Sheet Conveying Roller Assembly: Retractable Guide for Jam Removal

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing sheet conveying apparatuses face challenges in achieving accurate positioning and stable pressing in conveying rollers, as well as difficulty in easily removing jammed sheets.

Innovation Solution

A sheet conveying apparatus design featuring a pair of rollers supported by a bush member and urged together by an urging member, with a conveyance guide member that can move between guiding and retracted positions to facilitate easy separation and contact of the rollers, allowing for easy removal of jammed sheets.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the conveyance guide member is always positioned to guide the sheet, then accurate positioning and stable pressing are achieved, but the rollers cannot be easily separated for jam removal

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestable pressingVSAvoideasy removal of jammed sheet
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The conveyance guide member is designed to be movable between a guiding position and a retracted position. When moved to the retracted position, it allows the first and second rollers to separate for easy jam removal. When moved to the guiding position, it provides accurate positioning and stable pressing. This dynamic adjustment resolves the contradiction between maintaining stable pressing and enabling easy roller separation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Ease of operation

If the conveyance guide member is retracted to allow roller separation, then easy removal of jams is achieved, but accurate positioning and stable pressing are compromised

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveeasy removal of jammed sheetVSAvoidaccurate positioning
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts the position of the conveyance guide member based on operational needs. During normal operation, the guide member is in the guiding position to ensure accurate positioning. When a jam occurs, the guide member can be retracted to allow roller separation for easy jam removal, thus resolving the contradiction between accurate positioning and easy jam removal.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Stability of the object's composition

If the bush member is fixed in position, then stable pressing is maintained, but the rollers cannot be easily separated

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestable pressingVSAvoidroller separation
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The bush member is designed to be movable along the radial direction of the first roller, allowing the second roller to approach or separate from the first roller as needed. The urging member provides a biasing force to maintain stable pressing during normal operation, while the movability of the bush member enables easy roller separation when jams occur, thus resolving the contradiction between stable pressing and easy roller separation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

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

Enables accurate positioning and stable pressing of sheets while allowing for easy removal of jams by enabling simple contact and separation of the rollers, enhancing user convenience in handling sheet jams.

Implementation Method 1

an urging member, which urges the bush member in a direction in which the second roller approaches the first roller

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentEP4600191A1Sheet conveying apparatus and corresponding image forming apparatus
Publication Date: 2025.08.13 KYOCERA DOCUMENT SOLUTIONS INC
  • EP4600191A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4600191A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4600191A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A sheet conveying apparatus (4) includes a first roller (43A), a second roller (43B), a bush member (44), an urging member (45), and a conveyance guide member (46). The urging member (45) urges the bush member (44) in such a direction that the second roller (43B) approaches the first roller (43A). The conveyance guide member (46) is fitted to the rotation shaft (43Bx) of the second roller (43B) to be movable between a guiding position in which the conveyance guide member (46) guides the sheet, and a retracted position in which the conveyance guide member (46) is retracted from the guiding position, and it contacts, in the retracted position, a body frame (2F) to move the bush member (44) against the urging force of the urging member (45) in such a direction that the second roller (43B) separates from the first roller (43A).