Pivoting Guide Mechanism for Sheet Jam Recovery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sheet conveying devices in image forming apparatuses face challenges in achieving accurate positioning and improved jam recovery performance, especially with complex structures and interference during duplex printing, which can lead to sheet jams and conveyance issues due to sharp curvature and stiffness of sheets.
Innovation Solution
A sheet conveying device with a structure that includes a device body, an opening/closing member, and pivoting guide members supported on a common axis between fixed and opening/closing members, allowing the guide members to pivot and expand sheet conveying paths, reducing curvature and facilitating smooth sheet passage and jam recovery without a movable guide member.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If guide members are fixed rigidly to maintain positioning accuracy, then positioning precision is improved, but jam recovery performance deteriorates due to inability to open conveying paths
Solution Approach 1:
The guide member is designed with a pivotable support mechanism that allows it to rotate between a first position (for accurate positioning during conveyance) and a second position (for opening conveying paths during jam recovery). This dynamic capability enables the guide member to adapt its state based on operational requirements, resolving the contradiction between fixed positioning accuracy and flexible jam recovery access.
2Reliability
If a movable guide member is added to correct sheet skew, then sheet conveyance smoothness is improved, but device complexity increases and jam recovery is hindered
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple functions into a single pivotable guide member: it serves as both a positioning guide and a skew correction mechanism. The guide member's pivotable nature allows it to naturally correct sheet skew through its movement while maintaining structural simplicity. This eliminates the need for separate movable guide members, reducing device complexity while preventing interference with jam recovery operations.
3Volume of moving object
If guide members are positioned closely to maintain compact structure, then device size is reduced, but positioning accuracy deteriorates due to limited adjustment space
Solution Approach 1:
The pivotable support mechanism enables the guide member to achieve accurate positioning through rotational movement rather than requiring large linear adjustment spaces. This dynamic positioning approach allows the guide member to be positioned precisely even in a compact configuration, maintaining both small device size and high positioning accuracy.
Data Source
AI summary
A sheet conveying device includes a third pivoting guide member located between a first pivoting guide member on a side of fixed guide members and a second pivoting guide member on a side of an opening/closing member. In a state in which an upstream conveying path and a re-conveying path are formed, the first pivoting guide member pivots toward the third pivoting guide member to expand the upstream conveying path when pushed by a sheet conveyed from the upstream conveying path, and the third pivoting guide member pivots toward the first pivoting guide member to expand the re-conveying path when pushed by a sheet conveyed from the re-conveying path.