Medium Supply System Air Direction Control for Separation Accuracy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing medium supply systems face erroneous determinations when trying to separate stacked recording media due to changes in air supply direction, leading to unsuitable images for determining separation.
Innovation Solution
A medium supply system that includes a supply unit to float and separate recording media by changing air supply direction, an imaging unit to capture images, and a processor to determine separation using suitable images, along with a shutter and detection unit to adjust air flow direction and position, ensuring accurate separation determination.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If air supply direction is changed to float and separate recording media, then separation effectiveness is improved, but determination accuracy deteriorates due to erroneous images being captured
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by capturing images at specific air supply directions before making separation determination. The control unit captures images when the air supply direction is in a predetermined direction suitable for determination, rather than using all captured images from various directions. This preliminary selection of appropriate images prevents erroneous determinations while maintaining effective separation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies local quality by using different air supply directions for different purposes: one direction optimized for floating and separating recording media, and another predetermined direction optimized for capturing images suitable for separation determination. This localized optimization resolves the contradiction between separation effectiveness and determination accuracy.
2Ease of operation
If air is supplied from edge side to float recording media, then separation is achieved, but image quality for determination deteriorates when supply direction changes
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit performs preliminary action by capturing images at a predetermined air supply direction that is suitable for separation determination before making the determination. This ensures that high-quality images are captured at the appropriate moment, maintaining both ease of operation and measurement precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses periodic action by supplying air in different directions at different times: first in a direction suitable for floating and separating recording media, then in a predetermined direction suitable for capturing determination images. This periodic switching of air supply directions ensures both separation effectiveness and determination accuracy.
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 system effectively suppresses erroneous determinations by capturing images suitable for separation assessment, improving determination accuracy and simplifying control processes, while preventing overlap-feeding and image formation issues.
Implementation Method 1
a supply unit that supplies air to a plurality of stacked recording media while changing a supply direction from an edge side of the recording media to float and separate the recording media
Implementation Method 2
an imaging unit that captures images of the plurality of recording media to which the air is supplied by the supply unit from the edge side
Data Source
AI summary
A medium supply system includes: a supply unit that supplies air to a plurality of stacked recording media while changing a supply direction from an edge side of the recording media to float and separate the recording media; an imaging unit that captures images of the plurality of recording media to which the air is supplied by the supply unit from the edge side; and at least one processor, wherein the processor determines separation of the recording media using an image suitable for determining the separation of the recording media among the images captured by the imaging unit.