Edge Guide Mounting Mechanism for Sheet Cassette
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing medium mounting mechanisms for recording apparatuses face challenges in securely holding edge guides in place, as they can easily fall out due to insufficient catch after insertion, and excessive widening of the insertion portion can damage the guide groove or insertion portion.
Innovation Solution
A medium mounting mechanism that includes a guide groove for the edge guide, a widening allowance groove to facilitate easy insertion, and a closing unit, such as a protrusion on a cover member, to prevent the edge guide from falling out by maintaining the guide groove's original width after insertion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the width of the insertion portion is slightly wider than the guide groove to facilitate insertion, then the insertion property is improved, but the catch amount becomes small and the insertion portion may easily fall out
Solution Approach 1:
The guide groove is segmented into two functional zones: a widening portion at the insertion end that allows easy insertion, and a narrow portion at the holding end that provides secure retention. This segmentation resolves the contradiction by providing different geometric characteristics at different locations of the same component.
Solution Approach 2:
Different sections of the guide groove have different local qualities: the widening portion has a larger width for easy insertion, while the narrow portion has a smaller width for secure holding. This local differentiation allows the single guide groove to simultaneously satisfy both insertion ease and holding reliability requirements.
2Reliability
If the width of the insertion portion is excessively wider than the guide groove to increase catch amount, then the holding reliability is improved, but the insertion property is degraded and the guide groove or insertion portion may be damaged
Solution Approach 1:
The guide groove is divided into a widening portion for insertion and a narrow portion for holding, allowing the insertion process to occur through the wider section without subjecting the narrow holding section to excessive stress that could cause damage.
Solution Approach 2:
The widening portion is designed to facilitate preliminary insertion action, allowing the insertion portion to be gently guided into place before engaging with the narrow holding portion, thereby preventing damage during the insertion process.
Data Source
AI summary
A sheet cassette includes a cassette main body which forms a sheet accommodating region; an edge guide which is slidable to a position corresponding to a size of a medium; a guide groove which extends along a sliding direction of the edge guide and guides the edge guide in the sliding direction, and into which a portion of the edge guide is inserted; and a widening allowance groove which is provided with a predetermined distance from the guide groove, and allows widening of the guide groove when a portion of the edge guide is inserted into the guide groove.