Automatic Document Feeder With Horizontal U-Shaped Path
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional automatic document feeders for double-sided reading require additional space and complex guide members with multiple drive devices, leading to increased size and cost, and often result in document misordering during the scanning process.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a compact automatic document feeder with a horizontal 'U'-shaped document feed path and pivotable guide flaps that guide documents without the need for additional drive devices, ensuring efficient double-sided reading while maintaining document order.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional document feeders use vertical feed paths above the reading position for double-sided reading, then documents can be fed and read on both surfaces, but the apparatus size increases due to additional space requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the feed path arrangement from vertical (above the reading position) to horizontal (below the reading position). This dimensional change allows the document feeder to maintain double-sided reading capability while reducing the apparatus height, as the feed path now utilizes horizontal space rather than vertical space above the reading position.
2Ease of operation
If conventional document feeders use guide members with drive devices to guide documents to specified paths, then document routing is controlled, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The guide members in the patent are designed to be movable without requiring external drive devices. The guide members utilize the document's own movement and gravity to automatically adjust their position and guide documents to the correct path. This self-service approach eliminates the need for complex drive mechanisms while maintaining effective document routing control.
3Adaptability or versatility
If conventional document feeders arrange feed paths vertically above the reading position, then double-sided reading is enabled, but document order may be mixed during ejection
Solution Approach 1:
By changing the feed path arrangement from vertical to horizontal and positioning it below the reading position, the patent prevents documents from trailing down onto the output tray. This spatial reconfiguration ensures that documents are ejected in their correct order without mixing with previously scanned documents, while still enabling double-sided reading functionality.
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
The solution reduces the overall size of the document feeder, eliminates the need for complex drive systems, and prevents document mixing during ejection, ensuring efficient and cost-effective double-sided reading with maintained document order.
Implementation Method 1
guide flaps that guide documents without the need for additional drive devices
Implementation Method 2
a pickup roller 91. In the feed path 92, the document P is fed by feed rollers 93
Implementation Method 3
ejection rollers 94 are stopped with the trailing end of the document P nipped. As the ejection rollers 94 are rotated backward, the document P is fed to a switchback path 95
Data Source
AI summary
An automatic document feeder, which is capable of feeding a document for double-sided reading, includes a document feed path connecting an input tray and an output tray, a bidirectional feed path connected to a connection position of the document feed path, a bypass diverged from a branch position of the document feed path and connected to the connection position, a guide flap that changes a position thereof between a first guide position and a second guide position, and a guide flap that changes a position thereof between a third guide position and a fourth guide position.