Removable Stiffness Imparting Unit for Sheet Discharge
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Solution Overview
Problem
Image forming apparatuses, such as scanners and printers, face issues with discharging sheets of relatively small stiffness, which can cause them to hang down and not stack orderly on the discharge tray, and there is a risk of jamming or damage when a sheet processing device is mounted with the stiffness imparting unit still assembled.
Innovation Solution
A sheet discharging apparatus with a removable stiffness imparting unit that bends sheets in the width direction to increase stiffness, featuring a pressing portion and a projecting portion to prevent front-end hanging and facilitate orderly stacking, and is detachable to prevent interference with sheet processing devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If a stiffness imparting unit is used to bend sheets in the width direction to increase stiffness, then sheets with small stiffness can be discharged orderly without hanging down, but the sheet processing device cannot be mounted on the sheet discharge tray due to interference
Solution Approach 1:
The stiffness imparting unit is designed as a removable module that can be detached from the sheet discharging apparatus. This segmentation allows the system to switch between two operational modes: with the stiffness imparting unit attached for handling weak sheets, and without it for mounting sheet processing devices, thus resolving the contradiction between maintaining sheet stacking orderliness and enabling device adaptability
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from a static configuration to a dynamic one where the stiffness imparting unit can be attached or detached based on operational requirements. This dynamic reconfiguration enables the system to adapt its structure to different operational needs, allowing both sheet stacking orderliness and device mounting capability to be achieved at different times
2Reliability
If the stiffness imparting unit remains assembled in the sheet discharging apparatus, then sheets are discharged with increased stiffness, but sheet processing devices cannot be mounted and may cause jamming or damage
Solution Approach 1:
The stiffness imparting unit is extracted from the permanent structure and made removable. This extraction eliminates the harmful interference it causes to sheet processing device mounting while preserving its beneficial effect on sheet discharge reliability when needed. The unit can be taken out before mounting sheet processing devices to prevent jamming and damage
3Adaptability or versatility
If a removable stiffness imparting unit is provided, then sheet processing devices can be mounted by removing the stiffness imparting unit, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sheet discharging apparatus is designed with multi-functionality, serving both sheet discharge operations (with stiffness imparting unit) and sheet processing device mounting operations (without stiffness imparting unit). This universal design justifies the increased complexity by enabling the system to perform multiple functions that a single fixed configuration could not achieve
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 solution ensures orderly stacking of sheets and prevents jamming or damage by increasing sheet stiffness and allowing for safe mounting of sheet processing devices without the stiffness imparting unit, enhancing the efficiency and quality of the sheet discharging process.
Implementation Method 1
a pressing portion pressing the sheet to bend the sheet in a width direction intersecting with a sheet discharging direction
Data Source
AI summary
A sheet discharging apparatus includes an apparatus body, a discharge unit discharging a sheet out of the apparatus body, and a sheet stacking portion including a stacking surface on which the sheet discharged by the discharge unit is stacked. A sheet processing device processing the sheet discharged by the discharge unit can be mounted on the sheet stacking portion. The sheet discharging apparatus further includes a stiffness imparting unit removably attached to the apparatus body and imparting stiffness to the sheet discharged by the discharge unit. The stiffness imparting unit includes a pressing portion pressing and deflecting the sheet in a width direction intersecting with a sheet discharging direction and a projecting portion projecting from the apparatus body above the stacking surface such that at least a part of the projecting portion overlaps with the stacking surface in a plan view.