Roll Feeding Tray with Remaining Amount Display

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Solution Overview

Problem

Users of sheet feeding apparatuses need to physically draw out the cassette to visually check the remaining amount of roll sheets, which is inconvenient.

Innovation Solution

A feeding apparatus with a tray that has a roll accommodating part and a display on its outer surface to show the remaining amount of the roll, allowing users to check without drawing the tray out.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the tray is kept attached to the casing for compact operation, then the device structure is compact and stable, but the user cannot easily check the remaining roll amount

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of checking remaining roll amountVSAvoidvisibility of remaining roll amount

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses an optical copy (image) of the roll's outer circumferential surface displayed on a screen as a substitute for direct visual inspection. The image display unit creates a visual representation of the roll state, allowing users to check the remaining amount without physically accessing or removing the tray from the casing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

2Loss of information

If the tray is drawn out for visual inspection, then the remaining roll amount can be checked, but the operation becomes inconvenient and time-consuming

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevisibility of remaining roll amountVSAvoidtime required to check remaining roll amount

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary action by automatically capturing and displaying an image of the roll's outer circumferential surface before the user needs to check the remaining amount. The image acquisition and display processes occur in advance, so when the user wants to check the roll status, the information is already available on the screen without requiring tray removal or manual inspection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Ease of operation

If a display unit is added to show roll information, then the remaining amount can be checked without removing the tray, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of checking remaining roll amountVSAvoidcomplexity of display system

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The image display unit serves multiple functions: it displays the roll's outer circumferential surface image for checking remaining amounts, and can also show other operational status information. By using an existing display component for multiple purposes, the patent avoids adding dedicated complex display mechanisms while still providing the needed information functionality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS20250033381A1Feeding apparatus and image forming apparatus

Publication Date: 2025.01.30 BROTHER KOGYO KK

AI summary

There is provided a feeding apparatus including: a casing; a tray having a roll accommodating part configured to accommodate a roll in which a belt-shaped medium is rolled, the tray being configured to be moved between an attached position and a drawn-out position in a direction crossing an up-down direction and crossing a first direction, the first direction being a direction of an axis of the roll accommodated in the roll accommodating part; a feeder configured to feed the belt-shaped medium unrolled from the roll accommodated in the roll accommodating part of the tray in the attached position; and a roll-remaining amount display disposed on an outer surface of the tray and configured to display a remaining amount of the roll accommodated in the roll accommodating part.