Movable Paper Guide for Jam-Free Tray Feeding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional paper feed trays with vertical regulation guide members experience paper jams due to the guide members separating from the paper end when the paper stack is small, leading to inaccurate paper conveyance.
Innovation Solution
A paper feed tray design featuring a slide member, a guide member with a movable regulation surface, and a protruding portion that urges the guide member to move towards the paper end for regulation, preventing obstruction during paper setting and ensuring accurate conveyance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the vertical guide is urged by a coil spring to lean away from the paper end portion, then the guide member does not obstruct paper setting, but the guide member separates from the paper end when the paper stack is small, causing inaccurate paper conveyance
Solution Approach 1:
The guide member is designed to dynamically change its position based on paper stack height. When paper is present, the guide member contacts and follows the paper end, maintaining accurate positioning. When the paper stack is small or absent, the spring urge causes the guide member to lean away, preventing obstruction during paper setting. This dynamic adaptation resolves the contradiction between ease of paper setting and paper conveyance accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide member automatically adjusts its own position in response to the presence or absence of paper without requiring external control. The spring mechanism provides self-regulation where the guide member self-adjusts to lean away when paper is absent (facilitating paper setting) and self-aligns with the paper end when paper is present (ensuring accurate conveyance).
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The design ensures reliable regulation of paper ends, preventing paper jams and ensuring accurate paper conveyance even with small paper stacks by allowing the guide member to move into position without user intervention.
Implementation Method 1
The movable member is urged toward a position where the end portion of the paper is regulated
Data Source
AI summary
A paper feed tray includes: a case that accommodates a stack of paper; a slide member that is provided to be slidable with respect to the case in accordance with the size of the paper; a guide member that is supported by the slide member and is provided with a regulation surface regulating an end portion of the paper; and a movable member that is provided with at least a portion of the regulation surface and is provided to be movable with respect to the slide member, the movable member serving as a portion of the guide member. The movable member is supported to be movable with respect to the slide member so that the regulation surface of the movable member is separated from the end portion of the paper when setting the paper. The movable member is urged toward a position where the end portion of the paper is regulated.