Offset Sheet Roll Supporters for Image Forming Apparatus
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing image forming apparatuses face difficulties in easily setting and handling heavy sheet rolls, particularly those exceeding 10 kg, due to their weight and size, which can lead to user fatigue and potential damage to the rolls during installation.
Innovation Solution
The design includes upper and lower sheet roll supporters positioned one above the other, with offset centers and multiple front surface openings for easy access and setting of sheet rolls, reducing the height of the apparatus and facilitating user-friendly operation without a pull-out-type housing, thus simplifying the configuration and preventing roll damage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If sheet rolls are positioned at chest height for easy setting, then ease of operation is improved, but the apparatus height increases beyond acceptable limits
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies asymmetry by offsetting the lower sheet roll supporter forward relative to the upper sheet roll supporter. This creates an asymmetric configuration where the lower roll is positioned more toward the front surface, allowing users to access and set heavy sheet rolls from a lower, more comfortable position without requiring the entire apparatus to be at chest height, thus resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and apparatus height.
2Ease of operation
If multiple openings are provided in the front surface for sheet roll setting, then ease of operation is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by providing multiple separate openings in the front surface - specifically, an upper opening for the upper sheet roll supporter and a lower opening for the lower sheet roll supporter. This segmentation allows users to access and set sheet rolls independently through different openings, improving ease of operation while maintaining a relatively simple overall configuration that doesn't require complex mechanisms.
Data Source
AI summary
An image forming apparatus including an image reading unit to read an image of a document, disposed in an upper portion of the image forming apparatus; an image forming unit to form the image on a sheet, disposed below the image reading unit; at least upper and lower sheet roll supporters provided one above the other below the image forming unit to support a sheet roll, the lower sheet roll supporter offset proximally toward a front surface of the image forming apparatus from the upper sheet roll supporter; and multiple openings provided in the front surface of the image forming apparatus for the at least upper and lower sheet roll supporters through which the sheet roll is set to the at least upper and lower sheet roll supporters from a front surface side of the image forming apparatus.