Document Conveying Tray Structure Preventing Lifted Wall Detachment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing document conveying devices face issues with the lifting wall part falling off due to external forces like vibration, which can increase costs and complicate assembly, especially when additional parts are added to prevent this.

Innovation Solution

A document conveying device with a sheet feeding tray, discharge tray, lifting mechanism, and a fixed wall part that includes a lifting wall part suspended by biasing members, with lowering restriction parts on the discharge tray to prevent the lifting wall part from falling off, and engagement parts for easy assembly.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If additional parts are added to prevent the lifting wall part from falling off, then reliability is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestability of lifting wall partVSAvoidnumber of parts
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The lifting wall part is integrated with the sheet feeding tray as a single unified structure, eliminating the need for separate fastening parts. This merging approach maintains reliability by ensuring the lifting wall part cannot detach while reducing device complexity and avoiding additional manufacturing costs.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Reliability

If a structure is provided to prevent the lifting wall part from falling off, then reliability is improved, but ease of assembly deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestability of lifting wall partVSAvoidease of assembly
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

By integrating the lifting wall part directly into the sheet feeding tray structure, the design eliminates complex assembly requirements for separate fastening components. This unified structure maintains reliability while significantly improving ease of assembly and manufacturing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Productivity

If the sheet feeding tray capacity is increased, then productivity is improved, but device size increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedocument processing capacityVSAvoiddevice size
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The sheet feeding tray is designed with a lifting mechanism that allows it to move vertically dynamically. This dynamic configuration enables the tray to adjust its position based on document capacity, maximizing the use of available vertical space without permanently increasing the device's footprint, thereby improving productivity while controlling device size.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

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

Prevents the lifting wall part from falling off while maintaining a large capacity without increasing component count, ensuring stable operation and easy assembly.

Implementation Method 1

a lifting wall part (25) provided extending upward from a downstream side end portion of the sheet feeding tray (44) in the sheet feeding direction Z, and lifted and lowered along the fixed wall part (23) together with the sheet feeding tray (44)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Implementation Method 2

The discharge tray (43) includes a lowering restriction part (43T1, 43T2) which comes into contact with the lifting wall part (25) to restrict a lowering of the lifting wall part (25)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectMechanical Force: Mechanical Force

Data Source

PatentEP4596468A1Document conveying device
Publication Date: 2025.08.06 KYOCERA DOCUMENT SOLUTIONS INC
  • EP4596468A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4596468A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4596468A1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

A document conveying device (120) includes a sheet feeding tray (44), a sheet feeding mechanism (31), a discharge tray (44), a sheet feeding tray lifting mechanism (33), a top plate (21), a fixed wall part (23), and a lifting wall part (25). The discharge tray (44) is provided below the sheet feeding tray (44). The top plate (21) is adjacent to the sheet feeding tray (44) on a downstream side in the sheet feeding direction. The fixed wall part (23) is provided extending downward from an upstream side end portion of the top plate (21) in the sheet feeding direction, and is fixed. The lifting wall part (25) is provided extending upward from a downstream side end portion of the sheet feeding tray (44) in the sheet feeding direction, and lifted and lowered together with the sheet feeding tray (44). The discharge tray (43) includes a lowering restriction part (43T1) which comes into contact with the lifting wall part (25) to restrict a lowering of the lifting wall part (25).