Conveyance Apparatus Automatic Paper Width Determination

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Solution Overview

Problem

Users face inconvenience and inefficiency when setting the size of non-standard paper, as they need to manually set the width each time a different size of paper is loaded, leading to increased time and effort, and potential variations in image size due to measurement errors.

Innovation Solution

A conveyance apparatus with a measurement unit to determine paper width, storing both standard and user-registered paper widths, allowing for automatic determination and registration of non-standard sizes, reducing the need for repeated settings and ensuring consistent image size.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If manual setting of paper width is required for each paper loading, then measurement precision can be ensured, but user operation becomes complex and time-consuming

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepaper width measurement precisionVSAvoidpaper width setting operation

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The measurement unit automatically measures the paper width and the determination unit automatically determines the width to serve as measured width by comparing with stored standard and user-registered paper widths, eliminating the need for manual user input and reducing operational complexity while maintaining measurement accuracy

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

Standard paper widths are pre-stored in the first storage unit and user-registered paper widths are pre-stored in the second storage unit, allowing the system to automatically identify and select the correct paper width without requiring users to manually set or input values each time

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Adaptability or versatility

If standard paper widths are used only, then device complexity remains simple, but adaptability to non-standard paper sizes is limited

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepaper size adaptabilityVSAvoidpaper width storage and management

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system stores both standard paper widths (first storage unit) and user-registered non-standard paper widths (second storage unit) in a unified manner, allowing the determination unit to handle both standard and custom paper sizes through the same automatic determination process, achieving multi-functionality without significantly increasing complexity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS11485598B2Conveyance apparatus, method, and storage medium

Publication Date: 2022.11.01 CANON KK

AI summary

A conveyance apparatus includes a conveyance unit, a first storage unit, a second storage unit, a measurement unit, and a determination unit. The conveyance unit conveys paper. The first storage unit stores a width of standard paper. The width of the standard paper is a length in a direction crossing a conveyance direction of the paper conveyed by the conveyance unit. The second storage unit stores a user-registered paper width which is different from the width of the standard paper. The user-registered paper width is input by a user. The measurement unit measures a width of the paper. The determination unit determines, based on the measured width and the paper widths stored in the first storage unit and the second storage unit, a width to serve as the measured width.