Finishing System Piercing Member Abnormality Detection

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Solution Overview

Problem

In piercing processing, paper dust often clogs the grooves of piercing members, making it difficult to predict whether the member is normal or abnormal based on the number of fed sheets and processing time, leading to inconsistent piercing quality, even with regular cleaning.

Innovation Solution

A finishing system that includes a piercing unit with a piercing member, an image reader to capture images of the processed sheets, and a controller to determine the abnormality of the piercing member by analyzing the images for perforation length, width, and spacing, enabling early detection of issues.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If regular cleaning of piercing member is performed, then piercing quality is maintained, but abnormality detection is delayed until after quality deterioration occurs

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepiercing quality consistencyVSAvoidabnormality detection timing

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses an image reader to capture images of processed sheets and feeds them back to a controller that analyzes piercing quality in real-time. This continuous feedback loop enables detection of piercing member abnormalities immediately when they occur, rather than waiting for regular cleaning intervals, thus maintaining reliable piercing quality while eliminating detection delays.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the mechanical cleaning-based maintenance approach with an optical detection system using image readers and automated analysis. Instead of relying on periodic mechanical cleaning to maintain piercing quality, the system uses non-contact optical imaging and automated image processing to continuously monitor piercing member condition, enabling early abnormality detection without mechanical intervention.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Reliability

If piercing member is cleaned frequently, then paper dust accumulation is reduced, but productivity decreases due to frequent maintenance interruptions

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepiercing member conditionVSAvoidprocessing throughput

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The real-time image-based monitoring system provides continuous feedback on piercing member condition without requiring production stoppages. The controller analyzes piercing quality metrics from captured images and only triggers cleaning or maintenance when actual abnormalities are detected, rather than following a fixed cleaning schedule. This feedback-driven approach maintains reliable piercing member condition while minimizing productivity loss by eliminating unnecessary maintenance interruptions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system enables the piercing process to monitor and assess its own quality automatically through image capture and analysis. The controller detects piercing member abnormalities and can trigger self-cleaning mechanisms or maintenance alerts without external intervention, allowing the system to maintain its own performance while minimizing disruption to production flow.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Productivity

If piercing member is not cleaned regularly, then productivity is maintained, but paper dust clogs grooves and deteriorates piercing quality

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprocessing continuityVSAvoidpiercing quality

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The continuous image monitoring and analysis system provides real-time feedback on piercing quality metrics such as hole size, spacing, and uniformity. This enables the system to maintain high manufacturing precision by detecting and responding to quality deviations immediately, while keeping productivity high through uninterrupted processing. The feedback loop identifies when cleaning is actually needed based on measured quality parameters rather than arbitrary time or sheet count thresholds.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces periodic mechanical cleaning with continuous optical monitoring and automated quality assessment. The image reader and controller system substitutes for physical cleaning operations by providing real-time detection of piercing member condition and quality metrics, allowing the process to run continuously without mechanical intervention while maintaining precision through automated detection and alerting.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentUS11753268B2Finishing system, piercing member abnormality determination device, and recording medium

Publication Date: 2023.09.12 KONICA MINOLTA INC

AI summary

A finishing system includes a piercing unit, an image reader, and a controller. The piercing unit includes a piercing member that performs piercing processing on a sheet. The image reader reads the sheet on which the piercing processing is performed to acquire a read image. The controller determines abnormality of the piercing member based on the read image.