Sheet Discharge Tray Stopper Adjustment with Visual Feedback
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional sheet discharge devices require users to manually adjust the stopper position by viewing marks along a slide groove, which is cumbersome, especially when the sheet supply tray is positioned above, making it difficult to see the marks and increasing user annoyance.
Innovation Solution
A sheet discharge device with a stopper that is movable and adjustable for different sheet sizes, equipped with a sheet size detection unit and a display unit that automatically displays the detected sheet size, allowing for easy adjustment without needing to find corresponding marks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the stopper position is adjusted by manually sliding while viewing marks along the slide groove, then the sheet size can be correctly set, but the operation becomes troublesome and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies feedback by providing visual marks on the slide groove that indicate the current stopper position corresponds to specific sheet sizes. The marks provide immediate visual feedback to the user about which sheet size is currently selected, eliminating the need to remember or calculate positions. This resolves the contradiction by making the adjustment process intuitive and easy while maintaining accurate sheet size setting.
Solution Approach 2:
The visual marks on the slide groove act as an intermediary between the stopper position and the sheet size information. Instead of requiring the user to directly correlate position with size, the marks serve as a mediating visual indicator that simplifies the relationship. This intermediary element makes the adjustment process easier while ensuring accurate sheet size selection.
2Volume of moving object
If the sheet supply tray is disposed on the upper side of the sheet discharge tray, then the device structure is compact, but the marks become difficult to see, increasing user annoyance
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies local quality by making specific portions of the slide groove visible through openings or transparent portions in the discharge tray. Instead of requiring full visibility of the entire groove, only the critical mark portions are made visible locally. This allows the tray to remain compact while ensuring the necessary information is visible to the user during operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention resolves the visibility issue by transitioning from a two-dimensional surface marking problem to a three-dimensional solution using openings or transparent portions. The marks can be positioned on the groove and viewed through vertical openings or transparent sections, adding a vertical dimension to the visibility problem. This allows compact horizontal arrangement while maintaining mark visibility from above.
Data Source
AI summary
A sheet discharge device includes a sheet discharge tray, a stopper, a sheet size detection unit, and a display unit. In the sheet discharge tray, sheets discharged from a sheet discharge port are stacked on the upper surface. The stopper is provided on a upper surface side of the sheet discharge tray and is movable to a position corresponding to the leading end of each of a plurality of sheet sizes to be used in a sheet discharge direction, and regulates the position of the leading end of the sheet. The sheet size detection unit detects the sheet size corresponding to the position of the stopper. The display unit visually displays the sheet size detected by the sheet size detection unit.