Rotatable Parallel Flat Plate for Adjustable Paper Floating Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing paper floating detection systems in inkjet recording apparatuses face challenges in accurately adjusting detection height and maintaining stable detection due to limitations in fine adjustment and positional displacement of light emission and reception units, leading to potential recording quality issues and apparatus size increases.
Innovation Solution
A paper floating detection apparatus with rotatable parallel flat plates for light emission and reception, allowing the detection beam's height to be adjusted through refraction, enabling precise and stable detection by rotating the plates to alter the beam's emission position, and incorporating apertures to account for positional discrepancies and reduce reflected light effects.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the inkjet head is raised and lowered to change detection height, then the floating detection height can be changed, but fine adjustment becomes difficult and the apparatus complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical raising and lowering of the inkjet head with an optical system using a light-emitting unit, light-receiving unit, and parallel flat plate. By rotating the parallel flat plate to change the light beam's emission position, the detection height is adjusted without mechanical movement of the inkjet head, achieving fine adjustment with simpler mechanics.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the emission position of the light beam by rotating the parallel flat plate, which alters the detection height. This parameter change approach allows continuous adjustment of detection height without complex mechanical structures, as the rotation angle of the plate directly controls the beam position.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the inkjet head is twisted, then the light emitting unit and light reception unit experience positional displacement, but detection accuracy falls
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a parallel flat plate as an intermediary element between the light-emitting unit and the detection target. This plate can be rotated to adjust the light beam's emission position, allowing the system to compensate for positional displacements caused by inkjet head twisting while maintaining detection accuracy through optical path adjustment rather than mechanical realignment.
3Ease of repair
If the inkjet head is moved to maintenance unit periodically, then maintenance is performed, but discrepancy in detection height occurs and stable detection cannot be carried out
Solution Approach 1:
The patent separates the light-emitting unit and light-receiving unit into independent components that can be adjusted individually. The parallel flat plate rotation mechanism allows the light emission position to be independently adjusted without moving the inkjet head, so maintenance operations on the inkjet head do not affect the detection system's alignment or detection height stability.
4Ease of operation
If light emitting unit and light reception unit are provided below the inkjet head, then detection is performed, but withdrawal amount must be large and apparatus becomes large in size
Solution Approach 1:
The patent positions the light-emitting unit and light-receiving unit in a horizontal arrangement rather than vertically below the inkjet head. The light beam travels horizontally through the parallel flat plate to detect paper floating, changing the spatial dimension of the detection system. This reduces the vertical withdrawal distance required and compactes the apparatus structure.
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
Enables high-accuracy and stable detection of paper floating with adjustable detection height, preventing recording quality degradation and apparatus size increases, while maintaining robustness and accuracy over time.
Implementation Method 1
a light emission parallel flat plate which is disposed in front of the light emission unit in such a manner that the detection beam emitted from the light emission unit passes through the light emission parallel flat plate, and which is provided rotatably about an axis parallel to the conveyance surface and perpendicular to the detection beam in such a manner that the height of the detection beam emitted from the light emission parallel flat plate after passing inside the light emission parallel flat plate varies according to rotation of the light emission parallel flat plate
Data Source
AI summary
A paper floating detection apparatus which detects floating of paper conveyed along a prescribed conveyance path on a prescribed conveyance surface, includes: a paper floating detection device which includes a light emission unit and a light reception unit disposed so as to be mutually opposing across the conveyance path, and detects whether the paper floats or not according to whether a detection beam emitted parallel to the conveyance surface from the light emission unit toward the light reception unit in a position at a prescribed height from the conveyance surface is received by the light reception unit or not; a light emission parallel flat plate which is disposed in front of the light emission unit in such a manner that the detection beam emitted from the light emission unit passes through the light emission parallel flat plate, and which is provided rotatably about an axis parallel to the conveyance surface and perpendicular to the detection beam in such a manner that the height of the detection beam emitted from the light emission parallel flat plate after passing inside the light emission parallel flat plate varies according to rotation of the light emission parallel flat plate; and a light emission parallel flat plate rotation driving device which drives the rotation of the light emission parallel flat plate.