Document Stacker Guide Mechanism for High-Speed Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional document processing devices face misalignment issues when handling documents of varying sizes and thicknesses, requiring manual alignment and dedicated sheet aligning mechanisms, which are inefficient and limited to processing single-sized papers.
Innovation Solution
A document processing device equipped with a first guiding mechanism for positioning documents in the transport direction, a second guiding mechanism that intersects and tilts to halt document transport, and a holding mechanism with a lowering guiding surface, along with a document inverting mechanism using spiral teeth boards for precise alignment and loading.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If documents are merely dropped into a stacker from the transport path, then loading speed is high, but alignment precision deteriorates (misalignment in all directions)
Solution Approach 1:
The first guiding means positions documents in the transport direction before they are loaded into the stacker, and the second guiding means positions the front end side of documents. This preliminary positioning action ensures that documents are already aligned when they enter the stacker, eliminating the need for post-loading alignment operations while maintaining high loading speed.
Solution Approach 2:
The first guiding means and second guiding means act as intermediary mechanisms between the transport path and the stacker. These guiding means intercept and position documents during the loading process, serving as mediators that transfer documents from the transport path to the stacker in an already-aligned state, thus resolving the contradiction between speed and precision.
2Manufacturing precision
If a dedicated sheet aligning mechanism is used to jog and align documents from four sides, then alignment precision is improved, but device complexity increases and it cannot handle mixed sizes
Solution Approach 1:
The first guiding means and second guiding means serve multiple functions: they guide documents in the transport direction, position the front end side of documents, and work together to achieve alignment. This multi-functional design eliminates the need for separate dedicated sheet aligning mechanisms for each side, reducing device complexity while maintaining alignment precision and enabling handling of mixed document sizes.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts the alignment function from the loading process itself, integrating positioning capabilities directly into the guiding means that are already present in the document processing system. By taking out the need for separate alignment mechanisms and incorporating positioning functions into the existing guiding structure, the system achieves alignment without increasing overall device complexity.
3Adaptability or versatility
If documents of different sizes and thicknesses are processed without pre-restriction, then adaptability is improved, but alignment precision deteriorates (misalignment in all directions)
Solution Approach 1:
The guiding means are designed to dynamically adapt to documents of varying sizes and thicknesses. The first guiding means positions documents in the transport direction, and the second guiding means positions the front end side, with both mechanisms capable of accommodating different document dimensions. This dynamic adaptability allows the system to maintain alignment precision across diverse document types without requiring pre-restriction of document specifications.
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
Enables high-speed, efficient alignment and loading of documents without dispersion, even when mixed specifications are processed, improving working efficiency and handling a wide variety of document types.
Implementation Method 1
a lowering guiding surface that guides transported documents to abut against the first guiding means while sliding down
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided a document processing device and a document processing method capable of aligning and loading documents being transported surely and at a high speed. The document processing device includes: a document inverter for inverting a transport direction of documents being transported; a first guide that is provided in nearly the same direction as the transport direction positions document stacked layers when stacking documents inverted by the document inverter; a second guide that is provided to further tilt at a predetermined angle than orthogonal angle to the transport direction and capable of guiding the transported documents in the first guiding means direction, positions document stacked layers when stacking documents inverted by the document inverting means in conjunction with the first guiding means; and a holder for loading and holding the documents positioned and stacked by the first guide and the second guide. The second guide is constituted by a flat transported document abutting surface capable of making ends of the documents being transported slide down in a positioned state.