Sliding Carriage Taper Ends for Scanner Miniaturization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional image reading apparatuses face challenges in miniaturization due to the swinging carriage mechanism, which occupies space and affects the parallel alignment of the image sensor with the contact glass, impacting reading quality.
Innovation Solution
The image reading apparatus incorporates a carriage with taper end portions and openings, allowing it to swing without increasing space, and uses biasing members to maintain the image sensor's alignment with the contact glass, ensuring consistent reading quality while facilitating miniaturization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the carriage is supported by one point (central bearing) to enable sliding along the guide shaft, then the carriage can be installed to be slidable, but the carriage swings about the central portion occupying space that obstructs miniaturization
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from a single-point support (0D/1D) to a linear support distribution (1D), where the bearing extends along the guide shaft rather than concentrating at one location. This dimensional change allows the carriage to slide without swinging, eliminating the need for swing clearance space and enabling apparatus miniaturization while preserving slidability
2Ease of operation
If the carriage swings about the central portion, then the carriage can be supported during sliding, but the reading surface of the image sensor cannot remain parallel to the contact glass, affecting reading quality
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the bearing configuration from a single-point support to a linear support along the guide shaft. This dimensional redistribution of support points prevents the carriage from rotating or swinging during sliding, ensuring the image sensor's reading surface remains parallel to the contact glass and maintaining reading quality
Data Source
AI summary
An image reading apparatus includes: a contact glass setting a manuscript thereon; an image sensor extending in a first direction and having a reading surface which faces the contact glass for reading an image from the manuscript on the contact glass; a rail member extending inside the apparatus main body in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction; a carriage having a sensor container to contain the image sensor, a taper end portion formed in an end portion in the first direction to become smaller in height toward the end side, and an opening formed in the bottom of the sensor container on the taper end portion side; a biased portion adjacent to the reading surface of the image sensor in the second direction; and a biasing member biasing the image sensor toward the contact glass via the biased portion.