Image Feeding Control for Manual Sheet Skew Adjustment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Image forming apparatuses face issues with sheet skewing and printing failures due to insufficient adjustment of side regulating plates during manual sheet feeding, especially when the job is resumed after interruption, as users may not have enough time to adjust the plates before the next sheet is fed.
Innovation Solution
The apparatus includes a control unit that determines whether the side regulating plates have been set to a moved state within a predetermined time after detecting a sheet, and if not, it drives the sheet feeding portion at a first timing; if the plates are adjusted, the feeding occurs at a later second timing, ensuring the plates are properly set before feeding.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the sheet is fed immediately when a sheet is detected on the manual feed tray, then the productivity is improved, but the sheet may be skewed during feeding because the side regulating plates have not been adjusted by the user
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit delays the sheet feeding action until a predetermined period has elapsed after sheet detection, allowing the user time to adjust the side regulating plates beforehand. This preliminary waiting period ensures the sheets are properly positioned before the feeding process begins, preventing skewing while maintaining efficient operation.
2Productivity
If the image forming job is automatically resumed after interruption, then the productivity is improved, but the sheet may be fed while the user is still adjusting the side regulating plates, leading to printing failure
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit continuously monitors the state of the side regulating plates during the predetermined period after sheet detection. By detecting whether the plates have been moved, the system provides feedback on whether the user has completed the adjustment, and only proceeds with sheet feeding when the adjustment is complete, ensuring reliable printing operation.
3Manufacturing precision
If the side regulating plates are moved to adjust sheet positions, then the sheet positioning accuracy is improved, but the time required before sheet feeding increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies a predetermined time delay that is longer than the minimum necessary for adjustment, ensuring that users have sufficient time to properly position the side regulating plates. This excessive waiting period prioritizes positioning accuracy over minimal delay, preventing sheet skewing while maintaining reasonable operational efficiency.
Data Source
AI summary
An image forming apparatus includes a sheet supporting portion, a regulating portion, a feeding portion, an image forming unit, a sheet detection unit, and a control unit. The control unit is configured to execute, in a state where an image forming job in which an image is formed by the image forming unit is interrupted, a drive processing of the feeding portion such that (a) the feeding portion is driven at a first timing if the regulating portion is not set to a moved state within a predetermined period of time from when the sheet detection unit has detected the sheet, and (b) the feed portion is driven at a second timing later than the first timing if the regulating portion is set to the moved state within the predetermined period of time from when the sheet detection unit has detected the sheet.