Image Forming Apparatus Housing Vertical Stacking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional image forming apparatuses face challenges in securing a large sheet discharge capacity due to the horizontal extension of the upper surface, which requires enlarging the housing size, and maintaining good wireless communication conditions by avoiding overlap between the wireless communication board and the main board.
Innovation Solution
The image forming apparatus is designed with a housing configuration that includes a discharge tray at the upper surface, a discharging roller pair, a main board, and a wireless communication unit where the first wireless communication board is positioned higher than the main board, allowing for compact housing size without interfering with the discharge path and enhancing sheet loading capacity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the wireless communication board is arranged to protrude from the main board to secure good communication conditions, then wireless communication quality is improved, but the device complexity and space utilization are worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from a two-dimensional planar arrangement to a three-dimensional vertical arrangement by positioning the wireless communication board at a higher level than the main board. This dimensional change allows both boards to coexist without overlapping while maintaining good wireless communication conditions, resolving the contradiction between communication quality and device complexity.
2Quantity of substance
If the upper surface of the housing is formed to extend substantially horizontally to accommodate the discharge tray, then the sheet discharge capacity is improved, but the housing size must be enlarged
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes the vertical dimension by arranging the discharge tray at a higher level than the wireless communication board. This allows the upper surface to extend horizontally for adequate sheet discharge capacity while maintaining a compact housing size, as the vertical stacking eliminates the need for horizontal expansion.
Solution Approach 2:
The housing is divided into multiple levels or zones with different functional assignments. The lower zone accommodates the main board and wireless communication board, while the upper zone accommodates the discharge tray. This segmentation allows each component to be optimally positioned without requiring the entire housing to be enlarged.
3Ease of operation
If the discharge tray is positioned at the upper surface of the housing, then sheet discharge accessibility is improved, but the wireless communication board may obstruct the discharge path
Solution Approach 1:
The patent resolves the potential obstruction issue by establishing a clear vertical hierarchy: the discharge tray is positioned at the highest level, above the wireless communication board. This dimensional separation ensures that the discharge path remains unobstructed while maintaining excellent accessibility for sheet discharge.
Data Source
AI summary
An image forming apparatus includes a housing, an discharge tray, a discharging roller pair, a main board, a wireless communication unit including a first wireless communication board. The housing includes a first part and a second part. The first part is arranged at a downstream side of a nip of the discharging roller pair, and an upper surface of a side wall of the first part is arranged at a lower position with respect to the nip. In the second part, the discharging roller pair is positioned. The second part is arranged at an upstream side of the first part. An upper surface of a side wall of the second part is arranged at a higher poison with respect to first part. At least part of the wireless communication unit is arranged at a higher poison with respect to the side wall of the first part.