Sheet Bundle Discharge Control for Crimp Binding Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing sheet processing apparatuses face issues where sheets constituting one bundle exceed the maximum number that can be crimp-bound, leading to sheets being discharged to multiple positions, causing misalignment and usability problems.
Innovation Solution
A sheet processing apparatus with a conveying unit, placing part, non-stapling unit, bundle shift unit, discharge unit, number-of-sheets recognizing unit, and controller that controls the bundle shift and discharge units to prevent sheets from being discharged to different positions by recognizing when the sheet bundle exceeds the maximum number that can be crimp-bound and adjusting the discharge accordingly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If the maximum number of sheets that can be crimp-bound is increased, then the binding capacity is improved, but sheets constituting one bundle are discharged to multiple positions causing misalignment
Solution Approach 1:
The sheet bundle is divided into multiple sub-bundles, each containing a number of sheets that does not exceed the crimp-binding unit's capacity. The bundle shift unit performs multiple bundle shift operations to position different sub-bundles at the crimp-binding discharge position sequentially, ensuring that sheets constituting one original bundle are not discharged to multiple different positions.
Solution Approach 2:
The controller predicts in advance whether the number of sheets in a bundle exceeds the maximum number that can be crimp-bound. Based on this prediction, the controller determines the bundle shift operation strategy before the actual crimp-binding process, ensuring proper alignment and discharge position control from the outset.
2Productivity
If bundle shift is performed multiple times for one sheet bundle, then the binding capacity is improved, but sheets are discharged to different positions causing misalignment
Solution Approach 1:
The number-of-sheets recognizing unit detects the actual number of sheets in each bundle, and this information is fed back to the controller. The controller uses this feedback to adjust the bundle shift operation strategy, determining whether to perform bundle shift operations and how many times, thereby preventing sheets from being discharged to multiple different positions while maintaining proper alignment.
3Quantity of substance
If sheets are shifted as a bundle multiple times, then more sheets can be processed, but succeeding sheets cannot be shifted as a bundle causing discharge to different positions
Solution Approach 1:
The controller predicts in advance whether the number of sheets exceeds the maximum number that can be shifted as a bundle. Based on this prediction, the controller determines the bundle shift operation strategy before processing begins, ensuring that succeeding sheets are properly shifted as a bundle to the crimp-binding discharge position, preventing discharge to different positions.
Data Source
AI summary
At the point in time when it is determined that the number of sheets constituting one sheet bundle exceeds the maximum number of sheets that can be crimp-bound, a sheet bundle that has already been shifted to a crimp-binding position is discharged to a crimp-binding discharge position without being subjected to crimp-binding. Thereafter, succeeding sheets are shifted as a bundle to the crimp-binding position and discharged to the crimp-binding discharge position without being subjected to crimp-binding.