Conveyor Shutter Regulates Negative Pressure for Paper Jam Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conveyor devices in inkjet printers face challenges in maintaining consistent negative pressure to effectively convey paper, leading to potential paper jams and inaccuracies in image formation due to variations in paper width and excessive suction force.
Innovation Solution
A conveyor device with a negative pressure chamber and a shutter mechanism that controls the communication hole to regulate negative pressure, ensuring a consistent suction force by adjusting the opening and closing of the shutter based on paper width and position, thereby maintaining optimal negative pressure levels.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a negative pressure generating device is used to suck paper to the conveyor belt, then paper conveyance is enabled, but excessive negative pressure causes paper jams and conveyance inaccuracies
Solution Approach 1:
The shutter mechanism dynamically adjusts the communication hole opening area based on paper width detection. When paper is detected, the shutter opens to allow negative pressure generation; when paper width exceeds the belt width, the shutter closes to prevent excessive suction that would cause conveyance inaccuracies and jams. This dynamic adjustment resolves the contradiction between maintaining sufficient suction for reliable conveyance and preventing excessive pressure that degrades precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs a feedback mechanism where a sensor detects paper width and position, and this information is used to control the shutter opening area. The controller continuously monitors paper parameters and adjusts the communication hole area accordingly, creating a closed-loop control system that maintains optimal negative pressure levels for both reliability and precision.
2Ease of operation
If the communication hole area is increased to reduce negative pressure magnitude, then paper release is improved, but paper suction capability is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The shutter mechanism provides dynamic control of the communication hole area, opening it only when paper is present on the conveyor belt and closing it when paper is absent or when paper width exceeds belt width. This temporal separation of suction and release functions allows the system to maintain strong suction force during conveyance while enabling easy paper release when needed, without requiring a permanently large communication hole that would weaken suction capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs periodic opening and closing of the shutter mechanism synchronized with the paper conveyance cycle. The communication hole is opened during the suction and conveyance phase, then closed during the release phase. This periodic action allows the system to alternate between strong suction force and easy paper release, resolving the contradiction between these two opposing requirements.
3Stress or pressure
If the shutter opens fully to maximize air flow, then negative pressure is reduced, but paper suction is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes the opening area parameter of the communication hole based on detected paper width. Rather than using a fixed fully-open or fully-closed position, the shutter adjusts to an optimal opening area that maintains sufficient negative pressure magnitude for reliable paper suction while preventing excessive pressure that would cause conveyance errors. This parameter adjustment resolves the contradiction between reducing negative pressure magnitude and maintaining suction force.
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 reduces the occurrence of paper jams, improves conveyance accuracy, and enhances image quality by maintaining a consistent suction force and reducing excessive negative pressure variations, regardless of paper width.
Implementation Method 1
a negative pressure chamber configured to cause negative pressure to act on the to-be-conveyed medium through the through hole to suck the to-be-conveyed medium to the support portion
Implementation Method 2
a shutter configured to slide on the wall of the negative pressure chamber to open/close the communication hole
Data Source
AI summary
A conveyor device includes a support portion in which a through hole is formed and which is configured to support a to-be-conveyed medium; a negative pressure chamber configured to cause negative pressure to act on the to-be-conveyed medium through the through hole to suck the to-be-conveyed medium to the support portion; and a conveyance section configured to convey the to-be-conveyed medium sucked to the support portion. The negative pressure chamber includes a wall in which a communication hole to communicate the negative pressure chamber with the air is formed. The conveyor device further includes a shutter configured to slide on the wall of the negative pressure chamber to open/close the communication hole.