Movable-Member Supporter With Segmented Guide Rail
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing post-processing apparatuses and image forming systems face challenges in efficiently sharing a first support member between multiple apparatuses with different movable-member guide ranges, leading to complexities in binding operations and potential interference between movable members.
Innovation Solution
A movable-member supporter system is introduced, comprising a first support member with a guide unit and a second support member connected via a continuous guide rail, allowing the movable members to move along a shared path without interference, with adjustable connection sections to prevent wheel entrapment and reduce the size of the support member.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of repair
If multiple apparatuses with different movable-member guide ranges share a first support member, then component waste is reduced and maintenance is easier, but binding operations become complex and movable members may interfere with each other
Solution Approach 1:
The continuous guide rail is segmented into a first guide unit on the first support member and a second guide unit on the second support member. This segmentation allows each support member to serve apparatuses with specific guide ranges while maintaining a continuous guiding path, thereby reducing interference between movable members and simplifying binding operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The second support member acts as an intermediary structure that carries the second guide unit. This intermediary structure enables the first support member to be shared between multiple apparatuses by providing an additional support member that extends the guide range without creating interference, thus resolving the contradiction between sharing components and maintaining operational simplicity.
2Reliability
If the first guide unit and second guide unit are continuously connected, then movable members move smoothly without interference, but the support member size increases
Solution Approach 1:
The continuous guide rail is divided into two guide units on separate support members. This segmentation allows the guide rail to be continuously connected for smooth movement while distributing the structural load across multiple smaller support members, thereby reducing the size of each individual support member.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the connection section is provided at the side surface of the support plate, then wheel entrapment is prevented, but the manufacturing process becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of providing the connection section at the end surface of the support plate (conventional approach), the connection section is inverted to be provided at the side surface. This inversion prevents wheels from being trapped during movement while the simple structural change maintains ease of manufacture.
Data Source
AI summary
A movable-member supporter includes: a first support member that includes a first support plate, a first guide unit provided at the first support plate, and a first connection section, the first guide unit guiding movement of a movable member and having one end that extends to one side surface of the first support plate, the first connection section being provided at the one side surface of the first support plate; and a second support member that includes a second support plate, a second guide unit provided at the second support plate, and a second connection section, the second guide unit guiding movement of the movable member and having one end that extends to one side surface of the second support plate, the second connection section being provided at the one side surface of the second support plate and being connected with the first connection section of the first support member.