Sheet Tray Orthogonal Removal for Jammed Paper Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional image forming apparatuses without a pickup roller, where the sheet feed roller functions as both a pickup and sheet feed roller, often result in sheet jam removal difficulties due to the risk of tearing the jammed sheet, especially when the sheet tray is pulled out, making it inconvenient for users to access and remove jammed sheets effectively.
Innovation Solution
The image forming apparatus incorporates a sheet tray that is detachably attachable to the apparatus body, featuring a sheet feeding body and a sheet separating body forming a sheet separation nip region, allowing the sheet tray to be pulled out in a direction orthogonal to the sheet conveying path, enabling easier access to jammed sheets by allowing both ends to be grasped, thereby reducing the risk of tearing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the sheet feed roller functions as both pickup and sheet feed roller without a separate pickup roller, then cost is reduced, but sheet jam removal becomes difficult due to risk of tearing
Solution Approach 1:
The sheet container is divided into a sheet storing unit and a sheet separating body storing unit. The sheet separating body (roller) is detachably attached to the sheet container, allowing the user to remove the entire sheet container assembly when a jam occurs. This segmentation enables easy access to jammed sheets without risking tearing, while maintaining the cost-saving configuration of using the sheet feed roller for both pickup and feeding functions.
2Ease of operation
If the sheet tray is pulled out in the sheet conveying direction, then access to jammed sheets is improved, but the risk of tearing the jammed sheet increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sheet container is designed to be pulled out in a direction orthogonal (perpendicular) to the sheet conveying direction. This dimensional change allows users to access jammed sheets from the side rather than from the conveying path, enabling grasping of both ends of the jammed sheet simultaneously. This eliminates the risk of tearing that occurs when pulling sheets from the conveying direction, while still providing easy access for jam removal.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the sheet separating body is fixed to the apparatus body, then structural stability is improved, but the sheet container cannot be easily detached for jam removal
Solution Approach 1:
The sheet separating body is designed with dynamic attachment characteristics - it is detachably attached to the sheet container, which itself is detachably attached to the apparatus body. This dynamic design allows the sheet container to be easily removed for jam removal while maintaining stable operation during normal printing. The sheet separating body can be attached or detached as needed, providing both stability during operation and ease of access during maintenance.
Data Source
AI summary
An image forming apparatus includes an apparatus body, a sheet container detachably attachable to the apparatus body and accommodating recording media therein, an image forming part to form an image on each of the recording media, a sheet separating part to separate the recording media one by one, feed the recording medium toward the image forming part, and include a sheet feeding body and a sheet separating body to rotate in contact with the sheet feeding body and form a sheet separation nip region with the sheet feeding body, a sheet containing unit to contain the recording media therein, and a sheet separating body storing unit disposed at one end of the sheet containing unit to store the sheet separating body therein. The sheet container being pulled out from the apparatus body by moving from the sheet containing unit to the sheet separating body storing unit.