Flexible Sheet Accommodation in Recording Apparatus
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing recording apparatuses face challenges in easily accommodating flexible sheet members, leading to inefficiencies and increased manual effort due to the need for manual handling of remaining sheet portions after discharge.
Innovation Solution
A recording apparatus with a medium receiving unit featuring a flexible sheet section, a front-end holding section with a slidable base portion, and a linkage section that connects the front-end and terminal-end portions, allowing the sheet section to be easily accommodated by sliding the base portion to an accommodation position, thereby preventing the sheet from sticking out.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a flexible sheet member is used in the medium receiving unit, then the sheet member can be easily stored and transported, but the remaining portion of the sheet member sticks out from the accommodation position and requires manual handling
Solution Approach 1:
The sheet member is designed to be dynamically changeable between extended and contracted states. When extended, it can receive recording media; when contracted, it accommodates neatly within the unit. This dynamic transformation resolves the contradiction by allowing the sheet member to adapt its configuration based on operational needs.
Solution Approach 2:
The sheet member is configured to nest within itself or within the accommodation space of the medium receiving unit when not in use. This nesting capability allows the flexible sheet member to be stored compactly, preventing the remaining portion from sticking out and eliminating the need for manual handling.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the sheet member is made flexible to allow easy accommodation, then the structure becomes more adaptable, but the sheet member cannot maintain proper tension and positioning during use
Solution Approach 1:
The sheet member transitions from a static to a dynamic structure that can change its state between extended and contracted configurations. This dynamic capability allows it to maintain stability during use through tensioning mechanisms while enabling easy accommodation through contraction, thus resolving the contradiction between adaptability and stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The physical state of the sheet member is changed between extended and contracted configurations. By altering its spatial parameters, the sheet member can maintain proper tension and positioning during operation while becoming compact for storage, resolving the contradiction between adaptability and stability.
3Device complexity
If manual handling of the remaining sheet portion is required, then the accommodation structure can be simple, but the operation time and effort increase
Solution Approach 1:
The sheet member is designed to accommodate itself automatically through its extendable and contractible properties. When the medium receiving unit is moved or adjusted, the sheet member self-adjusts its configuration, eliminating the need for manual handling of the remaining portion and reducing operation time without significantly increasing structural complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The dynamic configuration of the sheet member allows it to automatically transition between states, reducing the need for manual intervention. This dynamic behavior decreases operation time and effort while maintaining a relatively simple accommodation structure.
Data Source
AI summary
A recording apparatus includes a recording unit, a discharge unit, and a medium receiving unit. The medium receiving unit has a sheet section which is flexible and of which a front-end portion is disposed to be closer to a discharge side of a recording medium than a terminal-end portion. When the medium receiving unit is transited from a serviceable state to an accommodated state, the front-end portion of the sheet section becomes closer to the terminal-end portion of the sheet section and a connection portion between the front-end portion and the terminal-end portion of the sheet section moves to a side opposite to the discharge side.