Sheet Conveyor Stopping Position Control for Curvature Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Image recording apparatuses face issues where sheets with recorded images, especially those longer than the discharge tray, become curved and unsupported, leading to potential damage when stopped at a fixed position during discharge.
Innovation Solution
An image recording apparatus with a controller that adjusts the stopping position of sheets based on their length, ensuring they are nipped by rollers at specific positions to prevent curvature, by using a detector to identify the sheet's attributes and controlling the conveyor to stop at positions that minimize protrusion and support the sheet effectively.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the sheet conveyor stops the sheet at a fixed position after image recording, then the discharge process is simplified and efficient, but sheets longer than the discharge tray become curved and unsupported, leading to potential damage
Solution Approach 1:
The sheet conveyor dynamically adjusts the stopping position based on sheet length. The controller determines whether to stop at the first stopping position (for shorter sheets) or the second stopping position (for longer sheets), making the system adaptive rather than fixed. This dynamic adjustment prevents curvature damage while maintaining efficient discharge operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the stopping position parameter based on sheet length detection. When a sheet is detected to be longer than the discharge tray, the controller switches from the first stopping position to the second stopping position, which is located on the upstream side. This parameter change ensures that longer sheets are stopped earlier, preventing them from protruding and curving over the discharge tray edge.
2Device complexity
If the sheet conveyor stops all sheets at the same position, then the control system is simple and fast, but sheets of different lengths cannot be properly supported, causing longer sheets to hang and curve
Solution Approach 1:
The stopping position is segmented into two distinct positions: the first stopping position for shorter sheets and the second stopping position for longer sheets. The detector segments sheets into two categories based on length, and the controller applies different stopping positions accordingly. This segmentation allows proper support for both short and long sheets without requiring complex continuous adjustment mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
Different stopping positions are applied to different sheet types based on their local characteristics (length). The system provides localized quality control by matching the stopping position to the specific sheet length requirement, ensuring that each sheet category receives the appropriate stopping position for optimal support and shape maintenance.
3Measurement precision
If the sheet is stopped when the upstream end passes the sensor, then the stopping control is precise and reliable, but the sheet stops at a fixed position that may cause curvature for long sheets exceeding the discharge tray length
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary detection of sheet length using the sensor, then takes preliminary action by determining the appropriate stopping position before actual stopping occurs. For long sheets detected to exceed the discharge tray length, the controller preliminarily selects the second stopping position (upstream side) to prevent curvature. This preliminary action based on detection ensures both precise control and shape integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor provides feedback on sheet position and length, which the controller uses to determine the appropriate stopping position. This feedback mechanism allows the system to adjust the stopping position based on actual sheet characteristics, ensuring that long sheets are stopped at the second position to maintain shape integrity while shorter sheets are stopped at the first position for efficiency.
Data Source
AI summary
An image recording apparatus includes: a recording portion; a sheet conveyor; a detector; and a controller configured to control the sheet conveyor to stop a first-attribute sheet in a state in which the sheet conveyor is nipping the first-attribute sheet when the detector has detected that the first-attribute sheet reaches a first-attribute-sheet stopping position; and to control the sheet conveyor to stop a second-attribute sheet in a state in which the sheet conveyor is nipping the second-attribute sheet when the detector has detected that the second-attribute sheet reaches a second-attribute-sheet stopping position which is located on an upstream side of the first-attribute-sheet stopping position in the conveying direction.