Sheet Conveyance Drive Transmission Release Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sheet conveyance apparatuses face issues with sheet jamming, where the load from the driving source causes damage to sheets even when the conveyance roller pair is stopped, and existing drive transmission release mechanisms are difficult to operate, especially with helical gears or belt-driven systems.
Innovation Solution
A sheet conveyance apparatus with a drive transmission mechanism that includes a shaft, a first rotary member, a second rotary member, a drive transmission member, and a moving unit that allows for easy engagement and disengagement of the drive transmission between the members, enabling smooth release of the driving force without applying excessive load.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the conveyance roller pair is mechanically coupled with the driving source via the drive transmission mechanism, then the driving force is transmitted to rotate the conveyance roller pair, but the load from the driving source serves as rotational resistance when the sheet is pulled out, causing sheet damage or roller surface wear
Solution Approach 1:
The drive transmission mechanism is segmented into a driving gear, a driven gear, and a drive transmission release member. This segmentation allows the driving force transmission path to be divided into engaged and disengaged states, enabling the system to transmit driving force when needed and release it when sheet removal is required, thus preventing sheet damage and roller wear.
Solution Approach 2:
The drive transmission release member is made movable between a first position (engaged state) and a second position (disengaged state). This dynamic configuration allows the system to switch between transmitting and releasing driving force, enabling easy sheet removal without mechanical resistance from the driving source while maintaining reliable driving force transmission during normal operation.
2Ease of operation
If a drive transmission release member is used to slide the driving gear in the axial direction to release meshing with the driven gear, then the transmission of driving force can be released, but it is difficult to slide the driving gear due to helical gear configuration or belt-driven systems
Solution Approach 1:
A lever is introduced as an intermediary mechanism between the drive transmission release member and the driving gear. The lever converts the rotational movement of the drive transmission release member into axial sliding movement of the driving gear, making the release operation easier while accommodating helical gear and belt-driven configurations without increasing overall system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The drive transmission release member rotates about an axis that is different from the rotational axes of the driving and driven gears. This dimensional change allows the release mechanism to operate in a different plane, converting rotational motion into axial sliding motion of the driving gear, thereby simplifying the release operation while maintaining compatibility with various drive types.
Data Source
AI summary
A sheet conveyance apparatus includes a conveyance roller to convey a sheet, and a drive transmission mechanism to transmit a driving force from a driving source to the conveyance roller. The drive transmission mechanism includes a shaft, a first rotary member supported on the shaft, a second rotary member supported on the shaft and connected to the conveyance roller, and a coupling member engaged with the first rotary member and rotated integrally with the first rotary member. The coupling member is movable along the shaft between a coupling position, at which the coupling member engages with the second rotary member such that it rotates integrally with the first rotary member, and a release position, at which the coupling member is separated from the second rotary member such that a relative rotation of the second rotary member with respect to the first rotary member is permitted.