Laminated Paddle Blade for Sheet Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional post-processing apparatuses struggle to accurately align and draw sheets with high moisture content or high friction surfaces into the processing tray for stapling, leading to misalignment and inefficiency.
Innovation Solution
The post-processing apparatus incorporates a paddle unit with laminated paddle blades, comprising an elastic sheet with a high-friction surface and a reinforcing sheet, where the elastic sheet has a longer length than the distance from the rotation shaft to the processing tray, allowing for effective bending and contact with the sheet, while the reinforcing sheet provides necessary strength without rigidity, enabling proper alignment and stapling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a conventional paddle blade is used to draw sheets into the processing tray, then the sheet conveying function is provided, but sheets with high moisture content or high friction surfaces cannot be accurately aligned, leading to misalignment
Solution Approach 1:
The paddle blade is constructed as a composite structure with a rubber layer and a reinforcement layer. The rubber layer provides high friction surface to grip sheets with high moisture content or high friction surfaces, while the reinforcement layer provides the necessary strength and flexibility. This composite material approach resolves the contradiction by combining materials with complementary properties to achieve both reliable sheet drawing and precise alignment.
Solution Approach 2:
The rubber layer is selectively applied only to the sheet-contacting surface of the paddle blade, while the reinforcement layer provides structural support throughout. This local quality differentiation allows the blade to have high friction where needed for gripping sheets, while maintaining overall structural integrity and flexibility for accurate alignment.
2Strength
If the paddle blade is made rigid to provide strength, then structural integrity is maintained, but flexibility to adapt to sheet variations is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The combination of rubber material and reinforcement layer creates a composite blade that simultaneously achieves strength and flexibility. The reinforcement layer provides the necessary strength for structural integrity, while the rubber layer provides flexibility and adaptability to accommodate variations in sheet thickness, moisture content, and friction characteristics.
3Productivity
If the paddle blade length is increased to improve contact with sheets, then drawing effectiveness is enhanced, but the distance from rotation shaft to processing tray becomes excessive
Solution Approach 1:
The rubber layer is applied selectively to the portion of the paddle blade that contacts sheets, optimizing the friction surface length for effective drawing without requiring the entire blade to be excessively long. This localized application of high-friction material enhances drawing effectiveness while maintaining appropriate overall blade dimensions.
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
The solution ensures reliable and efficient alignment and stapling of sheets, even those with high moisture content or high friction surfaces, by applying sufficient force and maintaining flexibility to prevent misalignment and ensure proper contact with the processing tray.
Implementation Method 1
The paddle blade is a laminated body including an elastic sheet having a high friction surface and configured to be in contact with a sheet to be post-processed
Data Source
AI summary
A post-processing apparatus includes a loading tray, a post-processing unit for performing predetermined post-processing on a sheet before ejecting the sheet onto the loading tray, and a drawing paddle for sending the sheet conveyed toward the loading tray in a direction opposite to the conveying direction to draw the sheet to a predetermined position on a processing tray. The drawing paddle includes a paddle rotation shaft disposed above the processing tray with a predetermined distance from the processing tray, and a paddle blade fixed to the paddle rotation shaft. The paddle blade is a laminated body including an elastic sheet to be in contact with the sheet to be post-processed and a reinforcing sheet reinforcing the elastic sheet. The elastic sheet has a first length longer than the predetermined distance and the reinforcing sheet has a second length shorter than the predetermined distance.