Holding Unit Mechanism for One-Handed Document Feeder Operation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing medium transporting devices, such as autodocument feeders in image reading apparatuses, face issues with operability when opening and closing the opening/closing body, leading to unintentional closure, collision sounds, and increased cost due to damping mechanisms and one-way clutches.
Innovation Solution
A medium transporting device with a holding unit that includes a rotation member with a supporting portion and a pressing unit, which balances the opening and closing forces of the opening/closing body through a predetermined rotation angle, allowing for easier operation with one hand and reducing the risk of collision sounds and device damage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a damping mechanism is provided on the rotation shaft to dampen closing speed, then collision sound and device damage are prevented, but operability decreases due to increased resistance during opening
Solution Approach 1:
A holding unit is provided that preliminarily holds the opening/closing body in a predetermined open state position, preventing vigorous closing before it occurs. This allows the body to be gently released rather than allowed to close under full gravitational force, eliminating collision sounds without adding resistance to the opening operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The holding unit acts as an intermediary mechanism between the opening/closing body and the rotation shaft. It controls the release and closing process by holding the body at a predetermined position and enabling controlled release, thereby preventing direct vigorous impact on the rotation shaft while maintaining smooth operability.
2Reliability
If a supporting member is provided to hold the opening/closing body in open state, then unintentional closure is prevented, but operability becomes poor requiring two hands for operation
Solution Approach 1:
The holding unit is designed to automatically hold the opening/closing body in the predetermined open state without requiring continuous user intervention. The body can be easily released with one hand by overcoming the mild holding force, and the unit automatically returns to its holding position after release, providing reliable prevention of unintentional closure while maintaining excellent one-handed operability.
3Ease of operation
If the opening/closing body is allowed to close vigorously, then operability is improved, but collision sound is generated and device damage may occur
Solution Approach 1:
The holding unit preliminarily controls the closing process by holding the body at a predetermined position and enabling controlled release. This preliminary control ensures gentle closing without vigorous movement, preventing collision sounds and device damage while maintaining smooth and natural operability.
Data Source
AI summary
A medium transporting device including: a main body; an opening/closing body; and a holding unit, in which the holding unit includes a rotation member that has a supporting portion which can be displaced between raised up and dropped down by rotation thereof and supports the opening/closing body and applies a force to the opening/closing body in an opening direction by the supporting portion engaging with the opening/closing body, and a pressing unit that presses the rotation member in the raised direction, and in which the holding unit further includes a configuration in which a force which is applied to the opening/closing body in the opening direction due to a pressing force to the rotation member generated by the pressing unit and a force that the opening/closing body tries to close are balanced with each other according to a predetermined rotation angle of the rotation member.