Sequential Cover Housing Structure for Low-Impact Printer Opening

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing housing structures of recording devices, such as printers, face issues with increased momentum and impact when the front door and manual paper feed tray are simultaneously opened, due to their combined weight, leading to potential damage and noise.

Innovation Solution

A housing structure design where the outer cover and inner cover are configured to open sequentially, with the outer cover opening first and the inner cover opening only after the outer cover is opened, utilizing a regulation and restriction mechanism to prevent simultaneous opening, thereby reducing momentum and impact.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the front door and manual paper feed tray are configured to open simultaneously, then the operation convenience is improved, but the momentum and impact increase causing potential damage and noise

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoperation convenienceVSAvoidmomentum and impact

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSForce

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the opening operation into two distinct stages: first the front door opens, then the manual paper feed tray opens. This is achieved through a lock mechanism that releases in sequence, dividing the simultaneous opening motion into separate sequential motions to reduce peak impact forces

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The front door opening serves as a preliminary action that must occur before the manual paper feed tray can open. The lock mechanism is designed so that the front door's opening motion triggers or enables the subsequent release of the manual paper feed tray, creating a predetermined sequence that controls the timing and reduces impact

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Ease of operation

If the front door and manual paper feed tray are opened simultaneously, then the access to photoreceptor unit is improved, but the noise and potential damage increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccess to photoreceptor unitVSAvoidnoise and potential damage

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The opening process is segmented into two phases: the front door opens first to provide initial access, then the manual paper feed tray opens to provide full access. This sequential segmentation reduces the sudden release of energy that would occur with simultaneous opening, thereby reducing noise and potential damage to components

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The lock mechanism incorporates a cushioning effect by designing the release sequence to absorb and distribute the energy of opening motions. The front door's opening motion is absorbed first, and only after this energy is dissipated does the manual paper feed tray begin to open, preventing cumulative impact damage and reducing noise

Inventive Principle:

Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

Data Source

PatentUS12578673B2Housing structure and recording device

Publication Date: 2026.03.17 SEIKO EPSON CORP

AI summary

A housing structure includes a main housing, a first cover configured to open and close by rotating with respect to the main housing about a first axis along a horizontal direction, a second cover provided further inside than the first cover and configured to open and close with respect to the main housing together with the first cover by rotating around a second axis parallel to the first axis, a regulation section configured to regulate the second cover in a closed state in which the second cover is closed, and a restriction section configured to, when the first cover is closed, restrict the release of regulation by the regulation section.