Link Mechanism for Swing Guide Rotation in Sheet Handling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sheet guiding devices in image forming apparatuses face challenges in smoothly rotating the swing guide from a retracted position to a guide position during the closing movement of the cover unit, often resulting in mechanical issues and potential damage due to misalignment and uneven force distribution.
Innovation Solution
A sheet guiding device incorporating a link member with one end held by the housing and the other end engaged with the swing guide, along with a contact member on the cover unit to rotate the link member, ensuring the swing guide moves smoothly to the guide position by adjusting the trajectory of the link member's movement to align with the swing guide's rotation, and utilizing biasing mechanisms to maintain the swing guide at the guide position.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the swing guide is directly contacted by the cover unit during closing movement, then the swing guide can be moved to the guide position, but misalignment and uneven force distribution occur causing mechanical issues and potential damage
Solution Approach 1:
A link member is introduced as an intermediary between the contact member on the cover unit and the swing guide. The link member has a first end that contacts the contact member and a second end that engages with the swing guide, allowing force to be transmitted in a controlled manner that prevents misalignment and uneven force distribution while still enabling the swing guide to rotate to the guide position during cover unit closing movement.
2Ease of operation
If the swing guide is moved directly during cover unit closing, then the guide position can be achieved, but the trajectory control is insufficient leading to skewing and mechanical issues
Solution Approach 1:
The link member serves as a mediator that controls the movement trajectory of the swing guide. By having the first end of the link member contact the contact member on the cover unit and the second end engage with the swing guide, the link member guides the swing guide along a precise trajectory during cover unit closing, ensuring accurate positioning at the guide position while maintaining ease of operation.
3Reliability
If a link member is added to improve swing guide rotation, then the rotation smoothness is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The link member is designed as a simple connecting component with a first end and a second end, where the first end contacts the contact member and the second end engages with the swing guide. This straightforward intermediary structure improves the smoothness of swing guide rotation by enabling controlled, gradual movement during cover unit closing, while adding minimal complexity to the overall device.
Data Source
AI summary
A sheet guiding device includes a cover unit, a swing guide, a link member, and a contact member. The cover unit is configured to be openably disposed on a housing of an image forming apparatus. The swing guide is configured to move between a guide position at which the swing guide is open to guide a sheet and a retracted position at which the swing guide is closed. The swing guide is configured to move from the retracted position to the guide position along with closing movement of the cover unit. The link member has one end configured to be held by the housing and an opposite end engaged with the swing guide. The contact member is disposed on the cover unit. The contact member is configured to contact the link member to rotate the link member in the closing movement of the cover unit.