Feed Tray Guide Rail Stop for Controlled Sheet Container Removal

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing image forming apparatuses face challenges in securely and efficiently inserting and removing a sheet container's feed tray without causing excessive movement or damage during operations like maintenance.

Innovation Solution

The feed tray is designed with a guide rail and protrusion system that restricts excessive movement by using a contact mechanism with a low-friction material, ensuring smooth insertion and removal while maintaining a horizontal posture.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the feed tray is made freely removable from the body, then ease of operation is improved, but excessive movement and damage during operations deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of removalVSAvoidexcessive movement control

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

A contact mechanism with low-friction material is introduced as an intermediary between the feed tray and body. This contact points to a protrusion on the guide rail that mediates the interaction, allowing smooth removal while preventing excessive movement through controlled friction and geometric constraint.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The friction parameter is changed by using low-friction material in the contact mechanism. This parameter change enables smooth insertion and removal operations while the geometric relationship between the contact and protrusion maintains reliability by preventing excessive movement.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If the feed tray is restricted from moving, then excessive movement and damage are prevented, but ease of insertion and removal deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveexcessive movement controlVSAvoidease of insertion

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The friction parameter is optimized by selecting low-friction material for the contact mechanism. This enables the feed tray to be easily inserted and removed while the geometric constraint of the contact-pointing-to-protrusion arrangement maintains reliability by preventing excessive movement.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The guide rail is designed with a curved surface that guides the contact point smoothly. This curvature enables easy insertion and removal operations while the geometric relationship between the curved guide rail and protrusion ensures reliable positioning that prevents excessive movement.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

3Ease of operation

If a contact mechanism with low-friction material is used, then ease of insertion and removal is improved, but wear and tear deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of insertionVSAvoidwear resistance

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDuration of action of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The low-friction material serves as an intermediary layer between the feed tray contact and the guide rail protrusion. This intermediary reduces direct wear by minimizing friction while the geometric constraint ensures the contact points remain aligned, distributing wear evenly and extending the duration of action.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The geometric design of the contact mechanism and protrusion arrangement provides beforehand cushioning by ensuring proper alignment and distribution of contact forces. This prevents concentrated wear at single points while the low-friction material further reduces wear during operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

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 design enhances operational safety and ease by preventing the feed tray from being excessively drawn out, reducing wear and tear, and allowing for efficient access for maintenance tasks.

Implementation Method 1

a contact mechanism with a low-friction material, ensuring smooth insertion and removal

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFriction: Friction

Data Source

PatentUS12552623B2Sheet container and image forming apparatus incorporating the same

Publication Date: 2026.02.17 RICOH CO LTD

AI summary

A sheet container includes a body and a feed tray. The body includes a guide rail having a protrusion at a contact position. The feed tray loads multiple sheets. The feed tray is insertable to and removable from the body along the guide rail in a horizontal direction and includes a contact in an upstream portion of the feed tray in a drawing direction along the horizontal direction. In response to the feed tray drawn from the body to the contact position, the contact contacts the protrusion to restrict drawing of the feed tray from the body.