Roll Sheet Conveyance Apparatus End State Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing conveyance systems for roll sheets in image forming apparatuses face challenges in determining the state of the roll sheet's end portion without lowering throughput, often requiring motor rewind to assess separability, which disrupts printing operations and reduces productivity.
Innovation Solution
A conveyance apparatus equipped with a feeding unit, conveyance roller, first and second detection units, and a determination unit that compares the conveyance distance of the conveyance roller with the sheet drawn out from the roll sheet to determine the end portion's state without needing motor rewind, allowing continuous printing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the motor is driven in rewind direction to determine non-separable state, then the determination accuracy is improved, but the printing operation is suspended and productivity is lowered
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary detection of the roll sheet end portion state by comparing conveyance distances during normal printing operation, before any rewind action is taken. This allows determination of the non-separable state without needing to suspend printing for motor rewind, thus maintaining productivity while achieving accurate determination.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces the mechanical rewind-based detection method with a sensor-based detection system that uses detection units to monitor conveyance distances. This substitution eliminates the need for mechanical rewind action, allowing continuous printing operation while accurately determining the end portion state.
2Productivity
If the roll sheet is pulled by feeding unit and conveyance unit in non-separable state, then the printing operation continues, but the same place is repeatedly printed and quality deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously monitors the conveyance distance of the roll sheet using detection units and compares it with the expected conveyance distance. When a discrepancy is detected indicating non-separable state, the system provides feedback to stop printing, preventing repeated printing on the same location and ensuring print quality while allowing continuous operation in normal conditions.
Data Source
AI summary
A conveyance apparatus includes a feeding unit, on which a roll sheet is settable, configured to feed the roll sheet, a conveyance roller configured to convey a sheet fed from the feeding unit, a first detection unit configured to detect a conveyance distance of the sheet conveyed by the conveyance roller, a second detection unit configured to detect a conveyance distance of the sheet drawn out from the roll sheet set on the feeding unit, a driving unit configured to synchronously drive the feeding unit when the sheet is conveyed by the conveyance roller, and a determination unit configured to determine a state of an end portion of the roll sheet based on detection results by the first detection unit and the second detection unit.