Optical Scanning Device Upper Lid Engagement Design

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Solution Overview

Problem

The optical scanning device experiences tooth skipping between the input gear and driving gear due to the upper lid floating up when the housing body is set, which deteriorates the locking mechanism, and increasing the projecting amounts of engaging parts worsens the mountability and demountability of the upper lid.

Innovation Solution

The optical scanning device features a design with a box-like housing body and an upper lid having engagement holes and projecting parts, where the upper lid engaging projecting parts closer to the input gear have a larger projecting amount, ensuring secure engagement without increasing the connecting force unnecessarily, thus preventing floating-up and maintaining mountability and demountability.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the projecting amounts of engaging projecting parts are increased to prevent floating-up of the upper lid, then the reliability of gear meshing is improved, but the ease of operation for mounting and demounting the upper lid deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvegear meshing reliabilityVSAvoidmounting and demounting ease
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The engaging projecting parts are designed with different projecting amounts at different locations. Specifically, the projecting parts at the input gear side have larger projecting amounts to prevent floating-up and ensure reliable gear meshing, while other projecting parts have smaller projecting amounts to maintain ease of mounting and demounting. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction by applying different engagement strengths where needed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Stability of the object's composition

If the upper lid is firmly fixed to prevent floating-up, then the tooth skipping problem is solved, but the mountability and demountability of the upper lid deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveupper lid stabilityVSAvoidmountability and demountability
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The upper lid engagement structure uses multiple projecting parts with different projecting amounts. The projecting parts near the input gear have larger projecting amounts to provide firm fixation and prevent floating-up during operation, while projecting parts at other locations have smaller amounts that allow easy mounting and demounting. This creates localized stability where needed while maintaining overall ease of operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

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

This configuration effectively prevents tooth skipping between the input gear and driving gear while ensuring the upper lid remains securely attached to the housing body, maintaining optimal mountability and demountability.

Implementation Method 1

The input gear is held to the upper lid via the screw shaft. There are cases where the input gear is directly held to the upper lid. An image forming apparatus body is provided therein with a driving gear meshed with the input gear.

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectGear meshing: Gear

Implementation Method 2

The driving mechanism has a screw shaft extending in the predetermined direction along the dustproof glass and an input gear that inputs rotational driving force to the screw shaft. By so doing, the screw shaft is rotated, so that a holding member is reciprocally driven along the dustproof glass

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectScrew mechanism: Screw

Data Source

PatentEP3467568B1Optical scanning device and image forming apparatus including the same
Publication Date: 2021.07.14 KYOCERA DOCUMENT SOLUTIONS INC
  • EP3467568B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3467568B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3467568B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

An optical scanning device has a housing body (30) and an upper lid. The upper lid is formed at the end part thereof with a plurality of engagement holes, the housing body (30) is provided at the sidewall thereof with a plurality of upper lid engaging projecting parts (31) (the engaging projecting parts (31a) to (31d)) that project outward from a housing and are engaged with the engagement holes, an input gear is held to an end part of one side or the other side of the upper lid in a predetermined direction, and the plurality of upper lid engaging projecting parts (31) (the engaging projecting parts (31a) to (31d)) are formed such that amounts of projecting outward from the housing are increased as the plurality of upper lid engaging projecting parts (31) (the engaging projecting parts (31a) to (31d)) are positioned at a side near the input gear in the predetermined direction.