Recording Medium Feeding Device Stopper Mechanism

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing recording medium feeding devices face issues with accurately separating stacked recording media due to the influence of inertial and frictional forces when the sheet feeding tray is inserted, leading to potential misalignment and failure in feeding individual sheets, and the size of stopper mechanisms is difficult to reduce while maintaining effective operation.

Innovation Solution

A recording medium feeding device with a stopper mechanism that includes engaging portions disposed on both sides of the stopper, allowing for reduced size and force distribution, and utilizing biasing units to ensure smooth switching between regulating states, along with a braking mechanism to stabilize the stopper's operation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Volume of moving object

If the engaging portion is separated from the stopper to reduce the size of the stopper mechanism, then the size of the stopper mechanism is reduced, but the engaging portion cannot smoothly perform the displacement operation due to rotating moment

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesize of stopper mechanismVSAvoidsmoothness of displacement operation

Core Design Contradiction:

Volume of moving objectVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The stopper mechanism is segmented into distinct components: the stopper body and the engaging portion are separated. The engaging portion is positioned at a distance from the stopper, allowing independent optimization of each component's function and size, thereby reducing the overall volume while maintaining operational effectiveness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

A connecting rod serves as an intermediary element between the engaging portion and the stopper. This mediator transmits the displacement force from the engaging portion to the stopper while compensating for the distance separation, enabling smooth operation despite the spatial separation that reduces mechanism size.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of operation

If the engaging portion is disposed in the vicinity of the stopper, then the displacement operation can be performed smoothly, but it is difficult to reduce the size of the stopper mechanism

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesmoothness of displacement operationVSAvoidsize of stopper mechanism

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The stopper mechanism is segmented into distinct components: the stopper body and the engaging portion are separated. The engaging portion is positioned at a distance from the stopper, allowing independent optimization of each component's function and size, thereby reducing the overall volume while maintaining operational effectiveness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The engaging portion is positioned in a different spatial location relative to the stopper, utilizing the spatial dimension to separate functional elements. This dimensional arrangement allows the mechanism to maintain operational smoothness while reducing the concentrated size of the stopper assembly.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Speed

If the tray is forcefully inserted into the device main body, then the insertion process is quick, but the recording medium is likely to ride on the inclined surface of the separating inclined portion due to inertial force

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinsertion speedVSAvoidseparation accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The stopper mechanism is positioned to preemptively prevent the recording medium from riding up the separating inclined portion during tray insertion. By regulating the medium's position before the harmful inertial effect can cause misalignment, the system maintains separation accuracy even during quick, forceful insertion operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

Solution Approach 2:

The stopper mechanism performs a preliminary regulatory action on the recording medium before the tray insertion completes. This advance positioning ensures that even when the tray is quickly inserted, the medium is already constrained in the correct position and will not ride up the incline, thereby maintaining reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

4Reliability

If the stopper mechanism is designed to regulate the recording medium during tray insertion, then separation accuracy is improved, but the mechanism size increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveseparation accuracyVSAvoidsize of stopper mechanism

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The stopper mechanism is segmented into distinct components: the stopper body and the engaging portion are separated. The engaging portion is positioned at a distance from the stopper, allowing independent optimization of each component's function and size, thereby reducing the overall volume while maintaining operational effectiveness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The stopper mechanism applies regulation function locally at the engaging portion rather than requiring a large centralized structure. The engaging portion is strategically positioned to exert precise control over the recording medium's position during insertion, achieving high separation accuracy with a compact, distributed design.

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

The solution enables reliable separation and feeding of individual recording media while reducing the size of the stopper mechanism and minimizing deflected force on the engaging portions, ensuring smooth operation and accurate feeding path management.

Implementation Method 1

the recording medium is moved from an interior of the tray in the insertion direction due to an inertial force

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectInertial force: Inertia

Implementation Method 2

leading edges of the recording media which are fed in a state in which a plurality of sheets is stacked one on top of another, come into contact with the inclined surface of the separating inclined portion and are subjected to the influence of a load (including a reaction force and a frictional force) in the direction opposite to the feeding direction

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFrictional force: Friction

Data Source

PatentUS8992003B2Recording medium feeding device and recording apparatus

Publication Date: 2015.03.31 SEIKO EPSON CORP

AI summary

A recording medium feeding device includes a tray in which accommodates a recording medium, which is attachable to and detachable from a device main body including a feeding unit; a stopper that is able to switch between a regulating state in which the stopper comes into contact with a leading edge of the recording medium which is accommodated in the tray to regulate a movement of the recording medium, and a regulating release state that enables the recording medium to be fed to a feeding path; and a switching unit that is engaged with the tray to switch the stopper from the regulating state to the regulating release state, wherein the switching unit includes engaging portions that engages with the tray, and wherein the engaging portions are disposed, being separated from the stopper at the both sides of the stopper in a width direction of the recording medium.