Adjustable Support Beam for Sheet Deformation Detection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Inkjet printing systems face reliability issues due to sheet deformations causing 'head touch' leading to print quality degradation and sheet jams, with existing deformation detection systems being cumbersome and inaccurate in alignment.

Innovation Solution

An apparatus with a sheet sensing transport path, a sheet quality detection device, and a support beam that allows for precise adjustment of the optical beam's angle, enabling faster and more accurate alignment of the emission beam parallel to the sheet transport path, and a sensor assembly to detect deformations by changes in emission beam intensity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If multiple emitters are positioned alongside a transport path for deformation detection, then the accuracy of sheet quality sensing is improved, but the alignment process becomes cumbersome and time-consuming

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesheet quality sensing accuracyVSAvoidalignment time
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

A support beam is introduced as an intermediary component to which multiple emitters are rigidly attached. The support beam serves as a pre-aligned reference structure that maintains fixed geometric relationships between emitters and the transport path, eliminating the need for individual emitter alignment while preserving measurement accuracy

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Measurement precision

If multiple emitters are positioned alongside a transport path for deformation detection, then the accuracy of sheet quality sensing is improved, but the complexity of the alignment process increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesheet quality sensing accuracyVSAvoidalignment process complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Multiple emitters are merged into a single integrated assembly by rigidly attaching them to a common support beam. This combination transforms multiple independent alignment operations into a single unified alignment process, reducing operational complexity while maintaining the multi-emitter sensing capability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Manufacturing precision

If the distance between printing heads and sheet is kept small for high print quality, then print quality is improved, but the risk of head touch due to sheet deformation increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprint qualityVSAvoidsheet transport reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The deformation detection apparatus performs preliminary inspection of sheets on the transport path before they reach the printing heads. Sheets with deformations that could cause head touch are identified and rejected in advance, allowing the system to maintain small print gaps for high quality while preventing reliability issues through pre-screening

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

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

The solution allows for accurate and efficient deformation detection, preventing unsuitable sheets from reaching the printing head, thus improving print quality and reducing the risk of sheet jams, while being easier and faster to calibrate than prior art systems.

Implementation Method 1

an emitter for emitting an emission beam over the sheet sensing transport path and a sensor assembly for detecting at least part of the emission beam

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectOptical beam detection: Light

Data Source

PatentEP3450184B1Deformation detection for print media
Publication Date: 2021.04.21 CANON PRODN PRINTING HLDG BV
  • EP3450184B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3450184B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3450184B1 patent drawingFigure 3A~3B

AI summary

An apparatus (20) for deformation detection in a sheet printing system (1) comprising a sheet quality detection device (21) configured for sensing sheets (S) on a transport path (PP). The sheet quality detection device (21) comprises an emitter (23) for emitting an emission beam (B) towards a sheet (S) on the sheet sensing transport path (PP). The emitter (23) is mounted on a support beam (25B) extending laterally over a width of the sheet sensing transport path (PP). Adjusting means (24, 24') allow for adjusting and setting an angle (α) between the support beam (25B) and a plane (32) of the sheet sensing transport path (PP). By tilting the support beam (25B), the angle (α) of the optical beam (B) may be easily and accurately adjusted to align the optical beam (B).