Dual-Axis Display Support for Image Orientation Visibility

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing image forming apparatuses face challenges in displaying vertically-long or horizontally-long images on a rectangular screen without compromising visibility, as rotating the image 90 degrees often results in reduced visibility or improper orientation.

Innovation Solution

A display unit support mechanism that allows the display unit to rotate about two axis lines, enabling it to switch between a forward, upward, horizontal, and vertical attitude, ensuring the image is oriented correctly and maintaining high visibility.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the display unit is fixed in a single orientation, then the structure is simple, but the image visibility is compromised when displaying vertically-long or horizontally-long images

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveimage orientation adaptabilityVSAvoidsupport mechanism complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The display unit support mechanism employs dynamic elements including a swing member that can rotate about a first axis line and a rotation member that can rotate about a second axis line. These dynamic components enable the display unit to change its orientation between forward, upward, horizontal, and vertical attitudes, allowing adaptation to different image aspect ratios while maintaining structural feasibility through controlled degrees of freedom

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The support mechanism is divided into functionally independent segments: a base member for mounting, a swing member for first-axis rotation, a rotation member for second-axis rotation, and a unit support member for displaying the display unit. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function with minimal complexity, achieving overall adaptability through the combination of simple rotational joints

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Ease of operation

If the display unit can rotate about two axis lines, then the image visibility is improved, but the structure becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedisplay orientation flexibilityVSAvoidrotation mechanism complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The mechanism utilizes two independent rotational degrees of freedom: the swing member rotates about a first axis line to enable forward-upward tilt adjustment, while the rotation member rotates about a second axis line perpendicular to the first, enabling horizontal-vertical orientation change. This dynamic configuration allows the display unit to adapt to various viewing angles and image orientations without requiring complex mechanical structures

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The support mechanism transitions from a single-axis rotation system to a two-axis rotation system by introducing the rotation member that rotates about a second axis line intersecting with the first axis line. This dimensional expansion enables the display unit to achieve four distinct attitudes (forward, upward, horizontal, vertical), significantly improving operational flexibility while adding only one additional rotational component

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Data Source

PatentEP4656395A1Display unit support mechanism and image forming apparatus
Publication Date: 2025.12.03 KYOCERA DOCUMENT SOLUTIONS INC
  • EP4656395A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4656395A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4656395A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A swing member (42) is supported by a base member (41) while being rotatable about a first axis line provided along a first direction. A rotation member (43) is supported by the swing member (42) while being rotatable about a second axis line provided along a second direction. A unit support member (44) is coupled to the rotation member (43), and a display unit (3) including a rectangular screen is fixed thereto. The unit support member (44) is, together with the rotation member (43) and the swing member (42), rotatable about the first axis line between a forward attitude in which the screen faces toward a front of a target device (1) and an upward attitude in which the screen faces upwardly. The unit support member (44) is, together with the rotation member (43), rotatable about the second axis line between a horizontal attitude in which the screen becomes horizontally long and a vertical attitude in which the screen becomes vertically long.