Sheet Conveying Device with Reversing Mechanism for Jam Purging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Medium-sized image forming apparatuses face challenges in incorporating a purging function due to space and cost constraints, and existing sheet conveying devices do not effectively reduce user effort during jam removal operations.
Innovation Solution
A sheet conveying device with a reversing mechanism that uses a control unit to manage sheet conveying paths, allowing sheets to be purged from a reversing port, reducing user effort by avoiding collisions and optimizing sheet handling during jams.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If a purging tray is provided separately from the normal sheet discharging tray, then sheets can be automatically discharged during purging operation, but the apparatus size increases and cannot be installed in medium-sized image forming apparatuses
Solution Approach 1:
The normal sheet discharging tray is designed to serve dual purposes: it functions as the regular discharge tray during normal operation and as the purging tray during purging operation. The control unit switches the conveying destination between the delivery path and the reversing port, enabling the same tray to handle both normal sheet discharge and purged sheet collection without requiring a separate physical tray.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of discharging purged sheets forward to a dedicated purging tray, the system reverses the discharge direction by conveying sheets backward through the reversing port to the normal sheet discharging tray. This inversion of the conventional purging approach eliminates the need for additional space while maintaining automatic purging functionality.
2Extent of automation
If a purging tray is provided in medium-sized image forming apparatus, then purging function can be implemented, but the cost and complexity of the apparatus increases
Solution Approach 1:
The normal sheet discharging tray is designed to serve dual purposes: it functions as the regular discharge tray during normal operation and as the purging tray during purging operation. The control unit switches the conveying destination between the delivery path and the reversing port, enabling the same tray to handle both normal sheet discharge and purged sheet collection without requiring a separate physical tray.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses its existing components (conveying unit, reversing mechanism, and normal discharge tray) to perform the purging function without adding dedicated purging hardware. The control unit orchestrates the existing mechanisms to achieve automatic sheet discharge during jams, making the purging system self-service and eliminating additional complexity.
3Extent of automation
If sheets are purged through the reversing port, then automatic sheet discharge is achieved, but sheet collisions may occur during the purging operation
Solution Approach 1:
Before initiating purging operation, the control unit checks whether any sheet is currently being reversed through the reversing mechanism. If a sheet is in the reversing process, the purging operation is postponed until the reversing operation completes. This preliminary check prevents multiple sheets from entering the reversing port simultaneously, eliminating collision risks.
Solution Approach 2:
The control unit continuously monitors the state of the reversing mechanism and adjusts the purging operation accordingly. When a sheet is detected in the reversing process, the control unit delays purging until the reversing completes, providing real-time feedback control that prevents sheet collisions during purging operation.
Data Source
AI summary
A sheet conveying device includes: a conveying unit configured to convey a sheet along a conveying path; a switching unit configured to switch a sheet conveying destination; a delivering unit configured to deliver the sheet on the delivery path toward a device at the sheet conveying destination; a reversing unit configured to first convey the sheet from the reversing port toward the outside of the casing to a position in which a part of the sheet protrudes and deliver the sheet from the position toward a circulation path while reversing the conveying direction of the sheet; a circulating unit configured to convey the sheet delivered toward the circulation path along the circulation path and return the sheet to the conveying path while the sheet is reversed; and a control unit configured to control the reversing unit when a jammed sheet is detected in the device at the sheet conveying destination.