Rib Convex Portion Guides Medium Tailing End
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional image forming apparatuses experience frequent inappropriate stacking of media due to the tailing end of the medium contacting a wall member during ejection, leading to folding and bending of the media.
Innovation Solution
A medium ejection device with an ejection member, a stacking member, and a rib disposed in a substantially up and down direction, featuring a convex portion that protrudes toward the stacking member, guiding the tailing end of the medium to prevent contact with the wall and ensuring proper stacking by increasing the contact area and friction, thereby reducing the likelihood of inappropriate stacking.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a wall member is disposed to guide the medium during ejection, then the medium is directed toward the stacking position, but the tailing end of the medium contacts the wall member causing inappropriate stacking and folding
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a rib with a convex portion as an intermediary element between the wall member and the medium. This rib acts as a mediator that redirects the medium's path, allowing the tailing end to clear the wall member without direct contact. The convex portion specifically serves as the intermediary surface that the medium contacts instead of the wall member, preventing the harmful folding effect while maintaining guidance functionality.
2Productivity
If the medium is ejected with high speed to improve productivity, then the ejection efficiency increases, but the medium may contact the wall member more forcefully causing more frequent inappropriate stacking
Solution Approach 1:
The rib with the convex portion is positioned in advance in the medium ejection path, creating a preliminary action that redirects the medium before it reaches the wall member. By placing this guiding structure upstream in the ejection direction, the medium's trajectory is modified early in the ejection process, ensuring that even at high ejection speeds, the tailing end follows a path that clears the wall member and stacks appropriately.
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 effectively reduces the occurrence of inappropriate stacking and folding of media by guiding the tailing end of the medium away from the wall, ensuring it is stacked correctly on the face-up stacker, preventing contact with the rib and enhancing the stacking process.
Implementation Method 1
ensuring proper stacking by increasing the contact area and friction
Data Source
AI summary
A medium ejection device includes an ejection member, a stacking member and a rib. The ejection member ejects a medium toward a medium ejection direction. The stacking member stacks the medium ejected from the ejection member. The rib is disposed in a substantially up and down direction, and is contacted by a tailing end of the medium ejected from the ejection member. The rib includes a convex portion protruding toward the stacking member in an upper portion thereof.