Overhead Scanner Optical System Fall Protection
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Overhead scanners face the challenge of protecting their optical systems when they fall, as the movable optical components can come into direct contact with a placement surface, potentially causing damage and disrupting operations.
Innovation Solution
The overhead scanner incorporates a rotation unit that can move around a rotation axis, a posture change detecting unit to identify falls, and a driving unit that moves the optical unit to a standby position when a fall is detected, preventing contact with the placement surface and protecting the optical system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the optical system is positioned to read the medium from above, then reading function is achieved, but the optical system is vulnerable to damage when the device falls
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by detecting the fall posture change in advance and moving the optical unit to a protected position before the fall completes. The posture change detecting unit identifies the fall condition, and the driving unit responds by relocating the optical unit to the standby position, preventing direct contact with the placement surface during the fall.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamics by making the optical unit movable rather than fixed. The rotation unit can rotate around a rotation axis between a readable position and a standby position, allowing the system to dynamically adjust its configuration in response to fall detection, thereby protecting the optical components during unexpected events.
2Reliability
If the optical unit is moved to protect it during fall, then damage risk is reduced, but the reading operation may be interrupted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary anti-action by counteracting the harmful effect of fall before it causes damage. When the posture change detecting unit detects a fall, the driving unit immediately moves the optical unit to the standby position, creating a protective action that opposes the damaging force of the fall. This preliminary protective measure prevents optical component damage while allowing operation to resume after the fall event.
Data Source
AI summary
An overhead scanner includes a main body, a rotation unit supported by the main body and being rotatable around a rotation axis, an imaging unit mounted on the rotation unit and is configured to read a medium placed on a placement surface below the rotation unit, a light source that irradiates the medium with light, a driving unit that moves the rotation unit around the rotation axis toward a placement side, where the medium is placed, and a posture change detecting unit that detects posture change of the main body. When it is determined that the main body falls down based on the posture change detected, while the rotation unit is located at a readable position for reading the medium, the driving unit moves the rotation unit toward the standby position where the rotation unit is located when the imaging unit does not read the medium.