Scanner Expansion Tray for Compact Document Support
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Solution Overview
Problem
Sheet feeding type scanners face challenges in supporting original documents due to reduced size constraints, leading to inadequate support for fed documents.
Innovation Solution
The image reading device incorporates an expansion support portion that includes first and second expansion portions, which rotate relative to the original-document support portion to expand and accommodate the original document, ensuring proper support.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the device size is significantly reduced to fit narrow desk tops, then the device can be installed in space-constrained environments, but the sub-supply tray cannot appropriately support the original document that has been fed
Solution Approach 1:
The sub-supply tray is designed to be movable between a retracted position (within the device body) and an extended position (protruding from the device). This dynamic configuration allows the tray to adapt its support surface area based on operational needs, providing full document support when extended while maintaining a compact profile when retracted, thus resolving the contradiction between compact size and adequate support capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention utilizes the depth dimension (front-to-back direction) of the device to accommodate the sub-supply tray when not in use. By extending the tray forward from the device body during operation, the design effectively uses unused spatial volume in the depth direction to provide adequate support surface area, thereby achieving both compact overall dimensions and sufficient document support capability.
2Length of moving object
If the sub-supply tray size in the feeding direction is reduced to accommodate the reduced device size, then the device fits in compact spaces, but it cannot appropriately support the original document that has been fed
Solution Approach 1:
The sub-supply tray transitions from a static reduced-size structure to a dynamic extendable structure. When extended, the tray provides sufficient length in the feeding direction to support standard document sizes, while when retracted, it maintains a compact footprint. This dynamic adjustment resolves the contradiction between compact stored dimensions and adequate operational support length.
3Reliability
If the expansion support portion is always extended to support documents, then document support is always adequate, but the device size increases and cannot be installed on narrow desk tops
Solution Approach 1:
The sub-supply tray is designed to be extended only when document feeding is required, and retracted when not in use. This on-demand extension provides adequate document support capability during operation while maintaining a compact overall device size during storage or non-operational states, thus resolving the contradiction between support capability and compact size.
Solution Approach 2:
The sub-supply tray serves dual functions: when retracted, it contributes to the compact device profile for space-efficient installation; when extended, it provides the necessary document support surface. This multi-functional design allows the same structure to fulfill both space-saving and support-providing roles at different operational states.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This configuration allows the device to effectively support original documents by utilizing the width direction for expansion, maintaining adequate support while minimizing device size.
Implementation Method 1
the first expansion portion being configured to rotate relative to the original-document support portion, thereby being expanded and accommodated
Implementation Method 2
a second expansion portion extending along the width direction in a state where the expansion support portion is accommodated, the second expansion portion being configured to be accommodated in and expanded from the first expansion portion
Data Source
AI summary
An image reading device includes an original-document support portion configured to support an original document to be fed, and an expansion support portion configured to be able to be expanded from and accommodated in the original-document support portion. The expansion support portion includes a first expansion portion extending along a width direction that is a direction intersecting an original-document feeding direction in a state of being accommodated in the original-document support portion, and a second expansion portion configured to be able to be accommodated in and expanded from the first expansion portion, the second expansion portion extending along the width direction in a state in which the expansion support portion is accommodated.