Curved Guide Member Sheet Conveyance Stability
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional sheet conveyance apparatuses face challenges in stabilizing sheet conveyance through curved paths without enlarging the apparatus, as thick guide members are required at merging points to prevent sheet misalignment, leading to increased space and size requirements.
Innovation Solution
A sheet conveyance apparatus with a guide member pair, where the second path side guide member includes a straight portion with ribs and a slope portion, allowing the downstream end to be positioned at the merging point without enlarging the apparatus, reducing drag and ensuring stable sheet conveyance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the distal end portion of the guide member is positioned at the merging portion to stably convey the sheet, then sheet conveyance stability is improved, but the apparatus size is enlarged
Solution Approach 1:
The guide member's distal end portion is formed with a curved surface that matches the curvature of the sheet conveyance path. This curved configuration allows the guide member to effectively guide sheets through the curved path and merge smoothly with the merging path without requiring excessive thickness or protrusion into the merging area, thereby maintaining conveyance stability while minimizing apparatus size.
Solution Approach 2:
The thickness of the guide member's distal end portion is optimized to a specific range (0.5mm to 2mm) based on the sheet thickness. This parameter optimization ensures that the guide member is thick enough to provide stable guidance through the curved path but thin enough to avoid enlarging the apparatus and interfering with the merging path.
2Reliability
If the guide member is made thick to provide stability at the merging portion, then sheet conveyance reliability is improved, but the apparatus is inevitably enlarged
Solution Approach 1:
By forming the distal end portion with a curved surface that follows the conveyance path curvature, the guide member achieves effective guidance function with reduced thickness. The curved geometry distributes the guiding function along the arc rather than requiring a thick straight projection, thus maintaining reliability while reducing the guide member's length in the width direction.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide member utilizes the depth dimension (curved surface extending into the conveyance path) to provide guidance stability rather than relying solely on increased width direction thickness. This dimensional transition allows the guide member to be thin in the width direction while still providing effective guidance through its curved profile.
Data Source
AI summary
A sheet conveyance apparatus includes first and second conveyance paths that eventually merge together. A guide member pair constituting the first conveyance path includes a second path guide member disposed on the second conveyance path side among the guide member pair and having a straight portion and a curved portion provided continuously downstream of the straight portion. A downstream end portion of the guide member is positioned in a merging portion of the first and second conveyance paths. The straight portion includes a plurality of ribs and a slope portion formed thereon. The plurality of ribs project perpendicularly from a base portion and are parallel to the sheet conveyance direction. The slope portion is provided between two of the plurality of ribs adjacent to each other and is inclined from the base portion toward the ridges of the plurality of ribs.