Roller Protrusion Separates Medium from Transport Load
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing medium transport systems in recording apparatuses face issues with adverse effects due to the transport load produced by rollers, which can affect the stability and orientation of the medium during transport.
Innovation Solution
A medium transport apparatus is designed with a first roller applying feeding force, a second roller on the upstream side, and a third roller that can switch between nipping and releasing positions, along with protruding members on the second roller to prevent medium contact, reducing transport load and ensuring stable medium orientation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the second roller is used to apply feeding force to the medium, then the medium transport capability is improved, but the transport load adversely affects the medium transport operation by the first roller
Solution Approach 1:
The protruding member is extracted from the outer circumferential surface of the second roller to create a separation mechanism. This extraction allows the second roller to apply feeding force while the protruding member prevents adverse contact, effectively separating the useful feeding function from the harmful transport load effect.
Solution Approach 2:
The protruding member acts as an intermediary element between the second roller and the medium. It mediates the interaction by allowing the second roller to approach and apply force while preventing direct contact that would create adverse transport load, thus enabling controlled interaction.
2Force
If the medium remains in contact with the second roller after nipping, then the feeding force is maintained, but the orientation stability of the medium deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The protruding member provides dynamic separation - the second roller can dynamically approach the medium to apply feeding force, then the protruding member dynamically prevents continued contact. This dynamic interaction maintains feeding force when needed while preventing orientation instability when the medium should be free.
3Ease of operation
If the third roller nips the medium with the second roller, then the medium transport control is improved, but the transport load is produced affecting subsequent transport
Solution Approach 1:
The protruding member extracts the harmful transport load generation from the nipping operation. While the third roller and second roller nip the medium for control, the protruding member ensures that the second roller does not continue to contact and generate adverse transport load during subsequent transport by the first roller.
Data Source
AI summary
A medium transport apparatus includes a first roller configured to apply feeding force to a medium in a medium transport path for transporting the medium, a second roller disposed on an upstream side of the first roller in a medium transport direction in the medium transport path, the second roller being configured to apply feeding force to the medium, a third roller configured to be switched between a first position at which the medium is to be nipped with the second roller and a second position at which the nipping of the medium is to be released, a switching section configured to switch a position of the third roller, and at least one protruding member protruding from an outer circumferential surface of the second roller, the protruding member being configured to separate the medium from the outer circumferential surface of the second roller in the medium transport path.