Printer Jam Release Controller Prevents Sheet Drop

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Solution Overview

Problem

In printing apparatuses, when a sheet jam occurs, sheets can fall to a place without a mechanism for retrieval, requiring extra work to remove them, as the existing mechanisms do not adequately prevent sheets from being nipped by conveyance rollers during jam release operations.

Innovation Solution

The printing apparatus includes a controller that manages sheet conveyance to prevent sheets from being nipped by specific rollers before jam release, ensuring sheets fall to a retrievable location, and provides user notifications to remove non-jamming sheets, thereby reducing the likelihood of sheets falling without a retrieval mechanism.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the door is opened to release the nip of conveyance rollers for jam release work, then the sheet can be removed, but the sheet may fall to a place without a mechanism for taking out the sheet

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvejam release workVSAvoidsheet falling to unretrievable location

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The controller performs preliminary action by stopping the conveyance of subsequent sheets before the door is opened for jam release. This prevents sheets from being positioned in locations where they would fall to unretrievable places when the door opens, thereby eliminating the harmful effect while maintaining ease of operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The controller acts as an intermediary between the door opening operation and the sheet conveyance system. It coordinates the stopping of sheet conveyance with the door opening timing, ensuring that sheets are not in vulnerable positions when the door opens, thus preventing sheets from falling to unretrievable locations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If sheet conveyance is stopped upon jam occurrence, then the jamming sheet can be removed, but subsequent sheets may be nipped only by the first pair of conveyance rollers and fall when the door opens

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvejam handlingVSAvoidsubsequent sheet falling

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The controller performs preliminary action by preemptively stopping the conveyance of subsequent sheets when a jam is detected. This ensures that no sheets are positioned between the first pair of conveyance rollers when the door opens later for jam release, preventing the harmful effect of sheets falling to unretrievable locations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The controller applies preliminary anti-action by preventing subsequent sheets from being nipped by the first pair of conveyance rollers before the door opens. This counteracts the potential harmful effect in advance by ensuring sheets are not in positions where they would fall when the door opens, while still allowing reliable jam handling.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

3Productivity

If the first pair of conveyance rollers continues to nip sheets during jam release, then sheet conveyance is maintained, but sheets may fall to unretrievable locations when the door opens

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesheet conveyance continuityVSAvoidsheet falling to unretrievable location

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The controller applies preliminary anti-action by stopping the conveyance of subsequent sheets before the door opens for jam release. This prevents sheets from being nipped by the first pair of conveyance rollers in positions where they would fall to unretrievable locations, eliminating the harmful effect while temporarily suspending productivity only when necessary.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

Solution Approach 2:

The controller performs preliminary action by preemptively stopping sheet conveyance when a jam is detected or when the door is about to open. This ensures sheets are not in vulnerable positions, preventing them from falling to unretrievable locations, and allows productivity to resume immediately after jam release.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS11001469B2Printing apparatus with jam release mechanism

Publication Date: 2021.05.11 RISO KAGAKU CORP

AI summary

A printing apparatus includes: a conveyor including a first pair of conveyance rollers and a second pair of conveyance rollers each configured to nip and convey a sheet; a first jam releaser configured to separate rollers of the first pair of conveyance rollers from each other; a second jam releaser configured to separate rollers of the second pair of conveyance rollers from each other; and a controller configured to control the conveyor. In stopping sheet conveyance by the conveyor upon occurrence of a failure, the controller controls the conveyor to prevent a sheet from being nipped only by the first pair of conveyance rollers prior to separation of the rollers of the first pair of conveyance rollers from each other by the first jam releaser.