Image Forming System Sheet Recovery Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
In image forming systems, conveyance abnormalities like sheet jams lead to misalignment of tab sheets, causing unnecessary tab sheets to be mixed with normal printed matters during recovery printing, requiring separate discharge trays and resulting in inefficiencies and waiting times.
Innovation Solution
An image forming system with a processor that stops the causal sheet causing the conveyance abnormality and discharges upstream sheets to a different discharge section, then feeds and discharges sheets from the same sheet feed tray to the other discharge section for recovery printing, allowing for efficient recovery printing without mixing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If tab sheets are discharged to the same discharge tray as normal printed matters during recovery printing, then the discharge tray utilization is improved, but tab sheets with out of order mix between normal printed matters causing quality degradation
Solution Approach 1:
The discharge process is segmented into two separate discharge trays: one for tab sheets and another for normal printed matters. This segmentation prevents mixing of tab sheets with out of order with normal printed matters while maintaining efficient discharge tray utilization.
Solution Approach 2:
A sheet determination unit acts as an intermediary to identify whether each sheet is a tab sheet or normal printed matter, enabling the system to route sheets to the appropriate discharge tray and prevent mixing while maintaining high discharge efficiency.
2Manufacturing precision
If separate discharge trays are set for tab sheets and normal printed matters, then tab sheet order accuracy is improved, but discharge tray switching operation increases complexity and reduces productivity
Solution Approach 1:
The discharge tray selection is made dynamic and automatic based on the sheet type identified by the sheet determination unit. The discharge control unit automatically selects the appropriate discharge tray without requiring manual switching operations, thereby maintaining tab sheet order accuracy while improving discharge operation efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The sheet determination unit provides feedback information about the sheet type to the discharge control unit, which then automatically adjusts the discharge tray selection. This feedback mechanism eliminates manual switching operations while ensuring tab sheets are discharged to the correct tray, resolving the contradiction between precision and productivity.
3Manufacturing precision
If waiting time is provided between recovery printing processing and removal operation, then tab sheet mixing is prevented, but operational efficiency deteriorates due to idle time
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary discharge of tab sheets to a separate discharge tray before recovery printing processing. By提前 discharging tab sheets and using automatic discharge tray selection during recovery printing, the system prevents the need for waiting time while maintaining tab sheet separation accuracy.
4Manufacturing precision
If conveyance speed of subsequent sheets is slowed and distance between sheets is widened, then tab sheet mixing is prevented, but productivity decreases due to reduced conveyance speed
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments tab sheets and normal printed matters into different discharge trays, eliminating the need to slow down conveyance speed or widen distance between sheets. This segmentation maintains high conveyance speed and productivity while ensuring tab sheet order accuracy through automatic discharge tray selection.
Data Source
AI summary
In a case where conveyance abnormality of a sheet has occurred on a conveyance passage in course of execution of a print job which uses sheets included in a sheet set including a plurality of sheets with sequentiality stored in a first sheet feed tray and discharges a sheet having been subjected to image formation to a first discharge section of the plurality of discharge sections, conveyance of a causal sheet having caused the conveyance abnormality is stopped, and sheets having been being conveyed on the conveyance passage on an upstream side than the causal sheet are discharged to other discharge section other than the first discharge section. Thereafter, continuously, sheets located before a sheet to be fed first at a time of performing recovery printing after elimination of conveyance abnormality, are fed from the first sheet feed tray, and discharged the sheets to the other discharge section.