Nested Cable Loops for Movable Operating Panel Space Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional image forming apparatuses with movable operating panels face challenges in reducing installation space for cables with varying bending rigidity, leading to increased space requirements due to looped cable configurations.
Innovation Solution
The apparatus employs a first cable with high bending rigidity and a second cable with smaller diameter, forming nested loops to optimize cable arrangement, with connectors disposed to maximize curvature radius, reducing the overall space needed for cable accommodation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple cables with different diameters and bending rigidities are used to connect the operating panel and main assembly, then electrical connection reliability is improved, but the installation space in the operating panel increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies nesting by arranging the second cable (with smaller diameter and lower bending rigidity) inside the loop formed by the first cable (with larger diameter and higher bending rigidity). This nested configuration allows both cables to share the same spatial pathway, significantly reducing the installation space required in the operating panel while maintaining reliable electrical connections for both high-speed signals and power.
2Reliability
If cables are provided with excessive lengths to prevent disconnection during panel movement, then connection reliability is improved, but the space required for cable accommodation increases
Solution Approach 1:
By nesting the second cable within the loop of the first cable, the patent enables both cables to be accommodated in a compact configuration. The excessive length needed for reliable connection during panel movement is efficiently managed within the nested loop structure, preventing cable disconnection while minimizing the space required for cable accommodation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes the three-dimensional space created by the looped configuration of the first cable to accommodate the second cable. This spatial arrangement in multiple dimensions allows both cables to coexist without requiring excessive linear space, effectively managing cable length while maintaining connection reliability during operating panel movement.
3Ease of operation
If the operating panel is made movable to improve usability, then ease of operation is improved, but the force required for movement increases due to cable bending rigidity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by assigning different bending rigidity characteristics to different cables based on their specific functions. The first cable with larger diameter and higher bending rigidity is used for high-speed signal transmission where stability is critical, while the second cable with smaller diameter and lower bending rigidity is used for power transmission where flexibility is more important. This differentiated approach reduces the overall force required for panel movement while maintaining signal integrity.
Data Source
AI summary
An image forming apparatus includes a main assembly; an operating portion mounted in a front surface side of the main assembly so as to be slidable in a widthwise direction of the main assembly and configured to be capable of inputting a signal to the main assembly, wherein the operating portion includes a first connector and a second connector; a first cable configured to electrically connect the main assembly and the first connector of the operating portion in a state in which a first loop is formed; and a second cable having a cable diameter smaller than a cable diameter of the first cable and configured to electrically connect the main assembly and the second connector of the operating portion in a state in which a second loop is formed inside the first cable.