Feeder Tray Lateral Adjustment for Print Media Registration

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current registration subsystems in printing devices face difficulties in handling larger and heavier print media, and struggle to maintain alignment at increasing print job speeds, often requiring inefficient re-designs and operational delays.

Innovation Solution

An automated feeder tray adjustment method that uses a mechanism to adjust the lateral position of feeder trays based on measured lateral input errors, ensuring proper alignment of print media within the registration subsystem, thereby eliminating misalignment issues without the need for extensive re-designs of registration subsystem components.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the registration subsystem is designed to handle larger and heavier print media, then the capability to process large formats is improved, but the device complexity and difficulty of handling increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecapability to handle larger print mediaVSAvoiddifficulty for registration subsystem to handle

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The feeder tray is made dynamically adjustable in its lateral position rather than being fixed. A motorized mechanism moves the feeder tray laterally to compensate for misalignment, allowing the registration subsystem to adapt to different media sizes and weights without requiring complex mechanical redesign for each format.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the lateral position parameter of the feeder tray to correct alignment errors. By adjusting this positional parameter dynamically, the system maintains proper registration for various media sizes without increasing overall device complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Productivity

If the print job speed is increased to meet market demand, then the productivity is improved, but the alignment accuracy deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprint job speedVSAvoidalignment accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary lateral adjustment of the feeder tray before the print job begins. By pre-positioning the feeder tray correctly based on measured misalignment, the system ensures accurate alignment throughout the high-speed print job without compromising precision for speed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system measures the actual lateral misalignment of the print media and uses this feedback information to adjust the feeder tray position. This closed-loop approach maintains alignment accuracy even at increased print speeds by continuously compensating for deviations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Adaptability or versatility

If the registration subsystem is re-designed to handle larger media, then the adaptability is improved, but the loss of time due to operational delays increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveability to handle larger mediaVSAvoidoperational delays

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The motorized lateral adjustment mechanism serves multiple functions: it handles different media sizes, corrects alignment errors, and maintains registration accuracy. This single multi-functional solution provides adaptability for various media formats without requiring multiple specialized subsystems that would increase operational complexity and time loss.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS10518994B2Adjustment of feeder trays to correct alignment error of print media in a registration subsystem

Publication Date: 2019.12.31 XEROX CORP

AI summary

A method, non-transitory computer readable medium, and apparatus for automatically adjusting a feeder tray of a printing device are disclosed. For example, the method receives a signal to initiate a feeder tray adjustment routine, wherein the feeder tray adjustment routine determines an amount of lateral adjustment of the feeder tray to eliminate a lateral input error of a print media that is fed to a registration subsystem of the printing device, activates a mechanism to adjust a lateral position of the feeder tray by the amount that is determined, and feeds subsequent print media through the registration subsystem for printing an image on the subsequent print media.