Low Friction Member for Medium Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Medium processing apparatuses face challenges in matching end portions of wet or high-friction mediums during transportation, leading to inefficiencies and misalignment issues, particularly when using rotary paddles and trays.
Innovation Solution
The medium transporting apparatus incorporates low frictional resistance members and width direction matching members that switch between advanced and retracted states to reduce friction and ensure proper alignment, along with guide members and paddles that rotate to match the end portions of mediums on a tray.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If rotary paddles are used to transport and align mediums on a tray, then the mediums can be moved and end portions can be matched, but the frictional resistance between stacked mediums becomes large causing subsequent mediums to not easily move on previously mounted mediums
Solution Approach 1:
A guide member is introduced as an intermediary element between the paddle and the medium. The guide member has a guide surface that contacts the medium, while the paddle contacts the guide member instead of directly contacting the medium. This intermediary structure reduces the frictional resistance between the paddle and medium, allowing easier movement of wet or high-friction mediums during alignment operations.
2Productivity
If mediums are transported in a stacked manner on a medium tray, then space is efficiently utilized, but end portions of mediums may not be properly matched due to large frictional resistance
Solution Approach 1:
The guide member acts as a mediator that enables proper alignment of end portions by reducing friction. The guide surface of the guide member allows the medium to slide more easily during the alignment process, ensuring that end portions are correctly matched even when transporting multiple mediums in a stacked manner on the tray.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide member is configured to move together with the paddle during the alignment operation. This dynamic configuration allows the guide surface to maintain optimal contact with the medium throughout the movement process, ensuring continuous reduction of frictional resistance and consistent alignment precision from the first medium to the last medium in the stack.
3Adaptability or versatility
If wet mediums from ink jet recording are transported, then recording functionality is achieved, but frictional resistance between mediums increases significantly making alignment difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The guide member serves as a crucial intermediary that addresses the high friction problem specific to wet mediums. By introducing this intermediate element with a specially designed guide surface, the system can handle wet mediums from ink jet recording without experiencing excessive frictional resistance, thereby maintaining both recording versatility and alignment capability.
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
This configuration effectively reduces frictional resistance between mediums, allowing for reliable alignment and processing of both wet and dry mediums, enhancing the efficiency of medium transportation and processing operations.
Implementation Method 1
low frictional resistance members that switch between advanced and retracted states to reduce friction
Implementation Method 2
paddles that come in contact with the medium on the medium tray and that rotate to send the medium towards the matching portion
Data Source
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AI summary
A medium transporting apparatus (30) including a paddle (40) that comes in contact with a medium (P) discharged on a first tray (35) including an upstream end matching member (38) and that rotates to move the medium towards the upstream end matching member, and a low frictional resistance member (50) configured to switch between an advanced state advanced from outside a medium mount region (K) of the first tray to a first region (M), and a retracted state retracting from the first region to an outside of the medium mount region. The low frictional resistance member is, after a first medium (P1) is mounted on the first tray, switched from the retracted state to the advanced state, and is interposed between the first medium and a second medium (P2) when, after discharging the first medium, moving the second medium discharged from a pair of discharge rollers (33) towards the upstream end matching member with the paddle.