Electrostatic Sheet Guiding Mechanism for Weight Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional sheet guiding apparatuses face challenges in downsizing and weight reduction due to the need for solenoids and complex mechanisms, and struggle with guiding sheets to branched paths, especially when dealing with sheets of varying stiffness, as they rely on curved surfaces for disengagement which limits design freedom and efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A sheet guiding apparatus using a dielectric supporting member with electrodes to generate an electric field, a guide member, and a moving portion to relocate the sheet, allowing for selective disengagement from the supporting surface at desired points by inverting the electric field, enabling the sheet to be guided to a predetermined position without solenoids or complex mechanisms.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a solenoid is used to operate a flap for guiding sheets, then the sheet can be sorted to different paths, but the apparatus cannot achieve downsizing and weight reduction
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical solenoid-flap system with an electrostatic field-based sheet guiding mechanism. The sheet is adsorbed to a supporting member by static electricity, and the sheet guiding portion uses electric field control to direct the sheet to different paths, eliminating the need for heavy mechanical components like solenoids and flaps.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the control parameter from mechanical actuation to electrostatic field parameters. By controlling the presence and direction of the electric field in the sheet guiding portion, the sheet's trajectory is changed without mechanical movement, enabling weight reduction while maintaining sorting functionality.
2Ease of operation
If a curved portion of the sheet feeding belt is used to disengage the sheet, then the sheet can be transferred to the discharge tray, but the sheet cannot be disengaged at straight portion and design freedom is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the curvature-based mechanical disengagement mechanism with an electrostatic field-based disengagement system. The sheet guiding portion uses controlled electric fields to detach the sheet from the supporting member at any position along the feeding path, not just at curved portions, thereby enabling straight-path disengagement and greater design flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces the electric field as an intermediary between the sheet and the supporting member. This intermediary allows for controlled interaction and disengagement at any position along the feeding path, replacing the direct mechanical constraint of curved surfaces and enabling versatile path design.
3Device complexity
If reverse feeding is used to guide sheet through gate, then solenoid is not needed, but next sheet cannot be moved into during reverse feeding and sheet feeding processing becomes slower
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the reverse-feeding mechanical approach with an electrostatic field-based guiding system. The sheet is fed forward continuously while the electric field in the sheet guiding portion controls the sheet's direction to branched paths, eliminating the need for reverse feeding and maintaining continuous forward sheet flow for higher productivity.
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
This solution allows for a simpler, lighter-weight sheet guiding mechanism that can efficiently guide sheets to specific positions, including branched paths, regardless of sheet stiffness, by utilizing static electricity to repel the sheet from the supporting surface, enhancing sheet feeding speed and flexibility.
Implementation Method 1
the static electricity is generated between a sheet and a supporting member formed by a component such as a sheet feeding belt and a sheet supplying rotatable member, and the sheet is fed while being adsorbed to the supporting member by the attractive force (a coulomb force) due to the static electricity
Implementation Method 2
an electric field inverting portion configured to invert a direction of the electric field generated by the electric field generating portion, when a leading end portion of the sheet in a direction in which the sheet is moved has reached a vicinity of the guide member
Data Source
AI summary
A sheet guiding apparatus, including: a supporting member having a supporting surface which supports a sheet; a first electrode provided in the supporting member; an electric field generating portion configured to generate an electric field between the supporting surface and the first electrode; a guide member which is distant from the supporting surface by a predetermined distance in a direction perpendicular to the supporting surface; a moving portion configured to move the sheet supported by the supporting surface by moving at least one of the supporting member and the guide member relatively to each other in a direction parallel to the supporting surface; and an electric field inverting portion configured to invert a direction of the electric field generated by the electric field generating portion, when a leading end portion of the sheet in a direction in which the sheet is moved has reached a vicinity of the guide member.