Rotatable Reference Member Inside Guide for Imaging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing medium conveying apparatuses face challenges in satisfactorily imaging media of varying thicknesses due to limitations in adapting the imaging unit's position and background color adjustment, leading to suboptimal image quality and increased conveyance load during high-speed scanning of thick media.
Innovation Solution
A medium conveying apparatus with a rotatable reference member and a guide portion that allows the imaging unit to adjust its position and background color dynamically, ensuring consistent image quality across different media thicknesses and reducing conveyance load by optimizing the movement of the imaging unit.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the imaging unit position is fixed and background color switching is implemented, then the device complexity is reduced, but the adaptability to media of varying thicknesses deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The reference member is made rotatable about an axis located inside the guide portion, allowing it to dynamically switch between facing and non-facing positions relative to the imaging sensor. This dynamic configuration enables the system to adapt to different media thicknesses while maintaining a relatively simple overall device structure.
2Ease of manufacture
If the reference member rotation fulcrum is located outside the guide portion, then the ease of manufacture is improved, but the reliability of imaging deteriorates due to increased device movement
Solution Approach 1:
The rotation fulcrum axis of the reference member is positioned inside the guide portion, nesting the rotational mechanism within the guiding structure. This arrangement stabilizes the device by preventing excessive movement during operation, thereby improving imaging reliability while remaining manufacturable.
3Productivity
If high-speed scanning of thick media is performed without position adjustment, then the productivity is improved, but the manufacturing precision deteriorates due to increased conveyance load
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the imaging unit position based on media thickness. During high-speed scanning of thick media, the imaging unit can be positioned optimally to reduce conveyance load, thereby maintaining both high productivity and imaging precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The position of the imaging unit is adjusted as a variable parameter based on media thickness. By changing the position parameter, the system optimizes the conveyance load during high-speed scanning, maintaining imaging precision while preserving productivity.
Data Source
AI summary
A medium conveying apparatus includes a conveying roller to convey a medium, a first unit, a second unit located to face the first unit, an imaging sensor provided in the first unit, to image the medium conveyed by the conveying roller, a reference member including a facing surface, and provided in the second unit in such a way that the facing surface is rotatable between a facing position at which the facing surface faces the imaging sensor, and a non-facing position at which the facing surface deviates from the facing position, a guide portion to slidably guide the second unit in a direction perpendicular to a medium conveying surface so that the second unit moves in the direction perpendicular to the medium conveying surface, and a support portion to rotatably support the reference member. The support portion is located inside the guide portion.