Compact Sheet Feeder Axial Overlap Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing automatic document feeders (ADFs) are large in size due to the spatial arrangement of rollers and motors, making miniaturization challenging.
Innovation Solution
The ADF design includes a motor with a shaft that is spaced apart and overlaps in the axial direction, allowing for a more compact configuration by overlapping the shaft and rollers, enabling efficient power transmission without the need for additional space for the motor and shaft alignment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the motor and shaft are disposed not to overlap in the axial direction to ensure proper power transmission, then the reliability of power transmission is improved, but the area occupied by the elements increases making the ADF larger in size
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dimensional reconfiguration by allowing the shaft to overlap with the motor in the axial direction (changing the spatial arrangement from non-overlapping to overlapping configuration). This dimensional change enables the shaft to pass through the motor's axial space, reducing the overall footprint area while maintaining power transmission functionality through the motor shaft connection.
Solution Approach 2:
The shaft is positioned to pass through the motor assembly, effectively nesting the shaft within the motor's axial space. This nesting arrangement allows the shaft to utilize the motor's internal axial volume, eliminating the need for separate non-overlapping space and thereby reducing the overall ADF size while maintaining reliable power transmission from the motor to the rollers.
2Ease of manufacture
If additional space is allocated for motor and shaft alignment, then the ease of manufacture is improved, but the volume of the ADF increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent reconfigures the spatial relationship between motor and shaft from a side-by-side non-overlapping arrangement to an overlapping axial arrangement. This dimensional change allows the shaft to pass through the motor's axial space, reducing the volume required for alignment while maintaining manufacturability through standard motor shaft connections.
Solution Approach 2:
The motor and shaft assemblies are merged in space by allowing the shaft to overlap with and connect to the motor shaft. This merging eliminates the need for separate alignment spaces and reduces the overall ADF volume, while the connection method maintains ease of manufacture through conventional motor shaft coupling techniques.
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 achieves miniaturization of the ADF by reducing the overall size and component count, allowing for a more compact and efficient sheet feeding mechanism while maintaining effective sheet conveyance and image reading functionality.
Implementation Method 1
a motor, a first shaft configured to be driven to rotate by a driving force from the motor
Implementation Method 2
a first roller supported by the first shaft and rotatable along with the first shaft, the first roller being configured to convey the sheet downstream
Data Source
AI summary
A sheet feeder including a motor, a shaft configured to be driven to rotate by a driving force from the motor, the shaft being spaced apart from the motor in an axial direction of the shaft, the shaft being disposed to overlap in a view in the axial direction of the shaft, and a roller supported by the shaft and rotatable along with the shaft, the roller being configured to convey the sheet downstream in a sheet conveyance direction along a sheet conveyance path.