Medium Stopper Structure for Preventing Sheet Climb-Over
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing sheet stopper in image forming devices allows discharged sheet material to potentially climb over and deviate outside the device due to its inclined plane design.
Innovation Solution
A medium discharge device with a medium stopper that rises upright, featuring multiple contact surfaces and a recessed design to prevent sheet deviation, allowing sheets to be stacked and aligned properly on a placement surface.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If an inclined plane design is used for the sheet stopper, then the stopper structure is simple, but the discharged sheet material may climb over and deviate outside the device
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from a single inclined plane surface to a multi-step surface with multiple contact surfaces arranged vertically. This dimensional change creates multiple barriers that prevent sheets from climbing over, while maintaining structural simplicity through the vertical stacking of contact surfaces rather than horizontal extension.
Solution Approach 2:
The stopper surface is segmented into multiple discrete contact surfaces (first contact surface, second contact surface, etc.) rather than a continuous inclined plane. Each contact surface acts as an independent barrier, and the gaps between them allow the stopper to be lightweight while collectively providing robust containment that prevents sheet deviation.
Data Source
AI summary
A medium discharge device 3 includes a medium discharge section 30 that discharges a medium M in a discharge direction, a placement section 14 having a placement surface 40 on which the medium M discharged from the medium discharge section 30 is placed; and a medium stopper 45 that is provided at an end section of the placement section 14 in the discharge direction and that restricts movement of the discharged medium M in the discharge direction, wherein the medium stopper 45 rises upright with respect to the placement surface 40, has a first contact surface S1 configured to come into contact with a downstream end of the discharged medium M in the discharge direction, and has a second contact surface S2 that is located above the first contact surface S1 and that is configured to come into contact with a downstream end of the discharged medium M in the discharge direction.