Movable Feed Tray Vibration for Sheet Conveyance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional image reading apparatuses face challenges in smoothly conveying various types of sheets, such as thinner or more pliable sheets, due to collisions with irregularities in the conveyance guide, leading to inadequate sheet conveyance.
Innovation Solution
An image reading apparatus with a movable feed tray and a vibrating mechanism, where the feed roller and separator are controlled by a controller to maintain the positional relation with the sheets and conduct a vibrating action to prevent leading edges from colliding with guide irregularities, ensuring smooth conveyance of diverse sheet types.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a fixed conveyance guide is used, then the structure is simple, but thinner or more pliable sheets collide with guide irregularities and cannot be conveyed smoothly
Solution Approach 1:
The feed tray is made movable in the vertical direction to dynamically adjust its position according to the amount of sheets supported, enabling the system to adapt to different sheet types and quantities while maintaining simple structural components
Solution Approach 2:
The leading edge of each sheet is preliminarily vibrated in the vertical direction before entering the conveyance guide, preventing collision with guide irregularities and ensuring smooth conveyance of various sheet types
2Reliability
If sheets are fed without vibration, then the feeding process is simple, but leading edges collide with conveyance guide irregularities
Solution Approach 1:
A vibration mechanism is applied to the feed tray to vibrate the leading edge of each sheet in the vertical direction before conveyance, preventing collision with guide irregularities and significantly improving sheet conveyance reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The feed tray performs periodic vibrating actions at controlled intervals during the feeding process, ensuring each sheet leading edge is properly prepared for conveyance without continuous complex control
3Adaptability or versatility
If the feed tray is fixed at one position, then the structure is simple, but it cannot adapt to different sheet amounts and types
Solution Approach 1:
The feed tray is designed as a movable component that can adjust its vertical position according to the amount of sheets supported, providing adaptability to different sheet quantities and types while maintaining a relatively simple structural design
Solution Approach 2:
The movable feed tray serves multiple functions: it adapts to different sheet amounts by position adjustment, provides vibration for sheet preparation, and ensures proper positioning for various sheet types, consolidating multiple adaptive functions in one component
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 apparatus effectively conveys a variety of sheet types along the conveyance guide without catching or colliding with guide irregularities, enhancing the reliability and versatility of sheet handling.
Implementation Method 1
the controller conducts a vibrating action, in which the movable plate located at the feedable position is moved to ascend and descend for a plurality of times
Data Source
AI summary
An image reading apparatus, including a feed tray, a conveyance guide, a feed roller, a separator, a reading sensor, and a controller, is provided. The feed tray supports sheets for being fed and has a movable plate movable between a standby position and a feedable position. The feed roller is movable and feeds the sheets to be conveyed along the conveyance guide. A positional relation between the feed roller and an uppermost sheet in the sheets is maintained within a predetermined range by the movable plate located at the feedable position. The controller controls at least rotating-and-stopping movements of the feed roller and the separator and ascending-and-descending movements of the movable plate. While the feed roller feeds the sheets, the controller conducts a vibrating action, in which the movable plate located at the feedable position is moved to ascend and descend for a plurality of times.