Dynamic Alignment Plate Spacing for Sheet Displacement Correction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sheet processing apparatuses face issues with aligning sheets that have not undergone lateral displacement correction, leading to collisions with alignment plates and degradation of sheet alignment and bundle quality.
Innovation Solution
A sheet processing apparatus with a detection unit to identify sheet position, a correction unit to adjust sheet position, and a control unit to adjust the distance between alignment members based on sheet type, allowing for proper alignment without collision, even for sheets that cannot be laterally displaced corrected.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If alignment plates are held at a fixed predetermined distance from sheet edges to enable sheet alignment, then sheet alignment is improved, but sheets with large lateral displacement collide with alignment plates causing degradation of alignment quality
Solution Approach 1:
The alignment plates are made movable in the width direction rather than being fixed. The control unit dynamically adjusts the distance between alignment plates based on the detected lateral displacement of the sheet, allowing the system to adapt to different sheet positions and prevent collisions while maintaining alignment effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The distance between alignment plates is changed as a variable parameter based on sheet type and lateral displacement detection. For sheets requiring correction, the alignment plates are positioned farther apart; for sheets without correction, they are positioned closer, optimizing alignment for each case.
2Device complexity
If a fixed distance is maintained between alignment plates and sheet edges, then the alignment mechanism remains simple, but it cannot accommodate sheets of different types with varying lateral displacement characteristics
Solution Approach 1:
The alignment plate positioning system is made dynamic and adjustable based on detected sheet characteristics. The control unit modifies the distance between alignment plates according to the sheet type and lateral displacement, enabling the system to handle diverse sheet types effectively.
Solution Approach 2:
The detection unit provides feedback on sheet lateral displacement and type, which the control unit uses to automatically adjust the alignment plate positions. This closed-loop feedback mechanism enables adaptive alignment without requiring complex manual configuration for different sheet types.
3Productivity
If alignment plates are positioned close to sheet edges for efficient alignment, then alignment speed is improved, but sheets without lateral displacement correction collide with alignment plates causing jams
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary detection of sheet lateral displacement and type before the sheet reaches the alignment plates. Based on this advance information, the control unit pre-adjusts the alignment plate positions to appropriate distances, preventing collisions before they occur and maintaining continuous operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The control unit acts as an intermediary between sheet detection and alignment execution. It processes detection information and mediates the positioning of alignment plates, ensuring that the distance between plates is optimally adjusted for each sheet type to prevent collisions while maintaining alignment efficiency.
Data Source
AI summary
A sheet processing apparatus capable of discharging even a lateral displacement uncorrectable sheet onto a discharge tray without collision with an alignment plate. A finisher conveys a sheet along a conveying path. A shift unit corrects a lateral displacement of the sheet based on a result of detection by a lateral displacement detection sensor. Sheets discharged via the conveying path are stacked on a discharge tray. A pair of alignment plates disposed above the stacking tray are lowered and are moved between a standby position and an alignment position to be brought into abutment with respective opposite edges of the discharged sheet in the alignment position. A finisher controller makes a distance between the alignment plates in a standby position different according to a sheet type, even when a size of the sheet in the width direction is the same.