Slide rail and image forming apparatus
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing slide rail systems for image forming apparatuses and furniture drawers face challenges in providing smooth and efficient detachment and reinsertion of sheet feed cassettes and drawers, often resulting in frictional drag and difficulty in maintaining proper alignment, which affects the sliding performance.
Innovation Solution
The slide rail system incorporates a configuration with an outer rail, a middle rail, and an inner rail, utilizing ball retainers and guide members to facilitate smooth sliding and secure attachment, with a guide retainer and restriction members ensuring controlled sliding range and minimizing friction, allowing for easy detachment and reinsertion of drawer members.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a fixed rail and moving rail with ball bearings are used to facilitate insertion and drawing of sheet feed cassettes, then the sliding operation is improved, but frictional drag and difficulty in maintaining proper alignment occur
Solution Approach 1:
The slide rail is divided into multiple segments: a fixed rail (11) attached to the main body, a middle rail (12) that slides relative to the fixed rail, and a moving rail (13) that slides relative to the middle rail. This segmentation allows each rail segment to be optimized independently, with ball retainers (14, 15) positioned at specific locations to reduce friction at critical interfaces while maintaining alignment through the distributed support structure.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a support member with support protrusion is added to support the front end part of the moving rail, then detachment is enabled, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The slide rail employs a nested structure where the moving rail (13) is contained within the middle rail (12), which in turn is contained within the fixed rail (11). The support protrusion (11c) on the fixed rail engages with the moving rail at its front end, creating a compact nested assembly that enables detachment without requiring complex external support mechanisms.
3Ease of operation
If ball retainers are positioned to reduce friction, then sliding performance is improved, but alignment stability may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
Ball retainers (14, 15) are strategically positioned at specific locations along the rails rather than uniformly distributed. The first ball retainer (14) is located at the front end of the middle rail, and the second ball retainer (15) is positioned at an intermediate location, creating zones of reduced friction where needed while maintaining alignment stability through localized support points that prevent excessive movement.
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 sliding performance by reducing frictional drag and ensuring stable, smooth operation, allowing for easy and efficient insertion and withdrawal of sheet feed cassettes and drawers, even with larger drawer members, while maintaining structural integrity.
Implementation Method 1
a moving rail having a substantially C-shaped cross section slidably held by the fixed rail through a ball retainer that includes ball bearings
Data Source
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AI summary
A slide rail (60) includes a plurality of ball retainers (64, 65), a fixed rail (61, 62), and a moving rail (63). The moving rail (63) is capable of being inserted into and drawn out from the fixed rail (61, 62) by being pulled frontward of the fixed rail (61, 62) to be taken out from the plurality of ball retainers (64, 65) or by being inserted into the plurality of ball retainers (64, 65) from front. The plurality of ball retainers (64, 65) are arranged in the sliding direction along the fixed rail (61, 62). The plurality of ball retainers (64, 65) include a guide retainer (65) arranged on a front end part of the fixed rail (61, 62). The fixed rail (61, 62) includes a restriction member (81) configured to restrict sliding of the guide retainer (65) rearward of the fixed rail (61, 62).