Sheet Conveyance Roller Speed Control for Noise Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional sheet conveyance apparatuses in image forming devices face issues with noise generation and potential damage to sheets when loops are eliminated due to differences in conveyance speeds, leading to collisions with guide plates, which complicates the apparatus design and reduces productivity.
Innovation Solution
A sheet conveyance apparatus with a first and second conveyance roller, where the second roller is configured to increase its speed in incremental steps from a lower to a higher speed after conveying a predetermined amount, allowing for controlled loop elimination with reduced acceleration, thereby minimizing noise and maintaining high productivity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the sheet conveyance speed is increased quickly to improve productivity, then the loop is eliminated faster, but the sheet collides with the guide plate generating noise
Solution Approach 1:
The conveyance speed is increased in multiple stages rather than instantly. The control unit increases the conveyance speed of the second conveyance roller in stages: first to a intermediate speed, then to a final higher speed. This periodic speed adjustment eliminates the loop while controlling the acceleration to prevent sheet collision and noise generation.
Solution Approach 2:
The conveyance speed is made dynamic and adjustable rather than fixed. The control unit dynamically changes the conveyance speed of the second conveyance roller based on the loop elimination requirement, allowing speed adaptation to balance productivity improvement with noise reduction.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the guide member is configured to freely swing to reduce noise when a loop abuts on it, then the noise is reduced, but the apparatus becomes complex and large
Solution Approach 1:
The mechanical swing mechanism of the guide member is replaced with a control system that adjusts conveyance roller speeds. Instead of mechanically allowing the guide member to swing, the control unit controls the conveyance speeds of the first and second conveyance rollers to eliminate the loop in a controlled manner, preventing sheet collision with the guide member and eliminating the need for complex mechanical swing mechanisms.
3Productivity
If the conveyance speed of the second roller is increased quickly to eliminate loops, then productivity improves, but the sheet may collide with guide members causing damage
Solution Approach 1:
The conveyance speed increase is divided into multiple stages. The control unit first increases the speed to an intermediate value, waits for the loop to partially eliminate, then increases it further to the final value. This staged approach prevents sudden acceleration that would cause sheet collision and damage while still achieving quick loop elimination.
Data Source
AI summary
A sheet conveyance apparatus includes a first conveyance roller configured to convey a sheet, a second conveyance roller configured to convey the sheet at a variable speed ranging from a first sheet conveyance speed to a second sheet conveyance speed wherein the first sheet conveyance speed is less than a sheet conveyance speed of the first conveyance roller and the second sheet conveyance speed is greater than the sheet conveyance speed of the first conveyance roller, a driving unit configured to drive the second conveyance roller, and a control unit configured to control the driving unit.