Bundle Claw Step Portion for Sheet Trailing End Positioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sheet post-processing apparatuses experience fluctuations in discharge speed and alignment issues when conveying a small number of sheets, as the trailing end of the sheets slides to the upper surface of the bundle claw's concave surface, leading to non-aligned stacking.
Innovation Solution
The bundle claw on the sheet conveyor belt features a concave portion with a deeper lower surface than the upper surface, creating a step portion that maintains the trailing end of the sheets on the lower surface side, ensuring stable and aligned discharge even with fewer sheets.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a flat concave surface is used on the bundle claw, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the trailing end position cannot be fixed when a small number of sheets are conveyed, causing the trailing end to slide to the upper surface side
Solution Approach 1:
The concave surface of the bundle claw is divided into two regions with different depths: a lower surface side region and an upper surface side region. The lower surface side is formed deeper than the upper surface side, creating a step portion. This local differentiation in depth allows the trailing end to be properly positioned and fixed on the lower surface side when a small number of sheets are conveyed, while maintaining the overall simplicity of the bundle claw structure.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the trailing end slides to the upper surface side of the concave surface, then the bundle claw height remains sufficient for large bundles, but the discharge speed fluctuates and sheets are stacked in a non-aligned state
Solution Approach 1:
By creating a step portion through differential depth formation, the lower surface side of the concave surface serves as the proper positioning region for the trailing end. This ensures that when sheets are discharged, the trailing end remains on the lower surface side rather than sliding to the upper surface side, thereby maintaining stable discharge speed and aligned stacking. The upper surface side region maintains sufficient height for large bundles while the lower surface side provides precise positioning.
3Manufacturing precision
If a step portion is formed in the concave surface, then the trailing end position is fixed properly, but the concave surface structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The step portion is formed by creating a depth difference between the lower surface side region and the upper surface side region of the concave surface. This localized structural modification provides precise trailing end positioning without requiring complete redesign of the entire bundle claw structure, thus limiting the increase in device complexity to only the necessary functional area.
Data Source
AI summary
A bundle claw attached to a sheet conveyor belt includes a concave portion having a bottom surface for regulating a position of a trailing end of the sheets, and, in the bottom surface, a surface on a lower side that comes into contact with the sheet conveyor belt is formed deeper than a surface on an upper side to form the step portion between the surface on the lower side and the surface on the upper side. Therefore, when a small number of sheets are discharged from a processing tray to a stacking tray, a trailing end of the sheets is located on the lower surface side of the concave surface of the bundle claw, where the trailing end of the sheets should be originally located, and does not move to the upper surface side of the concave surface of the bundle claw.