Sheet Tray with Movable Stop for Jam Reduction

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing sheet trays in image recording apparatuses often cause jamming issues when handling sheets larger than the predetermined size due to inappropriate stopping mechanisms, which fail to support larger sheets effectively.

Innovation Solution

A sheet tray configuration with a first tray, a second tray that moves between two positions, and a third tray that pivots between two positions, featuring a protrusion on the third tray to support sheets of varying sizes without jamming, ensuring reliable stopping of smaller sheets and reduced likelihood of jamming for larger sheets.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a sheet stop mechanism is provided on both the front surface and back surface of the second auxiliary tray at positions suitable for stopping sheets of predetermined size and larger size, then small sheets can be stopped reliably, but large sheets are stopped at inappropriate positions causing jamming

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesheet stopping reliabilityVSAvoidsheet jamming

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The sheet stop mechanism is made movable along the discharge direction rather than being fixed. The stop position can be dynamically adjusted based on sheet size, allowing the mechanism to adapt between stopping small sheets at the front surface and larger sheets at the back surface without causing jamming

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The sheet stop mechanism serves multiple functions by being able to stop both small sheets (when positioned at the front surface) and large sheets (when positioned at the back surface). This single mechanism replaces what would traditionally require multiple fixed stop mechanisms for different sheet sizes

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Adaptability or versatility

If the second auxiliary tray is configured to extend beyond the first auxiliary tray to support larger sheets, then the sheet tray can handle larger sheet sizes, but the sheet stop mechanism stops large sheets at inappropriate positions

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesheet size adaptabilityVSAvoidsheet discharge reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

Different regions of the second auxiliary tray are utilized for different sheet sizes. The front surface area is used for stopping smaller sheets while the back surface area is used for supporting and stopping larger sheets, with the stop mechanism moving to the appropriate region based on sheet size

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentUS9994411B2Sheet tray, conveyance unit and image recording apparatus

Publication Date: 2018.06.12 BROTHER KOGYO KK

AI summary

There is provided a sheet tray including: first, second and third trays. The second tray moves between a first position and a second position in which an overlapping area is smaller than that obtained in the first position. The third tray includes a third support surface and a fourth support surface. The third support surface includes a protrusion which protrudes upward to be positioned above the first support surface in a state that the third tray is in the first pivoting position. The third tray overlaps with the first support surface in a state that the second tray is in the first position and that at least a part, of the third tray, except for the protrusion is positioned below the first support surface, and the third tray does not overlap with the first support surface in a state that the second tray is in the second position.