Movable Exterior Portion for Compact Document Handling in Image Forming Apparatus
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Solution Overview
Problem
Image forming apparatuses require additional space due to the mismatch between the ejecting direction of documents after image reading or forming and the operation direction to expose the entrance for document transportation, leading to inefficient use of space.
Innovation Solution
The apparatus incorporates a movable exterior portion that aligns the ejecting directions of both the image reading and image forming sections with its movement, allowing for a unified entrance exposure and document ejection path, reducing the necessary space requirements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the ejecting direction of documents after image reading or forming is made different from the operation direction to expose the entrance for document transportation, then the operations can be performed independently, but additional space is required in each direction
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the ejection function and entrance exposure function into a single operational movement of the exterior portion. By making the exterior portion movable and aligning its movement direction with both ejection directions, the patent combines what would traditionally be separate spatial requirements into a unified path, thereby reducing the overall space needed while maintaining operational independence.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a movable exterior portion that can change its position and orientation dynamically. This dynamic element allows the apparatus to adapt its configuration based on whether it needs to eject a formed document or expose the entrance for document transportation, enabling space-efficient operation by utilizing the same spatial path for different functions at different times.
2Area of stationary object
If the ejecting direction of documents is aligned with the operation direction to expose the entrance, then space requirements are reduced, but the ejection and entrance exposure operations interfere with each other
Solution Approach 1:
The movable exterior portion serves as a dynamic separator that can be positioned to facilitate either ejection or entrance exposure without interference. By moving the exterior portion to specific positions during each operation, the system maintains clear paths for both functions simultaneously, eliminating operational interference while preserving space efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The exterior portion acts as an intermediary element between the ejection function and the entrance exposure function. It mediates the interaction between these two operations by providing a movable barrier that can be positioned to allow ejection in one direction while maintaining entrance exposure capability in the same spatial path, thus preventing direct interference between the two operations.
Data Source
AI summary
An image forming apparatus includes: an image forming section that forms an image on a document; a first ejection section that ejects the document on which the image has been formed; an exterior portion which is movable and a part of which constitutes an exterior of the apparatus; an entrance portion that is exposed by movement of the exterior portion and that constitutes an entrance for the document to be transported to an image reading section that reads the image formed on the document; the image reading section that reads the image formed on the document transported after the entrance portion is exposed; and a second ejection section that ejects the document which has been read by the image reading section. An ejecting direction of the first ejection section, an ejecting direction of the second ejection section, and a moving direction of the exterior portion coincide with each other.