Pivoting Tray Cover Conceals Gateway Opening
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional image forming devices, such as scanners and printers, have open medium gateway openings that lead to wear, damage, and malfunction due to external substances entering the device, and also negatively impact the aesthetic appearance.
Innovation Solution
An image forming device with a tray assembly that includes a pivoting tray body and cover body, where the tray body covers the upper side and the cover body covers the lateral side, using a resilient component to pivot between used and folded positions, effectively concealing and revealing the medium gateway opening.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the medium gateway opening is designed to be open for automation, then productivity is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to wear, damage, or malfunction caused by external substances entering the device
Solution Approach 1:
A cover body is introduced as an intermediary element that can pivot between a first position (revealing the medium gateway opening for automated operation) and a second position (concealing the opening to protect internal components). The cover body mediates between the conflicting requirements of openness for productivity and protection for reliability, allowing the system to achieve both states sequentially rather than simultaneously.
2Productivity
If the medium gateway opening is designed to be open for automation, then productivity is improved, but aesthetic appearance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The cover body is designed to be dynamically movable between two positions rather than being fixed. When not in use, it pivots to conceal the medium gateway opening, improving aesthetic appearance. When needed for automated operation, it pivots to reveal the opening, maintaining productivity. This dynamic design allows the appearance to adapt to functional requirements.
3Reliability
If a cover body is added to conceal the medium gateway opening, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cover body is merged with the resilient component (such as a spring or elastic element) to form an integrated assembly. The resilient component provides the driving force for the cover body to pivot between positions, eliminating the need for separate actuators, motors, or control mechanisms. This merging reduces overall device complexity while maintaining the protective function.
Solution Approach 2:
The resilient component enables the cover body to automatically pivot between concealed and revealed positions based on the presence or absence of a tray, without requiring external control systems. The system serves itself by using the insertion/removal of the tray to trigger the cover body's movement, reducing complexity by eliminating the need for sensors, motors, or control circuits.
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
Prevents external substances from entering the device while improving the aesthetic appearance by seamlessly concealing and revealing the medium gateway opening, thus protecting internal components and enhancing the device's appearance.
Implementation Method 1
The resilient component is connected to the cover body for biasing the cover body to pivot to the second folded position
Data Source
AI summary
An image forming device includes a case whereon a medium gateway opening is formed, and a tray assembly. The tray assembly includes a tray, a cover and a resilient component. The tray drives the cover to pivot relative to the case in a first pivoting direction from a second folding position to a second using position to reveal the medium gateway opening when the tray pivots relative to the case in the first pivoting direction from a first folding position to a first using position. When the tray pivots relative to the case in a second pivoting direction opposite to the first pivoting direction from the first using position to the first folding position, the cover is driven by the resilient component to pivot relative to the case in the second pivoting direction from the second using position to the second folding position to conceal the medium gateway opening.