Pivoting Conveyance Guide for Easier Printer Jam Removal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional image forming apparatuses face difficulty in jam removal due to the conveyance guide blocking the open part of the apparatus body, making it challenging to reach and remove jammed sheets.
Innovation Solution
The conveyance guide is designed to be movable up and down, featuring a tray body portion and a handle portion that can be pivoted, allowing easy access and removal of jams by pivoting the handle to clear the path for finger insertion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the conveyance guide is lowered to guide sheets, then sheet conveyance is enabled, but the open part of the apparatus body is blocked making jam removal difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The conveyance guide is designed with a movable handle portion that can be pivoted between a lowered position (for sheet conveyance) and a raised position (for jam removal access). This dynamic configuration allows the same component to serve multiple functions: guiding sheets during normal operation and clearing the access path when jams occur, thereby resolving the contradiction between operational functionality and maintenance accessibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The handle portion of the conveyance guide is designed to move vertically in the up-down direction, adding a dimensional aspect to the structure. When raised, the handle portion clears the horizontal path for finger insertion into the apparatus body, enabling jam removal. This vertical movement dimension resolves the blocking issue while maintaining the conveyance function when lowered.
2Ease of operation
If the conveyance guide is in the lowered position for sheet conveyance, then sheets can be guided properly, but fingers cannot reach into the back of the apparatus body
Solution Approach 1:
The conveyance guide incorporates a movable handle portion that dynamically changes position based on operational needs. During sheet conveyance, the handle is lowered to ensure proper sheet guidance and conveyance reliability. When jam removal is needed, the handle is raised to provide access, thus dynamically resolving the contradiction between conveyance reliability and access ease.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the handle portion is fixed in position, then the structure is simple, but it cannot provide both conveyance guidance and jam removal access
Solution Approach 1:
The conveyance guide's handle portion is designed to perform multiple functions: it guides sheets during normal operation when lowered, and provides access clearance for jam removal when raised. This multi-functionality allows a single component to address both conveyance and maintenance needs, resolving the contradiction between versatility and structural simplicity through functional integration.
Data Source
AI summary
An image forming apparatus includes a first sheet stacking portion, a second sheet stacking portion, an image forming portion, and a sheet feeding portion. A bottom part of a feeding passage connecting between the second sheet stacking portion and the sheet feeding portion is configured with a conveyance guide movable up and down. The conveyance guide includes a tray body portion in the shape of a flat plate and a handle portion. With the first sheet stacking portion mounted in the apparatus body, the tray body portion is held on the apparatus body above the first sheet stacking portion. The handle portion protrudes from an upstream end part of the tray body portion in the sheet conveyance direction and is pivotable in the up-down direction.