Rotatable Door Collision Prevention Mechanism

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Solution Overview

Problem

In electrophotographic image forming apparatuses, the arrangement of multiple doors can lead to interference during opening and closing operations, potentially causing damage to the doors or their holding members due to collisions.

Innovation Solution

The image forming apparatus is designed with a first door that retracts to a specific position when the second door is closed, allowing the second door to rotate freely, thus preventing collisions and minimizing damage by overlapping the first door's rotation range within the second door's range and using an inclined surface as a retracting portion to facilitate this movement.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If multiple doors are arranged in the image forming apparatus, then access to internal components for maintenance and consumable replacement is improved, but door collision and damage risk increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccess to internal componentsVSAvoiddoor collision damage risk

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The retracting portion causes the first door to move to a retracted position in advance before the second door closes, preventing collision before it can occur. This preliminary positioning action ensures that when the second door is closed, the first door is already in a safe position that allows the second door to close without interference.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The first door is made dynamically adjustable through the retracting portion, which can change the position of the first door from its normal closed position to a retracted position. This dynamic repositioning allows the system to adapt to the closing action of the second door, preventing collision while maintaining normal door functions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Ease of operation

If the first door is made rotatable within a rotation range, then maintenance access is improved, but interference with the second door increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemaintenance accessVSAvoidinterference with second door

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The retracting portion introduces a vertical dimension to the first door's movement, allowing it to move not only horizontally for maintenance access but also vertically to a retracted position. This additional dimensional movement resolves the interference issue by creating vertical clearance when the second door needs to close.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Data Source

PatentUS11796932B2Image forming apparatus and image forming system

Publication Date: 2023.10.24 CANON KK

AI summary

An image forming apparatus including: a first door rotatable about a first rotation axis extending in a width direction within a first rotation range between a first open position and a first closed position; a second door provided below the first door and rotatable about a second rotation axis extending in a direction orthogonal to the first rotation axis within a second rotation range between a second open position and a second closed position, a part of the first rotation range making inroads into the second rotation range; and a retracting portion configured to rotate the first door to a retracted position to allow a rotation of the second door in conjunction with the second door being rotated to the second closed position from a state in which the first door is in the first open position and the second door is in the second open position.