Sheet Conveyer Load Applier with Preloaded Spring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sheet conveyers require a substantial stroke to apply the necessary pressure for sheet conveyance, leading to increased volume and size, which is undesirable for downsizing.
Innovation Solution
A sheet conveyer design incorporating a feed roller, separator roller, holder, arm, load applier unit, and cam member, where a contractive spring is preloaded by a preloading member to maintain a stretched condition, allowing the lever to move between positions to apply or remove pressure on the feed roller, enabling efficient conveyance with reduced stroke length.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If a spring is used to apply pressure to the feed roller against the sheets, then the necessary pressure for sheet conveyance is achieved, but a substantial stroke length is required which increases the volume of the sheet conveyer
Solution Approach 1:
The preloading member preliminarily stretches the contractive spring to store elastic potential energy before the cam member actuates the lever. This preliminary action allows the spring to be pre-positioned in a stretched state, reducing the additional stroke needed during operation and thereby decreasing the overall volume required for the conveyer mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The cam member dynamically controls the lever's position to vary the spring's stretching degree during different phases of operation. By making the spring's extension dynamic rather than static, the system achieves the necessary pressure application with a reduced maximum stroke length, as the spring is only fully stretched during the brief pressurization phase rather than maintaining constant full extension.
2Force
If the spring is stretched to apply load to the holder, then pressure is applied to convey sheets, but excessive load variation occurs during operation
Solution Approach 1:
The cam member creates periodic action by cyclically moving the lever between positions that stretch and relax the spring. This periodic control ensures the spring is stretched to apply load only during the specific phase when sheet conveyance is needed, then relaxed during other phases, preventing continuous excessive load variation and stabilizing the overall system operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The cam member changes the geometric parameters of the lever's position, which directly controls the degree of spring stretching. By adjusting this geometric parameter dynamically, the system optimizes the load applied to the holder - applying sufficient pressure during conveyance while minimizing load variation during non-conveyance phases, thereby improving load stability.
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 configuration allows for effective downsizing of the sheet conveyer while maintaining the necessary pressure for sheet conveyance, reducing the required stroke length and preventing excessive load variation, thus enhancing the conveyer's compactness and operational stability.
Implementation Method 1
a contractive spring engaged with the contacting member and the lever to contract in a contracting direction to pull the contacting member and the lever to be closer to each other
Implementation Method 2
a preloading member interposed between the contacting member and the lever and configured to maintain the contractive spring in a condition stretched to be longer than a natural length
Implementation Method 3
The cam member is configured to be driven by a driving source to move the lever in the vertical direction
Implementation Method 4
The lever is movable by the cam member being driven between a first position, in which the lever being moved in a direction to stretch the contractive spring causes the contractive spring having been stretched by the preloading member to be further stretched to urge the contacting member and causes the load applier unit to apply a load that acts in a direction to press the feed roller against the plurality of sheets
Data Source
AI summary
A sheet conveyer having a load applier unit is provided. The load applier unit includes a contacting member, a lever, a contractive spring, and a preloading member. The lever is movable between a first position, in which the lever being moved in a direction to stretch the contractive spring causes the contractive spring having been stretched by the preloading member to be further stretched to urge the contacting member and causes the load applier unit to apply a load that acts in a direction to press a feed roller against sheets on a tray to the holder, and a second position, in which the contractive spring is maintained in a condition stretched by the preloading member without causing the load applier unit to apply the load that acts in the direction to press the feed roller against the sheets on the tray to the holder.