Curved Conveyance Path Guide Plate for Thin Media Skew
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Solution Overview
Problem
In conveyance devices with curved paths, small or thin media tend to skew due to differences in frictional forces between conveyance members, leading to instability and increased complexity in detection and correction systems.
Innovation Solution
A conveyance device with a curved portion that guides the medium toward one of a pair of conveyers, using protruding portions and adjustable guide plate distances to stabilize the medium's position and reduce skewing, thereby simplifying the system by minimizing the need for additional skew detection and correction mechanisms.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the conveyance path has a curved portion, then the medium can be conveyed through the curved path, but small or thin media tend to skew due to differences in frictional forces between conveyance members
Solution Approach 1:
A guide plate is introduced as an intermediary element between the curved conveyance path and the medium. The guide plate has a contact portion that selectively contacts the medium based on its width, providing guidance and preventing skewing. This intermediary structure mediates the interaction between the curved path geometry and the medium, ensuring stable conveyance without requiring complex detection or correction systems.
2Productivity
If the distance between guide plates is increased to reduce conveyance resistance, then conveyance efficiency improves, but the medium position becomes unstable and skewing increases
Solution Approach 1:
The guide plate structure implements local quality by having different functional zones: a first region with a larger distance between guide plates to reduce conveyance resistance and improve efficiency, and a second region with a smaller distance where the contact portion actively guides the medium to prevent skewing. This localized differentiation allows the system to simultaneously achieve both conveyance efficiency and position stability in different spatial regions.
3Manufacturing precision
If skew detection and correction systems are added to handle medium skewing in curved paths, then medium position accuracy improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The guide plate is designed to automatically guide the medium through the curved path without requiring external detection or correction systems. The contact portion self-adjusts based on the medium width, with wider media being contacted at different positions than narrower media. This self-service mechanism eliminates the need for complex sensors, actuators, and control systems, maintaining position accuracy while minimizing device complexity.
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
The solution effectively suppresses skewing and reduces conveyance resistance, maintaining stability and efficiency while simplifying the device configuration, even for small or thin media.
Implementation Method 1
differences in frictional forces between conveyance members
Data Source
AI summary
A conveyance device includes a conveyance path having a curved portion and a pair of conveyers which are disposed in the conveyance path and convey a medium while nipping it, wherein the medium enters the pair of conveyers in a state of being at least partially curved in the curved portion, and the conveyance path guides the medium toward one of the pair of conveyers.