Sheet Cutting Apparatus Pushing Member Design

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional sheet cutting apparatuses face issues where cut pieces may not fall into the accommodation box due to external resistances like static electricity, air resistance, and sliding resistance, leading to accumulation on the convey path, which degrades the system's reliability and causes sensor malfunctions.

Innovation Solution

A sheet cutting apparatus with a movable blade and a pushing member that moves together with the blade to forcibly push down cut pieces, ensuring they fall into the accommodation box without remaining on the convey path, thus maintaining system reliability and preventing sensor errors.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If the cutting apparatus relies solely on gravity for cut pieces to fall into the accommodation box, then the structure remains simple, but cut pieces may remain on the convey path due to external resistances such as static electricity, air resistance, and sliding resistance

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructure simplicityVSAvoidcut piece falling reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The movable blade performs dual functions: cutting the sheet and pushing the cut piece downward. The pushing surface on the blade uses the blade's own motion to forcibly push cut pieces into the accommodation box, eliminating the need for separate pushing mechanisms while ensuring reliable cut piece disposal

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The pushing function is merged with the cutting function by integrating the pushing surface onto the movable blade. This combines two previously separate functions (cutting and pushing) into a single operational motion, maintaining structural simplicity while improving reliability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Reliability

If air injection or other additional means are provided to help cut pieces fall, then cut piece falling reliability improves, but the structure becomes complicated and costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecut piece falling reliabilityVSAvoidstructure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The invention extracts the pushing function from any additional complex mechanisms and integrates it directly into the movable blade structure, removing the need for air injection systems or other auxiliary devices while maintaining reliable cut piece falling

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Ease of operation

If the rocking guide moves upward to guide the next sheet bundle, then guiding function is maintained, but the path to the accommodation box is cut off and cut pieces may remain on the convey path

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesheet bundle guidingVSAvoidcut piece accommodation

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The movable blade continuously performs both cutting and pushing functions throughout its downward motion. As the blade moves down to cut the sheet, it simultaneously pushes the cut piece into the accommodation box, ensuring continuous and reliable cut piece disposal without interruption from guide movements

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

Solution Approach 2:

The blade pushes the cut piece into the accommodation box during the cutting motion itself, before the rocking guide completes its upward movement. This preliminary action ensures the cut piece is securely disposed of before the guide retreats, preventing any path blockage

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

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 ensures reliable falling of cut pieces into the accommodation box, preventing accumulation on the convey path and maintaining system dignity, while avoiding the need for additional driving mechanisms, thus maintaining a simple structure and preventing sensor malfunctions.

Implementation Method 1

a pushing member located on a position retracted from a tip end of the movable blade, and having a pushing surface which moves together with the movable blade to push down a cut piece of the sheet cut by the movable blade

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMechanical Force: Mechanical Force

Data Source

PatentUS8616106B2Sheet cutting apparatus and image forming apparatus

Publication Date: 2013.12.31 CANON KK

AI summary

A sheet cutting apparatus having a movable blade which lowers toward a sheet from above to cut the sheet; and a pushing member which lowers together with the movable blade to push a cut piece of the sheet cut by the movable blade. The pushing member has a plurality of pushing surfaces which are arranged along the tip of the movable blade at a distance from each other, and the plurality of pushing surfaces are in contact with the movable blade and are located upstream from a tip of the movable blade in a moving direction of the movable blade cutting the sheet.