Scanner Tray Reverse Feeding for Document Error Correction
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Scanners face document feed errors such as double-feed errors and alignment issues, leading to incomplete scanning and potential document damage during the scanning process, particularly when handling multiple documents.
Innovation Solution
The scanner incorporates a tray that can ascend and descend between two positions, a document feed error detection sensor, and a processor that controls the document feeding process to perform reverse and re-feeding operations. This system detects errors, reverses the document feeding direction, and re-feeds the document to prevent damage and ensure complete scanning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the scanner feeds documents continuously through the document feeding path, then scanning productivity is improved, but document feed errors such as double-feed and misalignment occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where a sensor detects document feed errors (double-feed, misalignment) during continuous scanning operation. When an error is detected, the system automatically triggers a reverse feeding operation to correct the error, then resumes normal feeding. This closed-loop feedback system maintains high productivity while ensuring document feed accuracy through real-time monitoring and automatic correction.
Solution Approach 2:
The scanner performs self-correction of document feed errors through automatic reverse feeding operation. When the sensor detects an error, the system autonomously reverses the feeding direction to realign or eject the erroneous document, then continues scanning without requiring manual intervention. This self-service capability maintains continuous operation while correcting errors automatically.
2Manufacturing precision
If the scanner performs strict document alignment and error detection, then document feed accuracy is improved, but scanning time increases due to error correction operations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements error detection and correction only when necessary, rather than performing exhaustive alignment checks on every document. The sensor monitors for specific error conditions (double-feed, misalignment) and triggers reverse feeding only when errors are detected. This selective approach maintains high alignment accuracy while minimizing time loss by skipping unnecessary correction operations for correctly fed documents.
3Productivity
If the scanner maintains continuous document feeding operation, then scanning efficiency is improved, but document damage risk increases due to repeated feeding and reversing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the potentially harmful reverse feeding operation into a beneficial error correction mechanism. Instead of allowing documents to be damaged by continuous forced feeding through the entire path, the system uses controlled reverse feeding to eject or realign erroneous documents at the point of error detection. This transforms what could be a damaging repeated feeding cycle into a targeted correction that protects documents from excessive handling while maintaining scanning efficiency.
Data Source
AI summary
An example scanner includes a tray, a document feeding member, a document feed error detection sensor, a reading member, and a processor. The processor, in a case where a document feed error is detected by the document feed error detection sensor, is to move the tray between a first position to feed a document, and a second position deviated from the first position, and control the document feeding member to perform a reverse feeding operation of feeding an erroneous document toward the tray. Based on performing the reverse feeding operation, the processor is to move the tray between the second position and the first position and control the document feeding member to perform a re-feeding operation of feeding the erroneous document to the reading member.