Compact MFP Motor Placement and Sheet Orientation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional multifunction peripherals (MFPs) face challenges in downsizing in the front-to-rear direction due to the placement of the driving motor and feeding mechanisms, which are configured to handle document sheets and recording sheets with short sides leading and trailing, respectively, making it difficult to reduce the overall size of the device.
Innovation Solution
The MFP is designed with an ADF unit that feeds document sheets along a path with a width corresponding to the short side, featuring a curved section to change the feeding direction, and a driving motor positioned within the width of this path, allowing for a more compact layout. Additionally, the image forming unit feeds recording sheets with long sides along the front-to-rear direction, optimizing space usage by accommodating sheets in a manner that reduces the device's size in this dimension.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the driving motor is disposed posterior to the feeding path of the ADF unit, then the driving motor can transmit driving force to the feed member, but the MFP cannot be downsized in the front-to-rear direction
Solution Approach 1:
The patent repositions the driving motor from a posterior location to a lateral position at the left or right end of the feeding path. This spatial reconfiguration allows the motor to drive the feed member through lateral transmission mechanisms (gears, belts, or shafts) while reducing the front-to-rear dimension of the MFP, directly resolving the contradiction between reliable force transmission and compact dimensions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs flexible transmission mechanisms (belts or shafts) that can dynamically adapt to the compact spatial arrangement. These dynamic transmission elements allow the motor positioned at the lateral end to effectively transmit driving force to the feed member despite the reduced front-to-rear distance, maintaining reliability while enabling downsizing.
2Ease of operation
If recording sheets are accommodated with long sides along the front-to-rear direction, then recording sheets can be fed with short side as leading end, but the MFP cannot be downsized in the front-to-rear direction
Solution Approach 1:
The patent reorients the recording sheet accommodation such that long sides extend along the left-to-right direction rather than front-to-rear direction. This dimensional reconfiguration allows sheets to be fed with short sides as leading ends while reducing the front-to-rear dimension, directly resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and compact size.
3Productivity
If the ADF unit feeds document sheets with short sides as upstream end, then document sheets can be fed along a predetermined path, but the MFP cannot be downsized in the front-to-rear direction
Solution Approach 1:
The patent reconfigures the document sheet feeding path so that sheets are fed with long sides along the front-to-rear direction and short sides along the left-to-right direction. This dimensional change maintains the predetermined feeding path capability while reducing the front-to-rear dimension required, resolving the contradiction between productivity and compact size.
Data Source
AI summary
A multifunction peripheral is provided that includes an ADF unit and a main body unit, the ADF unit including a driving motor disposed within a range corresponding to a width of a feeding path in a second direction perpendicular to a first direction, at an outer side relative to a curved part in the first direction, the main body unit including an accommodation unit configured to accommodate a recording sheet with long sides thereof along the first direction.