Continuous Sheet Recording Apparatus Sorter Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing recording apparatuses fail to effectively handle and distinguish between cut sheets with determined and undetermined image recording states, leading to potential mixing of sheets with satisfactory and unsatisfactory prints during ejection failures.
Innovation Solution
A recording apparatus equipped with a conveying unit, recording processing unit, detection unit, cutter unit, discharge units, and a control unit that checks maintenance patterns on continuous sheets, cuts them into cut sheets, and selectively discharges sheets based on recording state, preventing mixing by directing undetermined image sheets to a separate discharge unit.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the recording apparatus checks maintenance patterns to detect ejection failures, then the recording quality can be maintained, but the apparatus cannot distinguish between cut sheets with determined and undetermined image recording states, leading to mixing of sheets with satisfactory and unsatisfactory prints
Solution Approach 1:
The discharge destination is segmented into multiple types (first discharge destination for sheets with determined recording states and second discharge destination for sheets with undetermined recording states). The control unit segments the sheet handling process by determining the recording state of each cut sheet and directing it to the appropriate discharge destination, thereby preventing mixing of satisfactory and unsatisfactory prints while maintaining the continuous sheet feeding system.
2Productivity
If the apparatus continues feeding continuous sheets after detecting a conveyance failure, then productivity is maintained, but sheets with undetermined recording states may be discharged mixing with sheets with determined states
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit performs preliminary determination of the recording state for each cut sheet before discharge by checking maintenance patterns. When a conveyance failure is detected, the system has already determined the recording state of sheets fed before the failure, allowing them to be discharged to the first discharge destination with determined states, while subsequent sheets are discharged to the second destination with undetermined states, maintaining both productivity and discharge accuracy.
3Device complexity
If all cut sheets are discharged to the same discharge unit, then the discharge process is simple, but sheets with satisfactory and unsatisfactory prints are mixed together
Solution Approach 1:
The discharge unit is segmented into multiple discharge destinations (first discharge destination and second discharge destination). The control unit segments the discharge process by directing sheets with determined recording states to the first destination and sheets with undetermined recording states to the second destination, thereby separating satisfactory and unsatisfactory prints while maintaining a relatively simple discharge process structure.
Data Source
AI summary
A recording apparatus includes a conveying unit, recording processing unit, recording detection unit provided downstream of the recording processing unit to check plural maintenance patterns recorded on a continuous sheet, cutter unit, plural discharge units to selectively receive cut sheets, discharge unit changeover unit to select one discharge unit to receive a cut sheet, conveyance failure detection unit, and control unit. The control unit controls the discharge unit changeover unit such that, when a continuous sheet conveyance failure is detected upstream of a position where the cutter is, and a maintenance pattern previously checked is present downstream of the cutter when the conveyance failure is detected, a present sheet unit between the maintenance pattern and the cutter position is discharged to a second discharge unit. The second discharge unit is different from a first discharge unit used for a sheet unit other than the present sheet unit.