Cable Damage Prevention in Scanner Hinge Mechanisms
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The existing image forming apparatuses face cable damage due to bending and twisting during the opening and closing of the document sheet conveying device, which is not effectively addressed by conventional techniques.
Innovation Solution
The apparatus incorporates a shielding member with an opening portion for the cable, a protrusion on the cable, and a guide member with an annular groove, allowing the protrusion to displace circumferentially and reducing stress from twisting, thereby regulating cable movement and preventing damage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the document sheet conveying device is opened and closed through a hinge, then the device can be flipped up for document placement, but the cable connecting the circuit board to the conveying device undergoes bending and twisting that may cause damage
Solution Approach 1:
A guide member is introduced as an intermediary component between the cable and the moving document sheet conveying device. The guide member includes a groove that guides the cable's movement path, preventing direct bending and twisting of the cable during the opening and closing operations of the conveying device.
Solution Approach 2:
The cable is pre-positioned within the groove of the guide member before the document sheet conveying device is operated. This preliminary positioning ensures that the cable follows a predetermined safe path, preventing damage from unpredictable bending and twisting during subsequent opening and closing operations.
2Productivity
If the cable is allowed to move freely during opening and closing operations, then the document sheet conveying device can operate smoothly, but the cable may be damaged by long-term use
Solution Approach 1:
The guide member serves as a mediator that decouples the movement freedom needed for smooth operation from the cable protection requirement. It allows the conveying device to move freely while the cable remains constrained within the groove, maintaining both productivity and reliability.
3Reliability
If a guide portion is formed on the document sheet conveying device to regulate cable movement, then cable twisting is prevented, but the device structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The cable protection function is segmented from the document sheet conveying device. Instead of integrating the guide portion directly into the conveying device, a separate guide member is used, which can be independently designed and installed. This reduces the structural complexity of the main conveying device while still providing effective cable protection.
Data Source
AI summary
An image forming apparatus includes a housing, a document sheet conveying device, a cable, a shielding member, a protrusion, and a guide member. The housing accommodates a document sheet reading device that reads a document sheet. The document sheet conveying device is coupled to an upper surface of the housing with a hinge, and conveys the document sheet along a conveyance path passing through a scanning position of the document sheet reading device. The cable electrically connects a circuit board accommodated in the housing to the document sheet conveying device. The shielding member surrounds the circuit board and includes an opening portion through which the cable passes. The protrusion is formed in the cable. The guide member has an annular groove portion in which the protrusion is displaceable in a circumferential direction of the cable, and is fitted into the opening portion.