Edge Guide Positioning via Friction for Paper Feeding
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing medium feeding devices in recording apparatuses face challenges in accurately positioning edge guides for mediums of varying widths, leading to potential medium inclination due to gaps between the edge guide and the medium, especially when the medium width is narrow.
Innovation Solution
A medium feeding device with a positioning mechanism that regulates the edge guide's position using protruding portions and recessed portions with predetermined intervals in one region and friction members in another region, allowing for stepless positioning and improved accuracy, especially for narrower mediums.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the pitch of the medium placing portion side tooth portions is set to a predetermined interval, then the device complexity is reduced, but the manufacturing precision of the edge guide positioning deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
A friction member is introduced as an intermediary between the tooth portions and the edge guide. The friction member fills the gap between engaged tooth portions, providing continuous positional regulation through frictional force, thereby achieving stepless positioning without requiring extremely fine tooth pitch
Solution Approach 2:
The positioning mechanism transitions from discrete positional regulation by tooth engagement to continuous positional regulation by friction. The friction member enables the edge guide to be positioned at any location within the regulated range, changing the parameter of position control from discrete to continuous
2Manufacturing precision
If the pitch of the tooth portions is decreased to improve positioning accuracy, then the manufacturing precision improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The friction member serves as a mediator that eliminates the need for fine-pitched tooth portions. By using frictional contact, the system achieves continuous positioning without requiring densely spaced teeth, thus avoiding increased device complexity
3Manufacturing precision
If the edge guide is positioned closer to the medium edge to reduce gap, then the manufacturing precision improves, but the device complexity increases due to finer tooth pitch requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The friction member is positioned between the tooth portions and the edge guide, allowing the edge guide to be held at any position through frictional force. This enables the edge guide to be positioned arbitrarily close to the medium edge without requiring extremely fine tooth pitch
Solution Approach 2:
The positioning system changes from discrete positions determined by tooth pitch to continuous positions determined by friction balance. The edge guide can be positioned at any location where the frictional force from the friction member balances the applied force
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
This configuration ensures accurate positioning of the edge guide corresponding to the medium's size, reducing medium inclination and enabling reliable feeding of papers of various widths, including those as narrow as postcard size, while maintaining a simple and cost-effective mechanism.
Implementation Method 1
a friction member 44 which is provided on a part corresponding to the second region M2 in the first placing portion 32 and regulates the position of the guide portion 31a due to a frictional resistance between the protruding portion 42 and the friction member 44
Data Source
AI summary
A manual paper feeding portion includes a medium placing portion on which paper to be fed is placed, a guide portion that is provided on the medium placing portion, guides a side edge of the paper in a width direction intersecting with a feeding direction, and is movable in the width direction, and a positioning mechanism that determines a position of the guide portion in the width direction, in which the positioning mechanism regulates the position of the guide portion by positioning portions arranged with a predetermined interval in a first region of a moving region of the guide portion and regulates the position of the guide portion in a stepless manner in a second region which is a region other than the first region.