Dynamic Sheet Feeding Control for Image Forming Systems
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional image forming systems fail to ensure all sheets in the conveyance path are properly discharged after a fully stacked condition is detected, leading to inefficiencies and increased costs due to variable system arrangements, and may result in over-design for maximized systems or under-design for minimized systems.
Innovation Solution
An image forming system with a control unit that determines the number of sheets a post-processing apparatus can receive based on the setting content of an image formation job, restricting the number of sheets fed to prevent exceeding the determined number, ensuring all sheets in the conveyance path are discharged without increasing system cost.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the system is designed for maximized arrangement with long conveyance path, then all sheets can be discharged even in large-scale systems, but the system cost and scale increase unnecessarily for minimized arrangements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the sheet feeding control adaptable to different system arrangements. The control unit dynamically adjusts the number of sheets to feed based on real-time detection of sheets in the conveyance path, rather than using a fixed design parameter. This allows the same system to operate reliably in both minimized and maximized arrangements without over-designing for the worst-case scenario.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback control by using detection units to monitor the number of sheets in the conveyance path and feeding this information back to the control unit. The control unit then adjusts sheet feeding accordingly to ensure all sheets are discharged without needing to design for maximum possible path length. This closed-loop control eliminates the need for over-design while maintaining reliability.
2Productivity
If conventional systems stop image formation after detecting fully stacked condition, then discharge tray capacity is utilized, but sheets remaining in conveyance path may not be completely discharged
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by controlling the sheet feeding unit to stop feeding sheets before the discharge tray becomes fully stacked. The control unit calculates and limits the number of sheets to feed based on the conveyance path capacity, ensuring that all sheets entering the path can be completely discharged. This prevents the problem of undischarged sheets while still maximizing tray utilization by coordinating feeding with discharge capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback from detection units that monitor both the discharge tray fullness and the number of sheets in the conveyance path. This dual feedback allows the control unit to make informed decisions about when to stop feeding sheets, balancing tray utilization with complete discharge assurance. The control unit adjusts feeding based on real-time conditions rather than relying on fixed thresholds.
3Device complexity
If the number of stackable sheets is set to a small value for maximized arrangement, then system cost is reduced, but another arrangement with shorter conveyance path cannot effectively utilize discharge tray capacity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the sheet feeding control dynamic rather than fixed. The control unit adjusts the number of sheets to feed based on the actual conveyance path length and discharge tray capacity in the current system arrangement. This allows the same system to adapt to different configurations (minimized or maximized arrangements) and optimize discharge tray utilization for each, eliminating the need to design for the worst case which would reduce adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the parameter of sheet feeding quantity based on detection results. Rather than using a fixed small value designed for maximized arrangement, the control unit dynamically determines the appropriate number of sheets to feed based on the actual conveyance path length and discharge tray capacity. This parameter adjustment allows optimal utilization across different system arrangements without increasing cost.
Data Source
AI summary
An image forming system includes an image forming apparatus and a post-processing apparatus that performs post-processing on sheets discharged from the image forming apparatus. The image forming system includes a feeding unit configured to store a plurality of sheets and successively feed the sheets; a stack unit configured to stack sheets processed by the post-processing apparatus; a state detection unit configured to detect a predetermined state of the stack unit; and a control unit configured to restrict the number of sheets fed from the feeding unit so that the number of sheets existing in a sheet conveyance path extending from the feeding unit to the stack unit does not exceed a predetermined number. The predetermined number is the number of sheets that the post-processing apparatus can receive from the image forming apparatus after detection of the predetermined state by the state detection unit.