Adaptive Loading Tray Control for Curl Management

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing post-processing devices face challenges in maintaining the loading state order of sheets on the loading tray, particularly when the tray is positioned more downwardly, leading to potential misalignment and disorder of the sheets.

Innovation Solution

A medium discharge device with a control unit that acquires curl information about the medium and adjusts the position of the loading tray based on this information. The control unit sets the tray position to a first position for a first condition and to a second, lower position for a second condition where the medium curls more easily, thereby optimizing the loading process.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If the loading tray is located more downward to avoid collision of curled sheets, then the harmful effect of curled sheet collision is reduced, but the loading state order deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecollision of curled sheetsVSAvoidloading state order

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The loading tray is made movable in the vertical direction, allowing its position to be dynamically adjusted based on the curl degree of sheets. The control unit changes the tray position between a first position (higher, for low curl) and a second position (lower, for high curl) according to real-time curl detection, enabling adaptive optimization of both collision avoidance and loading order maintenance

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Productivity

If the pair of support portions is opened and closed to discharge sheets, then the sheets are discharged efficiently, but curled sheets may collide and cause harmful effects

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesheet discharge efficiencyVSAvoidcurled sheet collision

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

A curl detection unit continuously monitors the curl degree of sheets and provides feedback to the control unit. Based on this feedback, the control unit automatically adjusts the loading tray position before the support portions open and close, ensuring that the tray is at the appropriate height to receive sheets without collision regardless of their curl state, thus maintaining high discharge efficiency while preventing harmful collisions

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS12240724B2Medium discharge device, post-processing device, recording system, control method of medium discharge device

Publication Date: 2025.03.04 SEIKO EPSON CORP

AI summary

A control unit controlling an operation of opening and closing a pair of support portions and an operation of displacing a loading tray in a loading direction can acquire curl information including information regarding the degree of curl of a medium. The control unit sets, based on the curl information, a position of the loading tray in the loading direction when the pair of support portions are opened and closed to a first position in a case where a condition when the pair of support portions are opened and closed is a first condition, and the position of the loading tray in the loading direction when the pair of support portions are opened and closed to a second position lower than the first position in a case where the condition is a second condition on which the medium curls more easily than on the first condition.