Cover Gear Control for Safe Automatic Opening and Closing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing opening and closing devices for electronic apparatuses, such as image forming devices, face issues with excessive motor and transmission mechanism load due to errors in rotation stop positions and excessive rotation, leading to potential noise and breakage, as well as user safety concerns when the cover is closing.
Innovation Solution
The device incorporates a cover gear, a driving source, a biasing element, and a control portion that allows the cover to rotate in both directions, with the biasing element assisting the cover's motion and the control portion stopping the driving source after a predetermined angle, thereby reducing the load on the motor and ensuring safe operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the motor rotates excessively to securely close the cover, then the cover closing reliability is improved, but the motor load becomes excessively large causing noise and potential breakage
Solution Approach 1:
The control portion monitors the rotation angle of the cover gear and automatically stops the motor when a predetermined angle is reached, preventing excessive rotation and reducing motor load while ensuring reliable cover closing
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the control parameter from continuous rotation to controlled rotation with automatic stop at a predetermined angle, optimizing both reliability and motor load
2Reliability
If the rotation stop position of the motor is changed due to mounting errors, then the system adaptability is reduced, but the motor load becomes excessively large
Solution Approach 1:
The control portion uses feedback on the cover gear rotation angle to stop the motor at the correct position regardless of mounting errors, preventing excessive load while maintaining safe operation
Solution Approach 2:
The system self-corrects for mounting errors by monitoring the actual rotation angle of the cover gear and adjusting the stop position accordingly, eliminating the need for precise pre-positioning
3Extent of automation
If the cover is closed automatically without manual operation, then the automation level is improved, but the safety risk increases when a user's finger may be caught
Solution Approach 1:
The control portion monitors the cover gear rotation angle and automatically stops the closing operation when a predetermined angle is reached, preventing complete closure that could trap a finger while maintaining automated operation
Solution Approach 2:
The system preemptively stops the closing action before the cover can fully close and potentially trap a finger, eliminating the hazard before it can occur
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 efficient and safe automatic opening and closing of the cover without overloading the motor and transmission mechanism, preventing abnormal noise and breakage, while also ensuring user safety by allowing easy release if a finger is caught during closure.
Implementation Method 1
When the cover is in a position close to the closed state, an elastic force of a twisted coil spring acts on the cover in a closing direction, and when the cover is in a position close to the open state, the elastic force of the twisted coil spring acts on the cover in an opening direction
Data Source
AI summary
An opening and closing device includes a cover gear, a driving source, a cover, a biasing element, and a control portion. The cover gear is rotatably supported in both forward and backward directions. The driving source selectively provides rotation to the cover gear in both the forward and backward directions. The cover is rotatably supported to allow motion in both the forward and backward directions between first and second positions. The biasing element transmits the rotation of the cover gear to the cover while biasing the cover in a predetermined direction from the first position to the second position. The control portion stops the rotation of the driving source, in a case in which the driving source is rotated to move the cover in the predetermined direction, when the cover gear rotates in the predetermined direction by a predetermined angle after the cover has reached the second position.