Sheet Conveyer Synchronous Roller Control for Error Recovery
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
In image forming apparatuses, especially those with limited height, the discharge tray height difference can cause friction issues with stacked sheets, leading to sheet reversal during feeding errors, which interferes with subsequent operations, and can result in incorrect scanning or printing due to jammed sheets in the conveyer path.
Innovation Solution
A sheet conveyer device with a control unit that synchronizes the rotation of first and second roller pairs to prevent reverse conveyance by switching directions when a feeding error is detected, ensuring smooth operation and preventing interference from previously discharged sheets.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the discharge tray is positioned at a small height difference from the discharge rollers to limit apparatus height, then the overall apparatus size is reduced, but friction resistance increases causing sheets to halt and potentially reverse during feeding operations
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies preliminary anti-action by detecting feeding errors before they cause sheet reversal and interference. The judging system monitors feeding operations and triggers reverse roller rotation to push sheets back to the conveyer path, preventing the harmful effect of sheet reversal and interference with subsequent feeding operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The system converts the harmful friction resistance into a beneficial control mechanism. By detecting when sheets halt due to friction and reversing the roller rotation, the system uses the same friction force to push sheets back into the conveyer path, transforming the harmful halting effect into a controlled sheet recovery mechanism.
2Ease of operation
If the discharge tray is positioned at a small height difference from the discharge rollers, then sheets may halt due to friction, but reversing the rollers to push sheets back may cause previously discharged sheets to be retracted and interfere with next feeding operations
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs feedback through the judging system that continuously monitors sheet feeding operations. When a feeding error is detected, the control unit adjusts the roller rotation direction and duration based on feedback signals, ensuring sheets are pushed back to the conveyer path without being retracted to a position that would interfere with subsequent feeding operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies dynamics by making the roller rotation characteristics adjustable and adaptive. The control unit dynamically changes the rotation direction and duration based on real-time feeding conditions, allowing the system to respond flexibly to different sheet positions and feeding error types, preventing both sheet halting and sheet interference.
3Reliability
If a sheet sweeping rotary body with one-way clutch is used to prevent reverse conveyance, then discharged sheets are secured, but sheets may still be retracted during feeding errors when the clutch allows reverse rotation
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces the static one-way clutch mechanism with a dynamic control system. The control unit actively adjusts the roller rotation direction and duration based on real-time feeding conditions, providing adaptive response to both normal discharge operations and feeding errors, thereby maintaining sheet discharge security while enabling appropriate error handling.
Solution Approach 2:
The judging system provides continuous feedback on feeding operation status, allowing the control unit to distinguish between normal discharge conditions and feeding errors. This feedback mechanism enables the system to maintain reliable sheet discharge while appropriately responding to feeding errors by pushing sheets back to the conveyer path.
Data Source
AI summary
A sheet conveyer device to convey a sheet in a conveyer path, including a first roller pair arranged in an intermediate position in the conveyer path, a feeder to feed the sheet toward the first roller pair during a feeding operation, a discharge portion, on which the sheet is discharged, a second roller pair arranged in the conveyer path in a position closer to the discharge portion than the first roller pair, a control unit to control the first and the second roller pairs to rotate synchronously, and a judging system to judge whether a sheet feeding error has occurred in the feeder, is provided. The control unit controls the first and the second roller pairs to rotate synchronously in a second direction during the feeding operation and in a first direction when the judging system judges that the sheet feeding error has occurred during the feeding operation.