Sheet Stacking Device with Lateral Optical Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Sheet materials can curl and cause abnormal stacking in a sheet stacking device, leading to defective sheets and potential jams, necessitating early detection of abnormal stacking.
Innovation Solution
A sheet stacking device equipped with light emitters and receivers arranged laterally to detect the upper surface of sheets or a pallet, with a lift mechanism that lowers the mounting table when sensors lose detection, indicating abnormal stacking.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If range sensors are disposed on an upper part of the stacking tray to monitor the distance to the upper surface of stacked sheets, then abnormal stacking can be detected, but the device complexity and space requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from vertical sensor arrangement (range sensors on upper part) to lateral sensor arrangement (light emitters and receivers positioned on opposite sides horizontally). This dimensional change simplifies the device structure while maintaining detection capability, as the lateral configuration requires less vertical space and simpler mounting on the stacking tray.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses light emitters and light receivers positioned laterally to create an optical detection system that copies the functionality of vertical range sensors. Instead of measuring distance vertically from above, the system uses lateral light transmission to detect sheet presence and abnormal stacking, achieving the same detection goal with a simpler configuration.
2Measurement precision
If extensive scanning mechanisms are used to detect abnormal sheet stacking, then detection accuracy improves, but space requirements and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the essential detection function from complex scanning mechanisms and implements it using simple lateral light emitters and receivers. By taking out only the necessary detection capability and removing unnecessary scanning components, the system achieves adequate detection accuracy with minimal space occupation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces expensive, complex scanning mechanisms with inexpensive, simple optical sensors (light emitters and receivers). These simpler components achieve the required detection function at lower cost and with reduced space requirements, even if they have more limited capabilities compared to extensive scanning systems.
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
Accurately detects abnormal sheet stacking without requiring extensive scanning mechanisms, reducing space and cost, and preventing jams.
Implementation Method 1
a sensor including light emitters and light receivers each arranged in the lateral direction of the sheet stacking device so as to face with each other, the sensor to detect at least one of an upper surface of sheets stacked on the pallet or an upper surface of the pallet
Data Source
AI summary
A sheet stacking device includes: a mounting table on which a pallet is mounted, the mounting table having a lift; a sensor including: light emitters and light receivers each arranged in the lateral direction of the sheet stacking device so as to face with each other, the sensor to detect at least one of an upper surface of sheets stacked on the pallet or an upper surface of the pallet; and circuitry configured to cause the lift to lower the mounting table by a predetermined amount in response to the sensor detecting the at least one of the upper surface of the sheets or the upper surface of the pallet, and to determine that the sheets have been stacked abnormally when the sensor is not in a non-detection state after the mounting table has been lowered by the predetermined amount.