling independent holding
Solution Approach 1:
The interlock portion is activated in advance when the door is closed, automatically canceling the independent holding state before the conveying guide could potentially be damaged. This preliminary action prevents the harmful condition of closing the door while the conveying guide remains in the open state.
Solution Approach 2:
The interlock portion acts as an intermediary mechanism between the door closing operation and the conveying guide state. It mediates the interaction by automatically canceling independent holding when the door is closed, preventing direct damage to the conveying guide while maintaining the ease of repair function.
2Volume of moving object
If the conveying guide is provided in a door portion for compact design, then apparatus size is reduced, but the conveying guide is vulnerable to damage during door closure
Solution Approach 1:
The interlock portion serves as a protective intermediary that automatically activates when the door is closed, canceling the independent holding state and preventing the conveying guide from contacting the apparatus body during closure.
Solution Approach 2:
The interlock portion applies preliminary anti-action by canceling independent holding before the harmful contact between the conveying guide and apparatus body can occur during door closure, thus preventing damage while maintaining compact design.
3Ease of operation
If the conveying guide is allowed to close manually after independent holding is canceled, then ease of operation is improved, but the conveying guide may contact the apparatus body before complete closure
Solution Approach 1:
The interlock portion acts as an intermediary that ensures the conveying guide is properly closed before the door can be fully closed. It mediates the closure sequence to prevent the conveying guide from contacting the apparatus body during door closure.
Data Source
AI summary
A sheet conveying apparatus of the present invention includes an apparatus body, a conveyance unit which is movably supported by the apparatus body toward an outside of the apparatus body, and includes a sheet conveying path, a conveying guide which forms the sheet conveying path, and is rotatably supported on the conveyance unit wherein in a state that the conveyance unit moves to the outside, the conveying guide can be held in an opening position where the sheet conveying path is opened, and an interlock portion which causes a closure of the conveying guide held in the opening position through interlocking with an operation of mounting the conveyance unit in the apparatus body.