Sheet Feed Cassette With Adjustable Press-Up Force
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional sheet feed cassettes require significant force to press down the stacker plate, especially when handling heavy sheets, making the process cumbersome and prone to errors due to the need to overcome the elastic forces of multiple coil springs.
Innovation Solution
A sheet feed cassette design featuring a main body with a first and second press-up member supported by elastic members, an adjusting mechanism to adjust the force based on sheet size, and a regulatory mechanism to prevent the auxiliary press-up member from engaging when the cassette is detached, allowing the press-up plate to be pressed down with a smaller force.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If a conventional sheet feed cassette uses multiple coil springs to press up the stacker plate, then the sheets are adequately pressed against the feed roller, but a great force is required to press down the stacker plate when loading sheets
Solution Approach 1:
The press-up mechanism is divided into two independent press-up members (first press-up member and second press-up member), each supported by separate elastic members. This segmentation allows the forces to be independently controlled and adjusted, resolving the contradiction by enabling adequate press-up force while reducing the force needed to press down the stacker plate during loading.
Solution Approach 2:
The press-up force is made dynamically adjustable through the adjusting mechanism that can change the elastic force of the second press-up member based on sheet size. This dynamic adjustment allows the system to adapt to different loading conditions, maintaining adequate press-up force for feeding while reducing resistance during manual loading operations.
2Reliability
If the auxiliary press-up plate presses up the stacker plate for long sheets, then sheet feeding errors are reduced, but the stacker plate becomes difficult to press down when heavy sheets are loaded
Solution Approach 1:
The elastic force of the second press-up member is dynamically adjusted based on sheet size through the adjusting mechanism. For long heavy sheets, the press-up force is increased to maintain feeding accuracy. For short light sheets, the press-up force is reduced to ease loading operations. This dynamic adaptation resolves the contradiction between reliability and ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The press-up force parameter is changed according to sheet dimensions. The adjusting mechanism modifies the elastic force parameter of the second press-up member to match the weight and size characteristics of the loaded sheets, thereby maintaining optimal feeding accuracy while minimizing loading difficulty across different sheet types.
3Force
If the second press-up member always presses up the first press-up member, then heavy sheets are adequately supported, but the press-up plate cannot be easily pressed down during loading
Solution Approach 1:
The regulatory mechanism prevents the second press-up member from pressing up the first press-up member during the loading phase, before sheets are in place. This preliminary action removal of force allows easy pressing down of the stacker plate during loading. Once sheets are loaded, the regulatory mechanism allows normal press-up operation to provide adequate support for heavy sheets during feeding.
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 design reduces the force required to press down the press-up plate, making it easier to handle and reducing impact noise, while maintaining adequate force for larger sheets by adjusting the press-up force dynamically based on sheet width.
Implementation Method 1
a first elastic member configured to apply an elastic force to the first press-up member
Implementation Method 2
a second elastic member configured to apply an elastic force to the second press-up member
Data Source
AI summary
A sheet feed cassette having: a main body to be set in a body of an image forming apparatus; a first press-up member configured to support print media stacked thereon; a first elastic member configured to apply an elastic force to make the first press-up member press up the print media; a second press-up member; a second elastic member configured to apply an elastic force to make the second press-up member press up the first press-up member or the print media; an adjusting mechanism configured to adjust the force of the second press-up member to press up the first press-up member or the print media in accordance with a size of the print media; and a regulatory mechanism configured to prevent the second press-up member from pressing up the first press-up member or the print media when the main body is detached from the body of the image forming apparatus.