Sheet Conveying Device Correcting Member Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
As the number of sheets in a bundle increases, aligning the outer peripheral portions becomes difficult, leading to deviations in sheet conveying, which can result in image misalignment during image formation in image forming apparatuses.
Innovation Solution
A sheet conveying device with a correcting member that moves relative to the tray to press and correct the upper layer portion of the sheet bundle, aligning it laterally to prevent skew and ensure proper image formation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If the number of sheets in the bundle increases, then the sheet bundle becomes thicker and more sheets can be accommodated, but it becomes more difficult to align the outer peripheral portions and lateral deviations occur during conveying
Solution Approach 1:
The pressing member presses the sheet bundle in advance before conveying to align the outer peripheral portions of the sheets. This preliminary action prevents lateral deviations during the conveying process, allowing thick bundles with many sheets to be handled with the same alignment precision as thinner bundles.
Solution Approach 2:
The pressing member acts as an intermediary between the sheet bundle and the conveying mechanism. By introducing this intermediate element, the system can handle thick bundles without direct contact between the misaligned sheets and the conveying components, thereby maintaining alignment precision.
2Ease of operation
If the position of the sheet in the width direction varies, then the sheet can be conveyed, but the sheet is conveyed in a deviated state causing image misalignment
Solution Approach 1:
The pressing member performs preliminary pressing to correct positional variations in the width direction before the sheet enters the conveying mechanism. This ensures that sheets are properly aligned horizontally, preventing image misalignment while maintaining smooth conveying operation.
3Productivity
If the distal end of the sheet is arranged with a large inclination, then the sheet can be fed, but skew cannot be adjusted due to resistance
Solution Approach 1:
The pressing member presses the sheet bundle in advance to reduce inclination and skew before conveying. By performing this alignment action beforehand, the sheet enters the conveying mechanism with minimal inclination, allowing high-speed feeding while maintaining precise skew adjustment.
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
The solution effectively reduces lateral deviations and skew during sheet conveying, enhancing the accuracy and quality of image formation by maintaining the correct posture of sheets within the image forming apparatus.
Implementation Method 1
The correcting member abuts against an upper layer portion of an outer peripheral portion of the sheet bundle on the tray, and presses the upper layer portion from an outside of the sheet bundle toward an inside of the sheet bundle
Data Source
AI summary
According to one embodiment, a sheet conveying device includes a tray and a correcting member. On the tray, a sheet bundle in which a plurality of sheets are overlapped is stacked in a thickness direction of the sheet bundle. The correcting member moves relative to the tray in the thickness direction. The correcting member abuts against an upper layer portion of an outer peripheral portion of the sheet bundle on the tray, and presses the upper layer portion from an outside after abutting. The correcting member corrects a position of the upper layer portion in a lateral direction intersecting the thickness direction toward an inside from the outside of the sheet bundle.