Sheet Feeding Guide with Inclined Surface for Image Forming Apparatus
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional image forming apparatuses often cause buckling of sheets when users attempt to insert them, as the leading end of the sheet may contact the sheet supply roller, leading to improper feeding and potential damage.
Innovation Solution
An image forming apparatus with a frame that supports the supply roller and features a protruded part with an inclined surface on the opening side, guiding the sheet to prevent contact with the supply roller and reduce buckling by directing the sheet closer to the sheet placing part.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the sheet supply roller is exposed to outside the main body through an opening, then the sheet can be fed into the main body, but the leading end of the sheet may contact the supply roller and cause buckling
Solution Approach 1:
The protruded part with inclined surface is positioned in advance before the sheet reaches the supply roller. When the user inserts the sheet, the leading end contacts the inclined surface first, which is already in place to guide the sheet properly, preventing direct contact with the supply roller and avoiding buckling before the feeding process begins
Solution Approach 2:
The protruded part with inclined surface acts as an intermediary element between the sheet and the supply roller. Instead of the sheet directly contacting the supply roller (which causes buckling), the inclined surface mediates the interaction by guiding the sheet's leading end to approach the supply roller in a controlled manner, ensuring proper alignment and preventing harmful contact
2Productivity
If the sheet is sufficiently inserted to contact the sheet supply roller, then the sheet can be fed through the sheet feed path, but the leading end may hit the supply roller and buckle
Solution Approach 1:
The protruded part with inclined surface converts the potentially harmful direct contact between the sheet's leading end and the supply roller into a beneficial guiding action. The inclined surface uses the sheet's forward motion to automatically align and position the sheet correctly, transforming what would be a buckling-causing impact into a controlled feeding mechanism that ensures proper sheet orientation and prevents buckling
Data Source
AI summary
An image forming apparatus has a main body having a sheet feed path and an opening. A sheet placing part defined in the main body. The sheet inserted through the opening is placed on the sheet placing part. A supply roller arranged to face the placing part and feeds the sheet placed on the sheet placing part in a sheet feed direction toward the sheet feed path, a frame arranged to face the sheet placing part and configured to support the supply roller, the frame having a protruded part protruded on an opening side with respect to the supply roller. An image forming unit is provided inside the main body. An inclined surface is formed on a side of the protruded part facing the sheet placing part, and the protruded part has an inclined surface facing the sheet placing part and inclined such that a distance between the inclined surface and the sheet placing part becomes gradually smaller toward the supply roller.