Reinforcement Plate Recess for Image Forming Apparatus Rigidity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Image forming apparatuses face challenges in maintaining rigidity while avoiding enlargement, as reinforcement plates formed with unevenness to enhance rigidity often increase the device's size and complexity.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a metallic reinforcement plate with a first recess part, bent parts, and a connection part that allows the cartridge to be positioned within the recess, improving rigidity without enlarging the apparatus, and includes a seal member to manage airflow and a simplified configuration for multiple cartridges, reducing the need for individual recesses and enhancing operability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the reinforcement plate is formed with unevenness through bending and drawing processes to improve rigidity, then the rigidity of the reinforcement plate and cover is improved, but the reinforcement plate is enlarged in thickness direction and the size of the image forming apparatus is enlarged
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies nesting by forming a recess part in the reinforcement plate that receives the cartridge. This allows the cartridge to be nested within the reinforcement plate structure, improving rigidity through the unevenness formation while preventing overall size enlargement because the cartridge occupies space that would otherwise be empty volume.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses dimensionality change by creating unevenness in the thickness direction of the reinforcement plate through bending and drawing processes. This forms a three-dimensional recess structure that improves rigidity by adding structural complexity in the thickness dimension, while the recess design ensures that this dimensional addition does not translate to overall apparatus size increase.
2Strength
If multiple individual recess parts are provided for multiple cartridges to improve rigidity, then the rigidity is improved, but the device complexity and number of parts are increased
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies merging by providing a single recess part that can receive multiple cartridges simultaneously, rather than providing separate recess parts for each cartridge. This combines multiple functions into one structural feature, improving rigidity through the unevenness formation while reducing device complexity and the number of parts required.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements universality by designing the recess part to serve multiple functions: it improves rigidity of the reinforcement plate, accommodates multiple different cartridges, and provides a unified structural solution that simplifies the overall design. This multi-functional design eliminates the need for separate specialized recesses for each cartridge type.
3Strength
If the reinforcement plate is made thicker to improve rigidity, then the rigidity of the cover is improved, but the overall size of the image forming apparatus is enlarged
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies nesting by creating a recess part that receives the cartridge within the reinforcement plate structure. This allows the reinforcement plate to achieve the necessary thickness for rigidity while the cartridge is nested within the recess, preventing the overall apparatus size from increasing proportionally with the reinforcement plate thickness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses segmentation by dividing the reinforcement plate into different regions: a thicker region with the recess part for improved rigidity, and thinner regions where the cartridge is received. This segmented thickness distribution provides the necessary structural strength only where needed, rather than uniformly increasing the thickness of the entire reinforcement plate.
Data Source
AI summary
An image forming apparatus includes: a body frame having an opening, a cartridge being configured to be removably mounted to the body frame through the opening; and a cover configured to open and close the opening, wherein the cover includes a metallic reinforcement plate that is configured to face the cartridge mounted to the body frame when the cover is closed, and wherein the reinforcement plate includes a first recess part configured to receive therein a part of the cartridge mounted to the body frame when the cover is closed.