Separation Roller Periodic Rotation Prevents Deformation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing medium feeding devices in scanners face issues with distortion and multi-feeding due to continuous force application on elastic separation rollers, which can lead to operational inefficiencies and potential damage during state transitions.
Innovation Solution
A medium feeding device with a separation roller that is rotationally driven in both forward and reverse directions, featuring a cam member and one-way clutch mechanism to switch between feeding states, ensuring the feeding roller is passively rotatable and reducing distortion by matching motor rotation directions for state changes, and incorporating a detector for reliable state detection and initialization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the separation roller is continuously driven by a motor in the active retard system, then multi-feeding is prevented, but the separation roller becomes elastically deformed when the feeding roller is stopped
Solution Approach 1:
The motor drives the separation roller periodically - rotating it in the reverse direction during medium feeding to prevent multi-feeding, and rotating it in the forward direction during state transitions to prevent elastic deformation. This periodic switching of rotation directions resolves the contradiction between preventing multi-feeding and avoiding roller deformation.
2Ease of operation
If the separation roller is formed of elastic material to improve separation performance, then separation effectiveness is enhanced, but the roller is more susceptible to elastic deformation under continuous driving force
Solution Approach 1:
The periodic forward rotation of the elastic separation roller during state transitions allows the material to recover from elastic deformation while maintaining its elastic properties for effective medium separation during reverse rotation phases.
Solution Approach 2:
The rotation direction parameter is changed periodically - from reverse rotation during feeding (utilizing elasticity for separation) to forward rotation during transitions (allowing elastic recovery), thus optimizing both separation effectiveness and preventing deformation accumulation.
3Use of energy by moving object
If the feeding roller is stopped to save energy, then energy consumption is reduced, but the separation roller becomes elastically deformed due to continuous driving
Solution Approach 1:
The system stops the feeding roller to save energy, and simultaneously rotates the separation roller in the forward direction during these stop periods. This periodic coordination ensures that energy-saving stops do not cause deformation, as the separation roller actively rotates forward to maintain its shape.
4Ease of operation
If a restriction section is added to control medium movement, then feeding control is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The separation roller itself serves as the restriction section during forward rotation, using its own movement to control medium flow and prevent multi-feeding, eliminating the need for separate mechanical restriction components and reducing overall device complexity.
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
The solution effectively reduces distortion and prevents multi-feeding by ensuring proper state transitions and reliable operation, enhancing the feeding mechanism's efficiency and reliability, even in cases of power failures.
Implementation Method 1
a cam member configured to switch between the first state and the second state of the medium feeding mechanism by power of the motor
Implementation Method 2
The separation roller may be formed of an elastic material such as rubber as an example. When the separation roller of the active retard system is formed of an elastic material, the separation roller to which the driving force is continuously applied may be elastically deformed when the feeding roller is stopped.
Data Source
AI summary
A medium feeding device includes a medium feeding mechanism switching between a first state in which the medium is fed from the feeding tray and a second state in which the medium is not fed from the feeding tray, a feeding roller rotationally driven in a forward rotation direction, and a separation roller that is rotationally driven in the reverse rotation direction when the feeding roller is rotationally driven in the forward rotation direction, wherein when the separation roller is rotationally driven in the forward rotation direction, the feeding roller is configured to be passively rotatable with respect to the separation roller, and wherein a rotation direction of the first motor when the cam member switches the medium feeding mechanism from the first state to the second state is the same as a rotation direction of the first motor when the separation roller rotates in the forward rotation direction.