Sheet Conveyance Apparatus Alignment Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
In image forming apparatuses, manual sheet feeding can lead to slipping or skewing due to misalignment of the conveyance guide portion with respect to the apparatus body, causing depressurization between rollers and affecting sheet conveyance.
Innovation Solution
A sheet conveyance apparatus with a conveyance guide portion that is moved to a mounted position through an engagement mechanism when the sheet stacking portion is inserted, ensuring proper alignment and stabilization of the conveyance guide portion using interlocking projections and biasing springs, and a sheet presence detecting portion with an evacuation mechanism to prevent damage during jam handling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the conveyance guide portion is made removable for easy handling of jammed sheets, then ease of operation is improved, but positioning accuracy deteriorates causing sheet slipping or skewing
Solution Approach 1:
The engagement portion is designed to automatically move the conveyance guide portion to the correct mounted position during the insertion process of the sheet stacking portion, before any sheet feeding operation begins. This preliminary positioning action ensures accuracy is achieved automatically without requiring manual adjustment.
Solution Approach 2:
The engagement portion utilizes the insertion motion itself to drive the conveyance guide portion into the correct position through the engagement mechanism, making the system self-positioning. The act of inserting the sheet stacking portion automatically performs the positioning function.
2Ease of operation
If the conveyance guide portion is displaced from the correct position, then ease of operation is improved (removable design), but sheet conveyance reliability deteriorates due to depressurization between rollers
Solution Approach 1:
The engagement portion performs the positioning action during insertion, before sheet feeding begins. This ensures that the conveyance guide portion is correctly positioned and the rollers are properly engaged before any sheet is fed, preventing depressurization and slipping issues during operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The engagement mechanism provides automatic feedback during insertion, where the engagement portion detects and responds to the insertion motion by driving the conveyance guide portion to the correct position, ensuring proper roller engagement and preventing conveyance 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
The solution effectively prevents slipping and skewing of sheets during manual feeding by ensuring the conveyance guide portion is correctly positioned, enhancing the reliability and accuracy of sheet conveyance while reducing the risk of damage to components during jam handling.
Implementation Method 1
an engaged portion that is pressed by the engagement portion accompanying an operation where the sheet stacking portion is inserted to the apparatus body, and moves the conveyance guide portion to the mounted position
Data Source
AI summary
A sheet conveyance apparatus includes an apparatus body, a sheet stacking portion including an engagement portion, provided to be insertable to/removable from the apparatus body and capable of having sheets stacked thereon, and a conveyance guide portion provided to be insertable to/removable from the apparatus body and constituting a sheet conveyance path through which a sheet passes in a state where the conveyance guide portion is mounted to a mounted position in the apparatus body. The conveyance guide portion has an engaged portion that is pressed by the engagement portion accompanying an operation where the sheet stacking portion is inserted to the apparatus body, and moves the conveyance guide portion to the mounted position.