Separation Roller Alignment for Sheet Singling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing singling apparatus face challenges in reliably transporting and delivering sheets from the separation roller to the transport mechanism, especially after startup or restart, leading to potential sheet tearing or crumbling due to mismatched speeds and alignment issues.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a position control device with an alignment indication on the separation roller to determine its angular position and ensure proper alignment, allowing the roller to rotate at the correct speed and direction to prevent sheet damage, which includes a rotatable position control roller and a detection unit to assess the alignment indication.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the separation roller rotates against separation direction to align to start position, then the alignment is improved, but the sheet is pushed back to the stack and crumbled
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary alignment of the separation roller to the start position before initiating sheet separation. The alignment indication is detected in advance, and the roller is rotated to the correct position before contact with the sheet occurs, ensuring that when the sheet is pulled, the roller is already properly positioned and rotating in the correct direction, preventing the sheet from being pushed back and crumbled
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor detects the alignment indication on the separation roller and provides feedback to the control system. This feedback mechanism ensures that the roller is correctly positioned before sheet separation begins, and the control system adjusts the rotation direction and timing based on the detected alignment, preventing sheet damage caused by incorrect positioning or reverse rotation
2Productivity
If the separation roller rotates at high speed to reach minimum target speed, then the sheet separation efficiency is improved, but the sheet may tear or crumble due to speed mismatch
Solution Approach 1:
The separation roller is pre-positioned at the start position before sheet contact occurs. This preliminary positioning ensures that when the sheet is pulled onto the roller, the roller is already rotating at the correct speed and in the correct direction, avoiding sudden acceleration or deceleration that could cause sheet tearing or crumbling
Solution Approach 2:
The control system continuously monitors the alignment indication and provides feedback to maintain the correct rotational speed and direction. This feedback control ensures that the separation roller operates at the minimum target speed necessary for effective sheet separation while preventing speed mismatches that could damage the sheet
3Loss of time
If the separation roller is not aligned to start position at startup, then the device can start quickly, but the sheet transport and delivery may fail
Solution Approach 1:
During the startup sequence, the system performs preliminary detection of the alignment indication and automatically positions the separation roller to the start position before initiating sheet separation. This preliminary alignment action ensures that the roller is correctly positioned from the beginning of operation, eliminating the need for later adjustments and ensuring reliable sheet transport and delivery throughout operation
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor continuously monitors the alignment indication and provides feedback to the control system during startup and operation. This feedback enables the system to detect when the roller is misaligned and automatically correct the position, ensuring that the separation roller maintains proper alignment with the singling gap and transport mechanism, thereby preventing sheet delivery failures
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
Ensures reliable sheet separation and delivery without failure, reducing the need for user intervention and minimizing sheet damage during startup or restart, by accurately determining the start position and rotation direction of the separation roller.
Implementation Method 1
a detection unit to assess the alignment indication
Implementation Method 2
a separation roller comprising a frictional contact area to contact and transport the sheet to be separated to a transport mechanism
Implementation Method 3
the wheel may use a sectional contact area having perforations to exert suction force to the sheet to be separated
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2a~2b
Figure 3a~3c
AI summary
The present invention discloses a singling apparatus (1) and a system for singling sheet material. The singling apparatus (1) comprises a sheet store (3) for receiving a sheet stack (51) of sheets (31) to be singled. The sheet store (3) includes a singling gap (32). Said singling gap (32) is formed and arranged to deliver a sheet (31) out of the sheet store (3) to a transport mechanism. The singling apparatus (1) comprises further a singling device (2) comprising a rotating separation roller (21) wherein the separation roller (21) comprises partially on its rotational surface (23) a contact area (22) to periodically contact and transport the sheet (31) from the sheet store (3) to the transport mechanism. A position control device (4) of the singling apparatus (1) is coupled to the separation roller (21) and comprises an alignment indication (41) being in correlation with an angle position of the contact area (22) of the separation roller (21) and indicates the alignment of the contact area (22) to the singling gap (32) and/ or the sheet (31).