Image Forming System Sheet Reordering via Bypass Conveyance
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Image forming systems face productivity and efficiency issues when handling mixed sheet types due to the need for frequent temperature adjustments during printing, leading to increased processing time and complexity in maintaining the correct page order of final printings.
Innovation Solution
An image forming system with a control device that divides jobs into sheet types based on fixing control temperature and page configuration, using sheet carrying devices with bypass conveyance paths and tray units to store and rearrange sheets for optimal printing order, ensuring final printings are arranged in the designated page order with high efficiency and productivity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If printing is performed in page order for mixed sheet types, then the correct page sequence is maintained, but the fixing control temperature must be frequently adjusted, increasing processing time and reducing productivity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the printing process into two independent stages: (1) printing all sheets of the same sheet type together regardless of page order, and (2) reordering the printed sheets according to the designated page order using sheet carrying devices. This segmentation allows temperature stabilization for each sheet type while maintaining correct final page sequence.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary printing of all sheets for each sheet type before final assembly. By printing all pages of a given sheet type first (establishing a temporary order), the system allows the fixing control temperature to stabilize for that sheet type, then later reorders these pre-printed sheets to achieve the correct final page sequence.
2Productivity
If sheet types are grouped by fixing control temperature, then temperature switching frequency decreases and productivity improves, but the process complexity increases due to reordering requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces sheet carrying devices as intermediary components between the printing process and final output. These devices temporarily store printed sheets and enable reordering without requiring complex real-time coordination during printing. The intermediary storage function simplifies the overall control logic while achieving both productivity improvement and correct page sequencing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent adds a temporal dimension to the printing process by decoupling the printing sequence from the final output sequence. Sheets are printed in one order (grouped by sheet type) and then reordered in another sequence (by page order) using sheet carrying devices, effectively operating in two different dimensional sequences without increasing device complexity.
3Manufacturing precision
If manual reordering process is executed to arrange sheets in page order, then correct sequencing is achieved, but work efficiency decreases particularly for large numbers of pages and copies
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements an automated self-service reordering system where sheet carrying devices automatically perform the sorting and sequencing of printed sheets based on pre-stored page order information. The system eliminates manual intervention by using control devices to manage the reordering process, thereby maintaining high page sequence accuracy while dramatically improving work efficiency for large volumes of printing.
Data Source
AI summary
An image forming system includes: an image forming apparatus that forms an image on a sheet; one or more sheet carrying devices successively disposed on the downstream side of the image forming apparatus; and a control device that controls the image forming apparatus and the one or more sheet carrying devices based on a job that designates a page configuration containing a page order and sheet types, wherein the sheet carrying device includes a bypass conveyance path along which the sheet output from an upstream device is conveyed toward a downstream device, and a sheet tray unit that temporarily stores the sheet output from the upstream device and discharges the sheet toward the bypass conveyance path, and the control device divides the job into sheet types and determines a printing order of the divided sheet types and sheet types to be stored in the sheet carrying device.