Image Reading Apparatus Discharge Unit Drive Inversion
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Solution Overview
Problem
The image reading apparatus faces challenges in maintaining reading accuracy due to positional displacement and instability in the conveyance speed of sheets, caused by the movement of the discharge unit driven by the movable plate, leading to potential deterioration in the positional determination accuracy of components and conveyance path length variations.
Innovation Solution
The apparatus incorporates a configuration where the discharge unit receives drive force from a first drive source, allowing it to move and transmit this force to the movable plate, ensuring that the movable plate is driven by the discharge unit, which reduces positional displacement issues and maintains accurate positioning of components, thereby stabilizing the conveyance speed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the discharge unit is driven by the movable plate, then the apparatus achieves miniaturization in the up and down direction, but positional displacement and instability occur causing deterioration in reading accuracy
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the conventional drive relationship by making the discharge unit drive the movable plate instead of the movable plate driving the discharge unit. This inversion resolves the technical contradiction by ensuring that the discharge unit, which is more prone to positional displacement, becomes the driving component, thereby stabilizing the overall system and maintaining reading accuracy while preserving miniaturization benefits
2Device complexity
If the movable plate moves as sheets are decreased, then the apparatus achieves compact structure, but the conveyance speed becomes unstable
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the drive relationship so that the discharge unit drives the movable plate. This ensures that the compact structure is maintained while the conveyance speed becomes stable, as the discharge unit's movement is now the driving force rather than being driven by the movable plate's position changes
3Device complexity
If the discharge unit is driven by the movable plate, then the structure is simplified, but positional determination accuracy deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the drive relationship to make the discharge unit drive the movable plate. This resolves the contradiction by ensuring that the discharge unit, which is more susceptible to positional displacement, becomes the driving component. This inversion maintains structural simplicity while improving positional determination accuracy, as the discharge unit's position can be more reliably controlled when it is the driving element
Data Source
AI summary
An image reading apparatus includes: a supply tray, which supports sheets to be supplied and includes a movable plate configured to move from a first position to a second position as the sheet supported by the supply tray is decreased, the second position being higher than the first position; a discharge tray; a conveyance guide; a reading sensor; a discharge unit, which includes a discharge opening to discharge the sheet conveyed by the conveyance guide to the discharge tray and is configured to move from a third position to a fourth position as the sheet supported by the paper feed tray is decreased, the fourth position being higher than the third position; and a first drive source, which generates a drive force, wherein the discharge unit is configured to move by receiving the drive force and to transmit the drive force to the movable plate.