Pulley Rack Pinion Lifting Mechanism for Horizontal Posture
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Solution Overview
Problem
Inkjet type image forming apparatuses face challenges in lifting and lowering heavy conveyance units while maintaining a horizontal posture, as the layout constraints prevent the movable pulley from being positioned near the center of gravity, making it difficult to lift and lower the conveyance unit without interfering with the head unit.
Innovation Solution
A lifting and lowering mechanism incorporating a fixed pulley, winding pulley, movable pulley, wire, drive source, rack, and pinion, where the pulleys are positioned in the casing and moving unit, allowing the wire to be wound and unwound to lift and lower the moving unit while the pinion engages with the rack, maintaining the horizontal posture.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If a movable pulley is employed to lift and lower the conveyance unit, then the force required for lifting and lowering is reduced by half, but the conveyance unit cannot be lifted and lowered while keeping a horizontal posture because the movable pulley cannot be disposed near the center of gravity
Solution Approach 1:
The lifting and lowering mechanism is divided into two independent but coordinated systems: a movable pulley system for force reduction and a rack-pinion system for posture control. The movable pulley handles the weight reduction while the rack-pinion mechanism independently manages the horizontal positioning, allowing both functions to operate simultaneously without interference
Solution Approach 2:
The rack-pinion mechanism acts as an intermediary between the movable pulley system and the conveyance unit. It translates the vertical motion generated by the pulley into controlled horizontal motion, mediating the conflict between force reduction and posture stability by introducing a intermediate mechanical stage that coordinates both requirements
2Ease of manufacture
If the movable pulley is disposed at a position that does not interfere with the head unit, then the layout constraint is satisfied, but it becomes difficult to lift and lower the conveyance unit while keeping the horizontal posture
Solution Approach 1:
The solution moves the posture control function from the vertical dimension (where the pulley operates) to the horizontal dimension through the rack-pinion mechanism. The rack extends horizontally from the movable pulley assembly, and the pinion converts vertical motion into horizontal motion, effectively using dimensional transformation to resolve the spatial conflict between pulley positioning and center of gravity alignment
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
Enables stable lifting and lowering of the conveyance unit while maintaining its horizontal posture, even when supported at positions other than its center of gravity, ensuring a constant positional relationship and stable operation.
Implementation Method 1
The lifting and lowering mechanism includes a fixed pulley and a winding pulley which are provided in a casing to which the conveyance unit is supported, a movable pulley provided in the conveyance unit, a wire both ends of which are fixed to the casing and the winding pulley, in which the wire is put around the movable pulley and the fixed pulley
Implementation Method 2
Employing the movable pulley makes it possible to lift and lower the article with half force compared with a case employing the fixed pulley
Implementation Method 3
The rack is provided in the casing along an upper-and-lower direction. The pinion is provided in the moving unit and configured to be engaged with the rack
Implementation Method 4
a motor to rotate the winding pulley. When the motor rotates the winding pulley, the wire is wound or unwound around the winding pulley via the fixed pulley and the movable pulley to lift and lower the conveyance unit with respect to the casing
Data Source
AI summary
An image forming apparatus includes a moving unit and a lifting and lowering mechanism. The moving unit is supported by a casing in an upwardly and downwardly moving manner. A fixed pully and a winding pully are provided in the casing. A movable pulley is provided in the moving unit. A wire is configured to be wound around the fixed pulley and the movable pulley. One end of the wire is fixed to the casing and the other end of the wire is fixed to the winding pulley. A rack is provided in the casing along an upper-and-lower direction. A pinion is provided in the moving unit and configured to be engaged with the rack. The winding pulley is rotated to wind and unwind the wire via the fixed pulley and the movable pulley, and the moving unit is lifted and lowered while the pinion being engaged with the rack.