Sheet Conveyor Tray Pivot Guide Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing image recording apparatuses face challenges in stabilizing the manual tray's position when swung from the standing to the inclined and distant positions, leading to potential errors and increased component count, which complicates the design and functionality.
Innovation Solution
A sheet conveyor system with a tray that pivots between multiple positions about different axes, utilizing guide holes and protrusions to stabilize the tray's movement and prevent erroneous swinging, allowing for smooth transitions between standing, inclined, and distant positions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the manual tray is constructed to be swung from the standing position to the inclined position and from the inclined position to the distant position about the same axis, then the tray can be swung to distant positions to provide larger space and improve accessibility, but the tray cannot be kept stably at the inclined position when large force is applied
Solution Approach 1:
The movement of the tray is segmented into two distinct phases: the first phase swings the tray from standing to inclined position about a first axis, and the second phase swings the tray from inclined to distant position about a second axis. This segmentation allows independent optimization of each movement phase, enabling stable positioning at the inclined position while still achieving distant extension when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from a single-axis rotation to a two-axis rotation system. The first axis handles the primary swinging motion, while the second axis enables the additional extension motion. This dimensional change allows the tray to achieve distant positions without compromising stability at intermediate positions.
2Ease of operation
If a cover supporting the manual tray is swung to enlarge the space between the tray and the body, then the tray can be positioned at distant locations, but the manual tray and cover are not coaxial causing erroneous swinging when large force is applied
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of swinging the cover to achieve distant positioning, the invention inverts the approach by directly swinging the tray itself about a second axis after the initial swing about the first axis. This inversion eliminates the misalignment issue between cover and tray, ensuring that force applied by the user is transmitted accurately to the tray without causing erroneous swinging.
3Device complexity
If the manual tray is swung from the standing position to the inclined position about a single axis, then the structure is simple, but the tray cannot be extended to distant positions without compromising stability
Solution Approach 1:
The invention introduces dynamic adaptability by enabling the tray to switch between two different rotation axes. The system dynamically selects the first axis for initial swinging and the second axis for extension, allowing the structure to transform from a simple single-axis design to a more capable two-axis system only when extension is needed, thus balancing simplicity and functionality.
Data Source
AI summary
A sheet conveyor includes a tray and a body supporting the tray. The tray is pivotable about a first shaft between a first position at which a free end of the tray is located above its basal end and a second position at which the free end is located farther from the body than at the first position. The tray is slidable between the second position and a third position and pivotable about a second shaft between the third position and a fourth position at which the free end is located farther from the body than at the third position. The first shaft protrudes from one of the tray and the body toward the other. The second shaft protrudes from the other to the one. The other includes a first guide that guides the first shaft. The one includes a second guide that guides the second shaft.