Feed Roller Mechanism for Roll and Cut Paper Handling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing image forming apparatuses require separate space for rollers to accommodate roll paper and cut paper, leading to an increase in device size due to the need for distinct rollers for each medium.
Innovation Solution
An image forming apparatus with a feed tray that includes both a first accommodation portion for roll-shaped media and a second accommodation portion for stacked cut paper, utilizing a common feed roller and movement mechanism to selectively convey either roll paper or cut paper, preventing the need for separate rollers and thus minimizing device size.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If separate rollers are provided for roll paper and cut paper, then each medium can be fed reliably, but the device size increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by designing a single feed roller that can handle both roll-shaped paper and cut paper through different operational positions. The feed roller is configured to contact either the unrolled paper from the roll body or the stacked cut paper, allowing one component to perform multiple functions that previously required separate rollers, thereby reducing device size while maintaining feeding reliability for both medium types
2Volume of moving object
If a common feed roller is used for both roll paper and cut paper, then device size is reduced, but the complexity of the movement mechanism increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the feed roller movable between two distinct positions rather than fixed. The movement mechanism enables the feed roller to dynamically adjust its position: one position for contacting unrolled paper from the roll body and another position for contacting stacked cut paper. This dynamic positioning allows a single roller to serve dual purposes, reducing overall device size while managing the complexity through a relatively simple movement mechanism
Data Source
AI summary
An image forming apparatus includes: a housing; a feed tray insertable into and removable from the housing and accommodating a sheet-shaped medium; a feed roller feeding the sheet-shaped medium; an image forming device; and a movement mechanism. The feed tray includes: a first accommodation portion accommodating a roll body, a first sheet-shaped medium being rolled in a roll shape as the roll body; and a second accommodation portion accommodating a second sheet-shaped medium which is shorter than the first sheet-shaped medium. The movement mechanism moves to a first position where the feed roller contacts the first sheet-shaped medium unrolled from the roll body accommodated in the first accommodation portion and a second position where the feed roller contacts the second sheet-shaped medium accommodated in the second accommodation portion.