Sheet Feeding Device With Air Flotation and Vacuum Separation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sheet feeding devices face challenges in managing sheets of various materials and qualities while minimizing issues such as double-feed, sheet jam, and manual configuration for different sheet sizes and qualities.
Innovation Solution
The sheet feeding device employs an elevator with side support members that define a space for the stack, air supply to float sheets, cams that bend sheets to make them stiffer, and a vacuum belt feeder to separate and feed individual sheets, with adjustable side support members and resilient cams to handle varying sheet stiffness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If rigid cams are used to bend sheets, then sheet bending precision is improved, but sheet jam risk increases due to high friction with sheets of varying stiffness
Solution Approach 1:
The cam is designed with resilient properties (elasticity) that allow it to deform under force. This changes the mechanical parameter of the cam from rigid to resilient, enabling it to adapt to sheets of varying stiffness while maintaining bending precision and reducing friction-based sheet jam.
Solution Approach 2:
The resilient cam can dynamically deform its shape in response to the force applied by sheets during the bending process. This dynamic adaptation allows the cam to accommodate different sheet materials and qualities without causing jamming, while still achieving the required bending precision.
2Adaptability or versatility
If adjustable side support members are used to accommodate different sheet widths, then adaptability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The side support members are made movable rather than fixed, allowing them to dynamically adjust their position to accommodate different sheet widths. This dynamic capability provides adaptability while keeping the adjustment mechanism relatively simple compared to fixed complex mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The side support members can be independently adjusted to define the desired space width, allowing flexible accommodation of different sheet sizes without requiring a completely complex reconfiguration system.
3Reliability
If resilient cams are used to reduce friction, then sheet jam risk is reduced, but cam rotation control becomes less precise
Solution Approach 1:
The resilient stem changes the mechanical parameter of the cam assembly, providing elasticity that reduces friction and sheet jam risk. The stem's elastic properties allow controlled deformation that maintains rotation precision while reducing harmful friction.
Solution Approach 2:
The resilient stem acts as an intermediary element between the cam and the sheet. It mediates the interaction by deforming elastically to reduce direct friction between the cam surface and sheet, while still transmitting sufficient force for controlled cam rotation and sheet bending.
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 design reduces the risk of sheet jam and ensures predictable sheet separation and handling, accommodating different sheet types with reduced manual adjustment, enhancing operational reliability.
Implementation Method 1
The air supply system is used to supply and direct an air stream towards the upper region and thereby float a plurality of upper sheets of the stack of sheets such that they are separated and suspended in the air stream
Implementation Method 2
The vacuum belt feeder provides a vacuum through its perforated belt which forces the uppermost of the floated sheets against the belt such that the belt can be operated to thereby move the sheet
Implementation Method 3
Each cam may be resilient. The resiliency of the cam enables the surface of the cam to deform and/or move upon exertion of reactive forces from the sheet(s) contacting the cam. Thereby, the friction between cam and sheet is limited
Implementation Method 4
Each cam may comprise an elongate resilient stem by which the cam is attached to the respective side support member. The stem bends upon application of force from the sheet edge(s) on the cam, thereby limiting the reactive force
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
Sheet feeding device (1) comprising an elevator (2) for a stack of sheets, and an air supply system (3) configured to supply and direct one of more air streams towards an upper region (4) of the sheet feeding device (1) for floating a plurality of upper sheets of the stack of sheets, wherein the elevator (2) comprises a vertically movable support (5) for supporting the stack of sheets from below, wherein the sheet feeding device (1) comprises a first side support member (6) and a second side support member (7) configured to sideways support respective opposite sides of the stack of sheets, wherein the sheet feeding device (1) further comprises a vacuum belt feeder (8) provided above the elevator (2) and configured to grab and feed an uppermost sheet of the floated sheets away from the floated sheets, and wherein an upper portion of each side support member (6, 7) is provided with at least one respective cam (9) comprising a respective guide surface extending obliquely upwards-inwards from the respective side support member (6, 7).