Sheet Conveyance Control Unit Skid Sheet Jam Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional sheet conveyance apparatuses face issues where sheets entering the accumulation area can get caught on the conveying belt, leading to jams when there are no sheets accumulated and a new sheet enters.
Innovation Solution
A control unit in the sheet conveyance apparatus counts the number of sheets and stops conveying the last sheet until a next sheet is guided onto it, using a skid sheet with a lower friction coefficient to prevent jams by leaving it in the accumulation area.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the conveying belt continuously conveys sheets in the accumulation area, then sheets can be smoothly transported, but sheets may get caught on the belt causing jams when the accumulation area is empty
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit preliminarily determines whether sheets are present in the accumulation area before the conveying belt attempts to convey them. When no sheets are detected, the conveying belt is stopped in advance, preventing the harmful action of sheets getting caught on the belt. This preliminary detection and preventive stopping eliminates the jamming issue before it can occur.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the conveying belt stops to prevent jams, then sheet jamming is reduced, but processing synchronization between upstream and downstream apparatuses is disrupted
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit continuously monitors the sheet presence in the accumulation area using detection means and provides feedback to control the conveying belt. When sheets are detected, the belt operates to maintain processing flow; when no sheets are present, the belt stops to prevent jams. This feedback-based dynamic control reconciles the conflicting requirements of preventing jams and maintaining productivity synchronization.
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
This method prevents sheets from getting caught on the conveying belt, ensuring smooth entry into the accumulation area and reducing the likelihood of jams, even when processing speeds of upstream and downstream apparatuses differ.
Implementation Method 1
The sheet conveyance apparatus produces a negative pressure in the suction box 6 to cause the sheets 1 to be sucked on the conveying belt 3 by the airflow holes
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 3
AI summary
A sheet conveyance apparatus (100) includes a control unit (120) that controls driving of a belt drive mechanism (4). The control unit (120) performs control such that the sheet (s) is conveyed from the sheet accumulation area (15) if (a) it is determined that the number of sheets currently accumulated in the sheet accumulation area is two or greater, while the sheet is not conveyed from the sheet accumulation area if (b) it is determined that the number of sheets currently accumulated in the sheet accumulation area is one.