Sheet Conveying Alignment Control for Mixed-Size Continuous Feeding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sheet conveying devices in image forming apparatuses face challenges in accurately conveying sheets without reducing productivity, particularly when handling mixed sizes, as they struggle to correct positional deviations effectively.
Innovation Solution
A sheet conveying device equipped with sensors and a corrector that adjusts the position of sheets in rotational and width directions, coupled with circuitry to control conveyance speeds, ensuring precise alignment and continuous conveyance of sheets of varying lengths.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the conveyance roller pair moves in a direction opposite to the sheet conveyance direction to correct positional deviation, then the sheet can be conveyed with good accuracy, but the productivity may be decreased
Solution Approach 1:
The conveyance roller pair's movement direction is dynamically adjusted based on the detected positional deviation of the sheet. When the sheet is conveyed normally, the roller pair moves in the conveyance direction to maintain productivity. When positional deviation is detected, the roller pair reverses direction to correct the deviation, then returns to normal conveyance direction. This dynamic adjustment resolves the contradiction by applying correction only when and where needed, rather than continuously moving opposite to the conveyance direction.
2Productivity
If multiple sheets of different lengths are conveyed continuously, then productivity is maintained, but positional deviation correction becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
A sensor detects the position of each sheet (leading end, trailing end, and intermediate positions) and provides feedback to the controller. The controller uses this feedback to determine the actual conveyance status of each sheet and adjusts the conveyance roller pair's movement accordingly. This feedback mechanism enables accurate positional deviation correction for sheets of different lengths during continuous conveyance, as the system adapts its correction actions based on real-time position detection rather than relying on predetermined sheet dimensions.
Data Source
AI summary
A sheet conveying device includes a sensor, a corrector, and circuitry. The sensor detects a position of a first sheet and multiple second sheets. The corrector corrects the position of the sheet in at least one of a rotational direction or a width direction. The circuitry is to convey the multiple second sheets at a first conveyance speed, reduce the first conveyance speed of a preceding one of the multiple second sheets to a second conveyance speed until a space between the preceding one and a subsequent one of the multiple second sheets becomes a difference between a first length of the first sheet and a second length of the multiple second sheets, and cause the corrector to convey one of the multiple second sheets at the second conveyance speed within at least a part of time in which said one of the multiple second sheets is conveyed.