Booklet Page Flipping Mechanism Reducing Multi-Page Errors
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional page flipping mechanisms in booklet printing apparatuses often cause multiple pages to flip simultaneously, leading to inefficiencies and increased costs due to complex structures requiring costly components like piezoelectric bimorphs and sensors.
Innovation Solution
A page flipping mechanism that reduces multiple page flipping occurrences by using a CPU-controlled system with image sensors and motor-driven rollers, adjusting the lifting height and rotation speed to optimize page flipping, with the flipping roller rotating at a lower speed and lifting pages to a height lower than conventional standards.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional page flipping mechanism is used with piezoelectric bimorphs and sensors, then multiple page flipping can be prevented, but device complexity and cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the complex piezoelectric bimorphs and dedicated sensors from the system, retaining only the essential flipping roller and feeding rollers. The control is simplified to monitor booklet presence and control roller rotation, eliminating unnecessary components while maintaining functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses the existing feeding rollers to perform the page flipping function by rotating them in reverse, rather than requiring a separate dedicated flipping mechanism. The feeding rollers serve dual purposes: feeding booklets for printing and flipping pages when needed.
2Reliability
If piezoelectric bimorphs and dedicated sensors are added to prevent multiple page flipping, then page flipping reliability improves, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The feeding rollers are designed to perform multiple functions: feeding booklets to the printing position, holding booklets during printing, and flipping pages by rotating in reverse. This eliminates the need for dedicated flipping components, reducing manufacturing cost while maintaining reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The existing feeding mechanism serves the additional function of page flipping, eliminating the need for separate dedicated components. The system reuses available mechanical elements rather than adding new expensive components.
3Productivity
If flipping roller rotates at high speed, then page flipping efficiency improves, but multiple pages flip simultaneously causing errors
Solution Approach 1:
The feeding rollers rotate in a controlled periodic manner with start and stop phases. The rotation starts to lift the booklet, pauses to allow the flipping roller to separate and flip a single page, then continues to complete the flip and feed the flipped booklet to the discharge position. This periodic control ensures one page flips at a time while maintaining efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The feeding rollers rotate in advance to lift the booklet to a predetermined position before the flipping roller acts. This preliminary positioning ensures proper separation of pages before flipping occurs, preventing multiple pages from flipping simultaneously while maintaining a steady overall process speed.
4Reliability
If lifting height is increased to separate pages better, then single page flipping improves, but device complexity and space requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The feeding rollers and flipping roller are positioned at the same horizontal level, creating an equipotential arrangement. The booklet is lifted horizontally by the feeding rollers to the flipping position rather than being lifted vertically. This eliminates the need for complex vertical lifting mechanisms while achieving effective page separation through horizontal movement and controlled rotation.
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 solution effectively minimizes the occurrence of multiple page flipping while maintaining a simple structure, achieving a high success rate of single-page flipping and reducing costs by eliminating the need for complex components, and is adaptable to various paper qualities.
Implementation Method 1
a lifting member 24 to lift the booklet 33 to a predetermined position
Implementation Method 2
the flipping roller 17 rotates... so as to flip the top page 33b-1 of the following pages 33b
Implementation Method 3
the flipping roller 17 rotates in a counterclockwise direction... and flips up the end edge of the top page
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 3
AI summary
The present invention intends to provide a page flipping mechanism that reduces an occurrence of a flipping of multiple pages at once at the time of page flipping. The configuration includes that (a) a booklet (33) is inserted, (b) when a following page (33b) of facing pages reaches a position of a flipping roller (17), feeding is stopped, and a gripper of a feeding roller pair (28a) and (28b) opens, a movable guide (29) releases an upper restriction, a lifting member (24) lifts the following pages (33b) up to a 60% height, the flipping roller (17) rotates 260 degrees at a 40% speed while vibrating and bends the top page (33b-1) upwards, (d) the flipping roller (17) is stopped, the lifting member (24) descends, the flowing pages (33b) returns to a horizontal position, an end edge of the top page (33b-1) is pressed on the flipping roller (17), (e) the flipping roller (17) rotates 120 degrees, flips up the top page (33b-1) and stops, and the top page (33b-1) flops over the flipping roller (17), (f) the feeding roller pair (28a) and (28b) closes the gripper, all feeding roller pairs rotates in a booklet ejection direction, the top page (33b-1) is lifted by a driven roller (28b) of the feeding roller pair, is pushed down, and overlays the preceding page (33a), (g) the booklet (33) is ejected outside and each of the members return to home positions (See page FIG. 4).