Document Tray Dynamics for Non-Standard Paper Feeding

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional auto document feeders face difficulties in efficiently processing documents of non-standard sizes, as small documents may not be properly aligned with the feed roller, leading to improper feeding and user inconvenience in resetting the documents.

Innovation Solution

An image processing apparatus with a document tray that can be lifted and lowered based on application settings, allowing users to select whether to automatically lift the tray upon document placement, ensuring proper alignment and feeding of documents of varying sizes.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of time

If the document tray is lifted up upon detection of documents, then the time period from document read instruction to first document fed is reduced, but the user finds it difficult to reset the documents

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetime period from document read instruction to first document fedVSAvoiddifficulty to reset the documents

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of timeVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The document tray is designed to be movable between a lowered state and a lifted state, allowing dynamic adjustment based on operational needs. The control unit switches between a first control mode (tray remains lowered for easy resetting) and a second control mode (tray is lifted to reduce time loss), enabling the system to adapt to different user requirements

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the positional parameter of the document tray (lowered vs. lifted position) based on the selected control mode. This parameter change allows the system to optimize between two conflicting requirements: quick document feeding (lifted position) and easy document resetting (lowered position)

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If the guide plates are abutted on lateral sides of a large-sized document, then standard size documents are properly prevented from being conveyed askew, but a small-sized document is not brought into contact with the guide plates and may not be properly fed

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedocuments conveyed without being askewVSAvoidability to handle documents of nonstandard sizes

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The control unit provides multiple control modes that make the document tray system universal in handling different document types. The first control mode accommodates small documents by keeping the tray lowered, while the second control mode handles standard documents efficiently by lifting the tray, making the system adaptable to various document sizes and types

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP3968620B1Image processing apparatus, method for controlling the same, computer program, and storage medium

Publication Date: 2024.03.27 CANON KK

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AI summary

There is provided a mechanism for determining whether to perform processing of lifting up a document tray (30) upon detection of a document depending on an active application. A method for controlling an image processing apparatus includes lifting up a document tray (30) upon placement of a document on the document tray (30), conveying the document placed on the document tray (30) lifted up in the lifting, reading the document conveyed in the conveying, and registering, for an application, whether to lift up the document tray (30) upon the placement of the document on the document tray (30).