Driven Roller Support Structure for Sheet Conveyance Noise Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional sheet conveyance apparatuses with driven rollers in image scanning systems experience abnormal sounds due to the movement of the driven rollers within clearance ranges when sheets come into contact, leading to frictional resistance and wear.
Innovation Solution
The apparatus includes a conveyance unit with a driven rotary member supported by a conveyance guide, featuring a first and second contact portion that stabilize the shaft portion, preventing movement and noise by ensuring the driven roller remains stationary during sheet contact, with the support portions designed to maintain contact with the shaft portion and guide the sheet effectively.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a driven roller is rotatably supported in the conveyance guide with clearance between the shaft portion and holes, then the driven roller can rotate freely to reduce friction and wear, but the driven roller moves within the clearance range when the sheet comes into contact, causing abnormal sounds
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the support configuration from a single-hole clearance support to a multi-point contact support system. The first contact portion supports the upper side of the shaft portion, the second contact portion supports the lower side, and the third contact portion supports the side surface, creating a constrained support structure that eliminates clearance movement while maintaining rotational capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The support function is segmented into three distinct contact portions: an upper support (first contact portion), a lower support (second contact portion), and a side support (third contact portion). Each contact portion addresses a specific direction of potential movement, collectively eliminating all clearance-induced movements that cause abnormal sounds.
2Ease of manufacture
If the shaft portion is supported in holes with clearance, then the driven roller can be easily installed and removed, but the clearance causes the driven roller to move when the sheet contacts it, generating abnormal sounds
Solution Approach 1:
The support structure is designed to be dynamically adaptive: the first contact portion supports the upper side, the second contact portion supports the lower side, and the third contact portion supports the side surface. This multi-directional contact configuration dynamically constrains the shaft portion in all possible movement directions while allowing free rotation, eliminating abnormal sounds without compromising ease of installation.
Data Source
AI summary
A sheet conveyance apparatus includes a conveyance unit, a conveyance guide, a driven rotary member, and a support portion. The support portion supports a shaft portion of the rotary member driven to rotate by a sheet conveyed by the conveyance unit and guided by the conveyance guide. The support portion includes first and second contact portions that support the shaft portion of the driven rotary member while being in contact with the shaft portion. With respect to a cross section of the shaft portion perpendicular to an axial direction of the shaft portion, the driven rotary member is disposed so that a portion, of the driven rotary member, that is on a lower side in a vertical direction relative to a horizontal line and is on one side in a horizontal direction relative to a vertical line comes into contact with the sheet.