Dark Pearskin Top Panel for Image Reading Unit
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Solution Overview
Problem
In image forming apparatuses, it is difficult for users to quickly and precisely place documents on the contact glass due to the lack of visibility between the document and the bright-colored top panel, leading to inaccuracies in document positioning and potential oblique toner images.
Innovation Solution
The top panel of the image reading unit is designed with a dark color to enhance contrast with the document, allowing for easier visual confirmation of the document's placement, and is pearskin-finished to minimize glare from reflected light.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If the top panel is made with a bright color (white or ivory), then the apparatus has a clean and aesthetically pleasing appearance, but it becomes difficult to distinguish the document from the top panel surface
Solution Approach 1:
The top panel surface is changed from a bright color (white or ivory) to a dark color (black or dark gray). This color change creates strong visual contrast between the document and the top panel surface, enabling users to easily and accurately position documents on the contact glass while maintaining aesthetic appearance.
2Illumination intensity
If the top panel is made with a bright color, then the apparatus maintains a clean appearance, but reflected light from the bright surface causes glare and flare that affects image quality
Solution Approach 1:
The top panel surface color is changed from bright to dark to reduce the intensity of reflected light. This minimizes glare and flare effects that would otherwise interfere with the optical reading system and degrade image quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The reflectivity parameter of the top panel surface is changed by selecting a dark-colored material. This parameter change reduces the amount of reflected light entering the optical system, thereby preventing flare and improving image quality.
3Illumination intensity
If the top panel is made with a bright color, then the apparatus has a standard appearance, but dust particles on the contact glass become difficult to detect
Solution Approach 1:
The top panel is made dark-colored to create high visual contrast with dust particles. This color change makes dust particles on the contact glass easily detectable, allowing users to identify and clean them before document reading to prevent image defects.
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 design improves operability by enabling users to accurately position documents and prevents the formation of oblique toner images, while also making it easier to detect dust and reduce flare light incidents that could affect image quality.
Implementation Method 1
the optical system for irradiating a document surface on the contact glass with light from a light source and reading a document image by reflected light
Implementation Method 2
The reflected light is photoelectrically converted in the image sensor to convert the image information into an electrical signal
Data Source
AI summary
An image forming apparatus is provided with an image reading unit for reading the image information of a document and an image forming unit for performing a specified image forming process based on this image information. The image reading unit includes a contact glass on which a document to have image information read therefrom is to be placed, an image reading unit main body on which the contact glass is mounted, a document pressing member openable and closable to press a document placed on the contact glass, and an optical member for optically scanning a document surface of the document placed on the contact glass to read as a document image. The image reading unit main body includes a top panel formed with an opening covered by the contact glass and the outer surface of the top panel is in a dark color.