Feeding Roller Urging Mechanism for Sheet Conveyance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional image forming apparatuses experience insufficient conveying force due to the positioning of the feeding roller about a swing axis, leading to erroneous feeding of multiple sheets when the arm member is nearly horizontal, resulting in an imbalance between pressing force and conveying force.
Innovation Solution
The image forming apparatus incorporates a supporting member with a first and second urging member, where the second urging member enhances the pressing force of the feeding roller when the angle between the recording medium and the plane containing the rotational and swing axes is smaller than a predetermined angle, ensuring a stable and sufficient conveying force.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If the urging force by the torsion spring is increased to ensure sufficient pressing force when the arm member is nearly horizontal, then the pressing force is improved, but excessive pressing force is applied to the sheet when the arm member is swung downward, causing multiple sheets to be erroneously fed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a second urging member that dynamically adjusts the pressing force based on the arm member's orientation. When the arm member is nearly horizontal, the second urging member activates to provide additional force; when the arm member is swung downward, the second urging member reduces its force contribution, preventing excessive pressing force and erroneous feeding of multiple sheets.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the pressing force parameter dynamically by introducing a second urging member whose urging force varies with the arm member's angle. This allows the system to optimize pressing force for different operational positions, ensuring sufficient force when needed while preventing excessive force that would cause feeding errors.
2Force
If the orientation of the arm member is close to horizontal, then the component force for pressing the feeding roller toward the sheet becomes smaller, but increasing the torsion spring force to compensate causes excessive pressing force when the arm member is swung downward
Solution Approach 1:
The second urging member provides dynamic compensation for the varying component force based on arm member orientation. It activates primarily when the arm member is near horizontal to boost conveying force, then deactivates or reduces force when the arm member swings downward, eliminating the harmful excessive pressing force while maintaining sufficient conveying force when needed.
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 maintains a consistent and sufficient conveying force, preventing erroneous feeding and improving the reliability of the image forming process by adjusting the urging force based on the angle between the recording medium and the axes, thus stabilizing the conveying direction and enhancing durability.
Implementation Method 1
The first urging member is configured to apply an urging force to the support member in such a manner that the feeding roller contacts the recording medium accommodated in the recording-medium accommodating section
Implementation Method 2
The second urging member is configured to urge the second end in a direction that increases the urging force of the first urging member when an angle between the surface of the recording medium accommodated in the recording-medium accommodating section and a plane containing both the imaginary rotational axis and the imaginary swing axis is smaller than a predetermined angle
Data Source
AI summary
A supporting member is swingable about an imaginary swing axis that is parallel to an imaginary rotational axis of a feeding roller. The imaginary swing axis is located above a recording medium accommodated in a recording-medium accommodating section and is located upstream in a feeding direction of the recording medium with respect to the imaginary rotational axis. A first urging member is configured to apply an urging force to the support member in such a manner that the feeding roller contacts the recording medium accommodated in the recording-medium accommodating section. A second urging member is configured to urge an end of the supporting member in a direction that increases the urging force of the first urging member when an angle between a surface of the recording medium and a plane containing both the imaginary rotational axis and the imaginary swing axis is smaller than a predetermined angle.