Manual Feed Tray Lift Plate Interference
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing image forming apparatuses face interference issues between the manual feed tray's lift plate and the apparatus body when closing, potentially causing damage due to strong contact and interference during sheet feeding.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a pulley or guide portion on the cursor with a predetermined interval between the facing wall portion and the pressed portion, which receives a drag force to move the lift plate downward against the biasing force, preventing strong interference and damage by guiding the cursors smoothly under the facing wall portions during closure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the manual feed tray is made openable and closable with respect to the apparatus body, then the ease of operation is improved, but the reliability deteriorates due to potential interference and damage between the lift plate and apparatus body during closure
Solution Approach 1:
A pressed portion is provided on the cursor that acts as an intermediary element to contact the facing wall portion during closure. This pressed portion is positioned at a predetermined interval from the facing wall portion in the sheet feeding state, allowing smooth guidance of the cursor under the facing wall portion without causing strong interference or damage to the lift plate or apparatus body.
2Manufacturing precision
If the cursor is positioned close to the facing wall portion during sheet feeding, then the manufacturing precision is improved, but the reliability deteriorates due to risk of strong contact and damage during tray closure
Solution Approach 1:
The position of the cursor relative to the facing wall portion is made dynamic rather than fixed. In the sheet feeding state, the pressed portion is arranged with a predetermined interval from the facing wall portion to ensure precise sheet positioning. During closure, the pressed portion contacts the facing wall portion to guide the cursor smoothly under it, preventing strong interference. This dynamic positioning resolves the contradiction between maintaining precision during operation and preventing damage during closure.
Data Source
AI summary
A manual feed tray includes a tray body and a lift unit, and the lift unit includes a lift plate, a lift spring and a pair of cursors. The cursor includes a guide portion. When the manual feed tray is closed from a sheet feeding state of the lift plate, the guide portion comes into contact with a facing wall portion, whereby a downstream side of the lift plate in a covering direction moves downward. Thus, even if the manual feed tray is closed with the lift plate moved upward, the lift plate smoothly moves downward.