Paper Feed Tray Fault Detection Using Tray-State Sensing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing image forming apparatuses face lift-up errors due to both paper storage failures and lifting mechanism failures, with conventional error handling systems unable to differentiate between the two, leading to inadequate resolution of paper feed tray issues.
Innovation Solution
An image forming apparatus equipped with a paper feeder, image forming device, and a controller that determines the cause of lift-up errors by detecting the open or closed state of the paper feed tray, executing appropriate error handling processing based on whether the error is due to paper storage failure or lifting mechanism failure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If the paper feed tray is closed to store paper, then the paper storage capacity is improved, but the detection of paper feed errors becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The opening and closing detector detects the state of the paper feed tray before the lifting operation begins. By preliminarily determining whether the tray is open or closed, the system can prepare appropriate error handling procedures in advance, avoiding the need to detect errors during the complex lifting process itself.
Solution Approach 2:
The opening and closing detector acts as an intermediary device that provides information about the paper feed tray state to the controller. This intermediary detection mechanism simplifies the overall error detection system by focusing on a specific, easily detectable state (open/closed) rather than attempting to monitor all possible paper feed conditions.
2Productivity
If the lifting mechanism operates continuously to ensure paper is lifted, then the productivity is improved, but the reliability of error detection decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs error detection before the lifting operation by checking the open/closed state of the paper feed tray. This preliminary detection allows the system to identify potential issues before they affect paper feeding, maintaining both high productivity and reliable error detection.
Solution Approach 2:
The opening and closing detector provides feedback to the controller about the paper feed tray state. This feedback mechanism enables the controller to adjust its behavior accordingly, ensuring that lifting operations only proceed when the tray is in the correct state, thereby maintaining reliability without reducing productivity.
Data Source
AI summary
In an image forming apparatus, a paper feeder includes: an openable and closable paper feed tray that stores a paper; and an opening and closing detector that detects an open or closed state of a paper feed tray, when determining that abnormality occurs to the paper feed tray that is currently feeding the paper for an image forming device to form an image, an controller determines that the abnormality is caused by failure of the paper feed tray, and executes predetermined first abnormality processing, and when determining that the abnormality occurs to the paper feed tray at the time when the opening and closing detector detects that the paper feed tray is brought into a closed state from an open state, the controller determines that the abnormality is caused by storage failure of the paper stored in the paper feed tray, and executes predetermined second abnormality processing.