Sheet Discharger Diagonal Airflow to Suppress Edge Curl
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Solution Overview
Problem
Discharging curled sheets can cause clogging of the sheet discharge outlet, leading to sheet discharge failures in image forming apparatuses and sheet post-processing devices.
Innovation Solution
A sheet discharger with an air blowing mechanism that blows air flow diagonally downward from a pair of air blowing ports arranged at the middle of the sheet width direction to stabilize sheet discharge, suppressing curling at both ends of the sheet.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If air is blown from above the sheet discharge outlet using a fan, then sheet discharge stability is improved, but the ability to effectively suppress curling at both ends of the sheet is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The air blowing mechanism is divided into multiple air blowing ports arranged in the width direction of the sheet. Instead of using a single fan blowing air from above, the patent segments the air flow into multiple directed streams from ports positioned at different locations, allowing targeted suppression of curling at both ends of the sheet while maintaining discharge stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from vertical air blowing (from above the discharge outlet) to diagonal air blowing (from the side at an angle). The air blowing ports are arranged laterally and blow air diagonally toward the sheet, utilizing a different spatial dimension to effectively counteract the curling forces at the sheet edges while maintaining discharge stability.
2Device complexity
If a single air blowing port is used above the discharge outlet, then the structure is simple, but the air flow cannot effectively reach both ends of the sheet to suppress curling
Solution Approach 1:
The air blowing mechanism is segmented into multiple air blowing ports distributed across the width direction. This segmentation allows each port to target specific regions of the sheet, ensuring that air flow reaches both ends of the sheet effectively to suppress curling, while keeping each individual port simple in structure.
Solution Approach 2:
Each air blowing port is positioned and oriented to provide localized air flow to specific areas of the sheet. The ports are arranged and angled to deliver air flow precisely where needed at the sheet edges, providing locally optimized curling suppression without requiring complex overall structure.
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
Enhances the dischargeability and loadability of curled sheets on the discharge tray by effectively suppressing curling at both ends, ensuring stable and efficient sheet discharge.
Implementation Method 1
an air blower that is connected to the air blowing port and generates the air flow
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
A sheet discharger (4) includes a sheet discharge outlet (41), a discharge member (42), a sheet discharge tray (43), and an air blowing mechanism (44). The discharge member (42) is arranged at the sheet discharge outlet (41) and conveys a sheet in a discharge direction. The sheet discharge tray (43) is arranged downstream of the sheet discharge outlet (41) in the discharge direction, and the sheet discharged through the sheet discharge outlet (41) is loaded thereon. The air blowing mechanism (44) includes an air blowing port (47) for blowing an air flow from upward to the sheet discharged through the sheet discharge outlet (41) and an air blower (45) that is connected to the air blowing port (47) and generates the air flow. The air blowing port (47) is provided above the sheet discharge outlet (41), at least a pair of air blowing ports (47) is arranged at a middle in a width direction of the sheet orthogonal to the discharge direction, and the air flow is blown through the air blowing port (47) diagonally downward from inside toward outside in the width direction of the sheet.