Dynamic Ejection Roller Speed Control for Media Alignment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing medium ejection apparatuses face challenges in aligning the positions of media of different sizes on an ejection tray, leading to inconvenient handling and potential interference between ejected media.

Innovation Solution

A medium ejection apparatus with an ejection roller pair and a processor that detects the size of the medium, increasing the rotation speed of at least one roller after the rear edge passes through a nip position, and adjusting the timing based on the medium's size to align the ejection positions effectively.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If media of different sizes are conveyed through the apparatus, then the apparatus can handle various media types, but the positions of ejected media on the tray become misaligned

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemedia size compatibilityVSAvoidejection position alignment

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The ejection roller's rotation speed is dynamically adjusted based on the detected media size. The processor detects the size of each medium and changes the rotation speed of the ejection roller accordingly, allowing the system to adapt to different media sizes while maintaining consistent ejection positions on the tray

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the rotation speed parameter of the ejection roller based on media size detection. By detecting whether the media size is larger or smaller than a reference size, the processor adjusts the rotation speed to compensate for size differences, ensuring that rear edges of different media types align at the same position on the ejection tray

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Stability of the object's composition

If the ejection roller rotates at a constant speed, then the ejection process is simple and stable, but media of different sizes cannot be aligned properly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveejection process stabilityVSAvoidrear edge alignment position

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses feedback from the media size detection to adjust the ejection roller's rotation speed. The processor detects the size of each medium and uses this information to control the driving device, creating a closed-loop system that maintains stable and precise ejection positioning despite variations in media size

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS11117772B2Medium ejection apparatus for ejecting media to align the positions of the media ejected onto an ejection tray

Publication Date: 2021.09.14 PFU LTD

AI summary

A medium ejection apparatus includes an ejection roller pair configured to eject a medium, a driving device configured to rotate at least one roller of the ejection roller pair, a processor for detecting a size of the medium, and controlling the driving device to increase a rotation speed of the at least one roller to be higher than a previous rotation speed, from a predetermined timing after a rear edge of the medium passes through a nip position of the ejection roller pair. The processor changes the predetermined timing in accordance with the size of the medium.