Sheet Post-Processing Device Front-Back Tray Arrangement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional in-body ejection type image forming apparatuses require a larger in-body space due to the alignment of processing and stack trays in the left-right direction, which increases the overall size of the device.
Innovation Solution
A sheet post-processing device is integrated within the image forming apparatus, featuring a first tray for housing sheets, a post-processing unit for processing, a transfer member for moving sheets to the front side, and a second tray located closer to the front side to house transferred sheets, allowing for reduced left-right dimensions and improved user accessibility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the processing tray and the stack tray are aligned side by side in the left-right direction, then the user can easily take the stack of sheets after post-processing, but the size of the sheet post-processing device in the left-right direction becomes large
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the spatial arrangement of trays from left-right alignment to front-back alignment along the depth direction. The first tray is positioned at the back and the second tray at the front, allowing sheets to be transferred in the depth direction rather than requiring lateral space. This dimensional reorientation resolves the contradiction by maintaining ease of sheet access while significantly reducing the left-right footprint of the device.
2Loss of information
If the processing tray and the stack tray are aligned side by side in the left-right direction, then the stack of sheets can be easily seen, but the in-body space of the image forming apparatus needs to be increased in the left-right direction
Solution Approach 1:
The patent repositions the second tray closer to the front side of the image forming apparatus, making it more accessible and visible to users without increasing the left-right dimension of the in-body space. The front-back arrangement allows the stacked sheets to be positioned in a location that is both visible and easily accessible while maintaining a compact lateral profile.
Data Source
AI summary
A sheet post-processing device is mounted in an image forming apparatus that includes an image reading unit and an image forming unit. The image forming unit is located under the image reading unit with a space therebetween. The sheet post-processing device includes: a first tray that is located in the space and houses a sheet ejected from the image forming unit; a post-processing unit that is located in the space and performs post-processing on a sheet in the first tray; a transfer member that, after the post-processing is performed on a sheet in the first tray, transfers the sheet to a front side of the image forming apparatus; and a second tray that is located closer to the front side of the image forming apparatus than the first tray and houses a sheet transferred by the transfer member.