Sheet Feeding Encoder Counting With Vibration-Aware Pulse Pausing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional sheet feeding devices inaccurately determine the remaining quantity of sheets based on the ascending time of a lift plate, leading to potential errors in sheet feeding operations.
Innovation Solution
A sheet feeding device equipped with a lift plate, a lifting member, a motor, a control portion, and an encoder that uses a rotary member and optical sensor to output a pulse signal, allowing precise counting of sheets and preventing erroneous sensing by pausing pulse signal counting during motor stoppage to account for vibrations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If pulse signal counting is continuous during motor operation, then sheet counting speed is improved, but measurement precision deteriorates due to vibrations causing erroneous sensing
Solution Approach 1:
The control portion pauses pulse signal counting during a predetermined period after motor stoppage. This periodic interruption of counting during vibration periods eliminates erroneous sensing while maintaining overall counting efficiency, resolving the contradiction between continuous counting speed and measurement accuracy
2Device complexity
If conventional ascending time method is used to determine remaining sheets, then device complexity is reduced, but measurement precision deteriorates leading to inaccurate sheet quantity determination
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical time-based measurement method with an optical encoder system that generates pulse signals. The encoder converts the mechanical rotation of the pivot shaft into electrical pulse signals, allowing precise counting of sheets through pulse signal analysis rather than time measurement, thereby improving measurement precision while maintaining reasonable device complexity
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
Accurately determines the remaining quantity of sheets, reducing component count and preventing errors in sheet feeding operations, ensuring reliable sheet feeding.
Implementation Method 1
The optical sensor has a light emitter and a light receiver disposed so as to face each other across the movement path of the plurality of sensing targets and changes the level of the pulse signal between when the light from the light emitter reaches the light receiver and when it does not
Data Source
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AI summary
A sheet feeding device (100) includes a lift plate (1), a feeding portion (2), a lifting member (3) lifting the lift plate (1), a motor (4) coupled to a pivot shaft (30) serving as the pivot fulcrum of the lifting member (3), a control portion (10), and an encoder (5) outputting a pulse signal according to the rotation of the pivot shaft (30). The encoder (5) includes a rotary member (51) and an optical sensor (52). The control portion (10) recognizes the remaining quantity of sheets (S) on the lift plate (1) based on the count value of the pulse signal. When the motor (4) stops being driven, the control portion (10) thereafter does not count the pulse signal until a predetermined period elapses.