Elastic Connector for Image Forming Apparatus Drawer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing image forming apparatuses face issues with smooth electrical connections between the drawer-side and main body-side electrical contact parts, leading to potential high loads on connectors when trying to forcibly connect them, due to errors in positional relations.
Innovation Solution
The image forming apparatus is designed with a drawer and main body configuration that includes a drawer-side connector with a holder for the electrical contact part and a main body-side connector featuring an elastic member, allowing for smooth contact and reduced load by adjusting the length of the elastic member based on the apparatus's state, ensuring deep contact only when the cover is closed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the drawer is forcibly connected to the main body to ensure electrical contact, then electrical connection reliability is improved, but load on the connectors increases
Solution Approach 1:
The connector is designed with elastic deformation capability, allowing it to dynamically adjust its position and contact pressure. The elastic member enables the connector to deform and adapt to positional deviations during insertion, maintaining reliable electrical contact without requiring excessive insertion force, thus resolving the contradiction between connection reliability and connector load.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the electrical contact parts are made rigid to ensure stable contact, then contact stability is improved, but adaptability to positional errors deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The connector incorporates an elastic member that changes its physical state from rigid to flexible during the connection process. This parameter change allows the connector to initially deform and accommodate positional errors, then maintain stable contact once connected, effectively resolving the contradiction between contact stability and adaptability to positional errors.
3Reliability
If deep contact is maintained during cover opening and closing, then electrical connection reliability is improved, but wear and load on connectors increases
Solution Approach 1:
The elastic member provides dynamic contact pressure adjustment, maintaining reliable electrical connection during cover operations while reducing excessive wear through controlled elasticity, thereby extending connector service life without sacrificing connection reliability.
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 enables smooth and stable electrical connections between the drawer-side and main body-side connectors, reducing the risk of high loads and ensuring reliable communication between the drawer memory and controller, even during cover opening and closing operations.
Implementation Method 1
an elastic member interposed between the base and the panel, the main body-side connector holding the panel to be movable relative to the base in a direction corresponding to deformation of the elastic member
Data Source
AI summary
An image forming apparatus includes a drawer, a drawer-side electrical contact, a cover, a main body-side electrical contact and an elastic member interposed between a base and a panel. The main body-side electrical contact and the panel are held to be movable relative to the base in a third direction as being an extension and contraction direction of the elastic member. The image forming apparatus takes: a first state where the cover is open, the drawer-side electrical contact contacts the main body-side electrical contact, and the elastic member has a first length; and a second state where the cover is closed, the drawer-side electrical contact contacts the main body-side electrical contact, and the elastic member in the third direction has a second length shorter than the first length.