Sheet Storage Cassette Inner Rail Mounting for Stable Paper Feed
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sheet storage cassettes for image forming apparatuses face challenges in securely mounting and demounting, leading to potential leaning and instability of the cassette base, which can result in paper feed failures.
Innovation Solution
The sheet storage cassette incorporates inner rails with positioning bosses and an L-shaped hook portion that securely engage with mounting holes and fitted portions on the cassette base, providing orthogonal positioning and stability without the need for screws or tools, and a slide rail system with ball bearings for smooth insertion and withdrawal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the cassette base is mounted to the inner rails using conventional methods, then the mounting process is simple, but the cassette base may lean and become unstable, leading to paper feed failures
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting structure is segmented into distinct functional elements: positioning bosses for location, hook portions for securing, and positioning surfaces for alignment. This segmentation allows each element to perform its specific function effectively, ensuring stability without requiring a complex overall structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The cassette base and inner rails are designed to self-align and self-secure through the positioning surfaces and hook portions. When the cassette base is placed on the inner rails, the positioning surfaces automatically contact and align the components, and the hook portions engage to secure the mounting, eliminating the need for additional fastening operations or complex mounting mechanisms.
2Reliability
If the cassette base is securely mounted to prevent leaning, then paper feed reliability improves, but the mounting and demounting process becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting and demounting operations are simplified through self-service design. The positioning surfaces automatically guide alignment during mounting, and the hook portions engage automatically when the cassette base is placed on the inner rails. For demounting, the L-shaped hook portions can be easily released by lifting the cassette base, maintaining ease of operation while ensuring secure mounting during use.
Solution Approach 2:
The mounting structure transitions from a static, permanently fixed design to a dynamic, easily reversible connection. The L-shaped hook portions allow the cassette base to be securely mounted during operation but can be quickly demounted by lifting, providing both reliability during use and ease of operation for maintenance or replacement.
3Manufacturing precision
If positioning features are added to the inner rails, then positioning accuracy of the cassette base improves, but the inner rail structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The positioning function is segmented into separate features on the inner rail: positioning bosses that protrude from the side surface and positioning surfaces that contact the cassette base. This segmentation allows each feature to be optimized for its specific function while keeping the overall inner rail structure relatively simple and manufacturable.
Solution Approach 2:
Positioning accuracy is achieved through local quality enhancements rather than overall complexity. The positioning surfaces are provided at specific contact locations on the inner rail, and the positioning bosses are placed at precise positions. This localized approach to precision ensures accurate positioning without requiring the entire inner rail structure to be complex.
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 configuration enhances the structural integrity and accuracy of the cassette base positioning, reducing paper feed failures and simplifying the mounting/demounting process, while maintaining the cassette's strength and stability.
Implementation Method 1
a slide rail provided with a stationary rail that is substantially C-shaped in cross section, a ball retainer that is provided in the stationary rail, has ball bearings disposed on both sides of the stationary rail, and is freely slidable in a length direction of the stationary rail
Data Source
AI summary
A sheet storage cassette includes a cassette base and inner rails. The cassette base has side plates facing each other parallel to insertion/withdrawal directions of the sheet storage cassette. The inner rails each have positioning bosses that protrude from each of different positions on the inner rails in a longitudinal direction thereof and a hook portion that protrudes in an L-shape in cross section toward the cassette base and is formed between the positioning bosses. On the side plates of the cassette base, there are provided mounting holes that receive the positioning bosses fitted thereinto at the time of mounting the cassette base to the inner rails, positioning surfaces that comes into contact with two locations on each of the inner rails in a longitudinal direction thereof, and fitted portions that are fitted together with the hook portion in a direction orthogonal to the insertion/withdrawal directions.