Flexible Flat Cable Routing with U-Shaped Slack for Scanner Movement
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Flexible flat cables in image reading apparatuses are prone to excessive twisting and bending when the openable unit pivots or moves vertically relative to the main unit, leading to potential damage and signal noise, resulting in irregular image data.
Innovation Solution
A U-shaped slack portion of the flexible flat cable is maintained between the guide unit and the openable unit, allowing it to absorb positional changes and reduce tension, preventing excessive twisting or bending, thus ensuring reliable cable movement and data integrity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the openable unit pivots or moves vertically relative to the main unit, then the document feeding and image reading functions are enabled, but the flexible flat cable undergoes excessive twisting and bending leading to potential damage and signal noise
Solution Approach 1:
The cable routing path is pre-configured with a U-shaped slack portion that is prepared in advance to accommodate future movements of the openable unit. This preliminary arrangement of the cable path allows the cable to naturally absorb movement without excessive tension or twisting, preventing damage before it occurs.
Solution Approach 2:
The cable routing changes its geometric parameters by incorporating a U-shaped slack portion with specific curvature and length characteristics. This parameter modification allows the cable to have sufficient flexibility and slack to accommodate the pivotal and vertical movements of the openable unit without undergoing excessive twisting or bending that would cause damage or signal noise.
2Loss of information
If the cable is made taut to reduce slack, then signal transmission efficiency is improved, but the cable becomes more susceptible to damage during openable unit movement
Solution Approach 1:
The cable routing is extended into a third dimension by creating a U-shaped slack portion that hangs downward. This dimensional change allows the cable to have sufficient length and flexibility to accommodate movements without being taut, thereby maintaining both signal quality and durability through the added spatial dimension.
Solution Approach 2:
The cable's effective length and routing geometry are modified by introducing a U-shaped slack portion with optimized curvature radius and arc length. This parameter change allows the cable to maintain appropriate tension levels that preserve signal transmission quality while simultaneously providing enough slack to prevent damage during openable unit movement.
3Device complexity
If the cable is routed directly without slack, then the device structure is simplified, but the cable cannot accommodate movement and suffers from excessive tension and twisting
Solution Approach 1:
The U-shaped slack portion is pre-configured in the cable routing path to anticipate and accommodate future movements of the openable unit. This preliminary arrangement ensures that the cable has the necessary flexibility built-in from the start, allowing it to naturally absorb movement without excessive tension or twisting, thereby maintaining reliability without significantly complicating the overall structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The cable routing parameters are optimized by introducing a U-shaped slack portion with specific geometric characteristics (curvature radius, arc length, and position). This parameter modification provides the cable with the necessary flexibility to accommodate movements while keeping the structural complexity minimal, as the slack portion simply follows the natural contour of the device housing.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
AI summary
An image reading apparatus may include a cable (7A,7B) for connecting a reading device (11) to a controller configured to perform functions and execute instructions. To prevent breakage and stress on the cable, the cable may be fixed to a guide component (300). For example, the cable may be fixed to the guide component on a first side and be held by the component such that the cable includes a generally U-shaped slacked portion. According to one or more arrangements, the guide component may include an escape portion (303) that allows for the movement of an openable unit of the image reading apparatus. In yet other aspects, the guide component may be attachable/detachable from a main body of the image reading apparatus.