Image Processing Apparatus Cover Locking and Maintenance Notification

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing image processing apparatuses lack effective notification mechanisms to alert users of critical maintenance events, leading to potential apparatus failure and user confusion during maintenance procedures.

Innovation Solution

An image processing apparatus with a control method that displays specific screens and moving images to notify users of maintenance events, locking mechanisms to prevent accidental opening of covers, and a flowchart-based procedure to manage the display of maintenance instructions, ensuring users attend to necessary steps before proceeding with maintenance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If a moving image is displayed to guide maintenance operations, then the expressivity and information amount are improved, but the user may not be notified of critical precautions beforehand

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemaintenance informationVSAvoidapparatus safety
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system displays a precaution notification screen before showing the maintenance moving image. This preliminary action ensures users are warned of critical precautions (such as not forcing open locked covers) before they begin maintenance operations, thereby preventing apparatus damage while still providing comprehensive maintenance guidance through the subsequent moving image display

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If a cover is locked to prevent erroneous operation, then the apparatus reliability is improved, but the user may attempt to forcibly open it without being aware

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveapparatus safetyVSAvoiduser awareness
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system provides visual feedback by displaying a precaution notification that explicitly informs users when a cover is locked and why. This feedback mechanism ensures users understand the locking state before attempting any operation, preventing forced opening attempts while maintaining the protective locking function

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

3Productivity

If maintenance procedures are presented without preliminary notifications, then the operation speed is improved, but the user may perform incorrect operations

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemaintenance efficiencyVSAvoidoperation accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system displays a brief precaution notification screen before transitioning to the maintenance moving image. This preliminary action adds minimal time overhead while significantly improving operation accuracy by ensuring users understand critical precautions before beginning maintenance tasks

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP3193214B1Image processing apparatus, method for controlling the same, and program
Publication Date: 2021.03.17 CANON KK
  • EP3193214B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3193214B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3193214B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

An image processing apparatus locks a particular cover so as not to be opened based on a particular jam being detected, and displays a particular screen for notifying a user that the particular cover is locked.