Paper Feeder Locking Mechanism for One-Touch Width Regulation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional paper feeder locking mechanisms require high operation force and lack operability, as they necessitate separate up-and-down and widthwise movements, making it difficult to implement a one-touch action for locking and unlocking.
Innovation Solution
A locking mechanism that steplessly changes the movable range of the width regulating member using a lever and rack-pinion mechanism, allowing for easy unlocking and locking with reduced operational force, while maintaining precise position fixing and preventing wobbling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the locking pin is forced into the gap between facing rack teeth to ensure firm mesh, then the position maintaining function is improved, but the operation force required increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of forcing the locking pin downward into the gap between rack teeth (conventional approach), the invention inverts the approach by having the locking pin engage with the rack teeth from the side, where the teeth protrude laterally. This allows the locking pin to hook onto the rack teeth naturally without requiring excessive downward force, thus maintaining firm engagement while reducing operation force.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces an intermediary structure - the lateral protrusions on the rack teeth that extend in the widthwise direction. These protrusions serve as intermediaries between the locking pin and the rack mechanism, providing natural engagement points that reduce the force needed for locking while ensuring reliable position maintaining function.
2Device complexity
If the locking pin operates in the up-and-down direction orthogonal to the widthwise direction, then the locking mechanism is simple, but it becomes impossible to implement one-touch action for simultaneous locking pin operation and side regulating plate movement
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the locking pin operation with the side regulating plate movement by making them coupled through the same rack-pinion mechanism. The locking pin now moves in the widthwise direction along with the side regulating plates, allowing a single user action to simultaneously operate both the locking mechanism and the width regulation, thus enabling one-touch operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention makes the locking mechanism dynamic by allowing the locking pin to move in the widthwise direction rather than being fixed in the up-and-down direction. This dynamic adjustment enables the locking pin to follow the movement of the side regulating plates, facilitating coordinated one-touch operation while maintaining locking functionality.
3Ease of manufacture
If the locking pin is moved upward and downward to engage with rack teeth, then the locking mechanism is straightforward, but the operation requires separate actions from moving side regulating plates in the widthwise direction
Solution Approach 1:
The invention combines the locking pin movement with the side regulating plate movement in the widthwise direction. By coupling these two previously separate actions through the rack-pinion mechanism, the system allows both locking and width regulation to be achieved in a single operational sequence, thereby reducing the time required for paper size changes.
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 mechanism improves operability and position fixing functionality by allowing for one-touch locking and unlocking operations, reducing the need for high operational force and minimizing positional displacement during attachment and detachment.
Implementation Method 1
The pair of side regulating plates are coupled to each other through a rack pinion mechanism and cooperate to move toward and away from each other in the widthwise direction of the recording media. In the rack pinion mechanism, the pinion gear is disposed on the inner bottom surface of the recording-media container. The rack is disposed at each of side regulating plates and meshes with the pinion gear at both sides of the pinion gear.
Implementation Method 2
the locking pin is moved downward to force its engaging teeth at its lower end into the gap between the facing rack teeth. Thus, the engaging teeth are meshed with the facing rack teeth.
Data Source
AI summary
A paper feeder includes a recording-media container, a width regulating member, and a locking mechanism. The recording-media container is attachable to and detachable from a body of an image forming apparatus. The recording-media container stores a recording medium. The width regulating member regulates a position in a widthwise direction of the recording medium stored in the recording-media container. The locking mechanism steplessly changes a movable range of the width regulating member in the widthwise direction. The width regulating member includes a lever configured to cooperate with the width regulating member to hold the locking mechanism so as to bring the locking mechanism into an unlocked state. The locking mechanism in a locked state restricts movement of the width regulating member in the widthwise direction, and regulates wobbling of the width regulating member in a direction orthogonal to the widthwise direction.