Guide Member Flexural Rigidity for Connection Member Buckling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing image reading apparatuses face issues with the connection member expanding upward and touching the platen glass, leading to dirt accumulation and potential communication or power failures due to friction, which affects the reliability and accuracy of the reading process.
Innovation Solution
A guide member with high flexural rigidity is used to support the connection member, featuring bends that follow the shape of the folded-back portion, preventing it from expanding upward and maintaining a flat configuration, thus preventing contact with the platen glass and ensuring smooth operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the connection member is made flexible to allow movement, then the movable body can move smoothly, but the connection member expands upward and touches the platen glass causing dirt accumulation and friction
Solution Approach 1:
A guide member is introduced as an intermediary component between the connection member and the platen glass. The guide member constrains the connection member's movement path, preventing it from expanding upward to touch the platen glass while allowing the movable body to move smoothly along the support table.
2Reliability
If the connection member is rigid to prevent expansion, then dirt accumulation is prevented, but the movable body cannot move smoothly
Solution Approach 1:
The connection member is segmented into multiple sections with different rigidity characteristics. The guide member is designed with a rigid portion to prevent expansion and a flexible portion to allow movement, effectively segmenting the functional requirements along the connection member's length.
Solution Approach 2:
Different portions of the connection member system have different rigidity properties. The guide member's rigid portion provides constraint where needed to prevent dirt accumulation, while the flexible portions allow movement where needed for smooth operation of the movable body.
3Reliability
If the connection member is protected from friction, then communication and power supply reliability is improved, but the structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The guide member serves as a simple intermediary structure that prevents the connection member from contacting the platen glass, thereby protecting communication and power supply without requiring complex protective mechanisms such as shields or coatings.
Data Source
AI summary
An image reading apparatus includes a movable body supported so as to be movable along a support table, the movable body supporting at least a light source; a controller that controls the light source; a connection member that electrically connects the movable body and the controller together, the connection member formed into a strip shape whose longitudinal direction extends in a direction in which the movable body moves and whose lateral direction extends in a widthwise direction, the connection member including a folded-back portion that is folded back in a direction opposite to the direction in which the movable body moves; and a guide member disposed along the connection member, the guide member having a high flexural rigidity in a portion that extends along the direction in which the movable body moves, the guide member having a low flexural rigidity in a portion corresponding to the folded-back portion.