Image Forming Apparatus Door Alignment Using Positioning Shafts
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Solution Overview
Problem
In image forming apparatuses with multiple doors arranged side by side, positional misalignment between adjacent doors can occur due to deviations from design values, leading to deteriorated outer appearance and user perception of misalignment.
Innovation Solution
The apparatus includes a housing with positioning shafts and projections that fit into fitting holes, and holding members that secure each door in the closed state, ensuring alignment with design values.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If doors are attached using conventional hinge mounting, then the door can rotate and be opened/closed, but positional misalignment occurs between adjacent doors due to hinge deviation and attachment errors
Solution Approach 1:
A positioning member with a positioning projection and positioning hole is introduced as an intermediary element between the door and hinge assembly. The positioning projection fits into the positioning hole to constrain the door's position relative to the housing, eliminating misalignment caused by hinge deviation while maintaining the door's rotational movement capability
Solution Approach 2:
The positioning member is pre-installed on the housing before the door and hinge assembly are attached. This preliminary positioning ensures that when the door is subsequently mounted, its position is automatically aligned with the design value, preventing misalignment issues before they occur
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple doors are arranged side by side, then user access to the interior is improved, but misalignment between adjacent doors becomes more noticeable and deteriorates appearance quality
Solution Approach 1:
The positioning member acts as a mediator that standardizes the position of each door relative to the housing. By providing a common reference frame through the positioning projection and hole, all adjacent doors are aligned consistently, eliminating visual misalignment while preserving the multi-door configuration for user access
3Manufacturing precision
If door position is constrained to design value, then alignment quality is improved, but door rotation and opening/closing movement may be restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The positioning function and rotation function are segmented into separate components: the positioning member (with projection and hole) handles position constraint, while the hinge assembly handles rotation movement. This segmentation allows the door to be precisely positioned in the closed state while maintaining full rotational freedom when opened
Solution Approach 2:
The positioning constraint is dynamically applied only in the closed state when the positioning projection engages the positioning hole. During opening and closing rotation, the hinge mechanism allows dynamic movement while the positioning member ensures the door returns to and maintains its designated position when closed
Data Source
AI summary
An image forming apparatus includes a housing to store an image forming unit that forms an image on a sheet, doors, a cover part, and holding members. Each of the doors rotates around a rotational axis to be opened and closed relative to the housing and includes a positioning shaft and a projection. When each of the doors is in an opened state, an inside of the image forming apparatus is exposed. The cover part is provided in the housing and has fitting holes into which the positioning shafts are fitted. Each of the holding members holds a different one of the doors in a closed state. When each of the doors is in the closed state, each of the positioning shafts included in the doors is fitted into a different one of the fitting holes.