Sheet Feeder Top Edge Vibration for Jam Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional electrophotographic image forming apparatuses face challenges in feeding paper sheets with high rigidity due to bending conveyance paths, leading to paper jams, as existing techniques cannot effectively guide the top edge of such sheets into the sheet nip portion.
Innovation Solution
A sheet feeder device with a pickup roller, a pair of sheet feed rollers, and a top edge vibrator, controlled by a hardware processor, which vibrates the top edge of the paper sheet when a predetermined condition is met to guide it into the sheet nip portion, preventing jams and improving conveyance efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the conveyance path from the manual feed tray is made linear to reduce resistance, then the efficiency of sheet conveyance is improved, but the apparatus size increases
Solution Approach 1:
The conveyance path is designed with a bent configuration rather than a straight line, using curved paths to guide paper sheets from the manual feed tray through the sheet feed rollers and into the image forming section. This curved path arrangement reduces the linear distance and apparatus footprint while maintaining conveyance efficiency through optimized roller positioning and sheet flow management.
2Area of stationary object
If the conveyance path is bent to reduce apparatus size, then the apparatus size is reduced, but paper sheets with high rigidity cannot be fed properly causing paper jams
Solution Approach 1:
A sheet guide member is positioned upstream of the sheet feed rollers to pre-align and guide the leading edge of paper sheets before they enter the conveyance path. This preliminary guidance ensures that rigid paper sheets are properly oriented and positioned prior to encountering the bent conveyance path, preventing jamming while maintaining the compact apparatus design.
Solution Approach 2:
The sheet feed rollers are designed with adjustable pressing force and rotational speed parameters that can be optimized for different paper types including high rigidity sheets. By dynamically adjusting these parameters, the system adapts to various paper characteristics, ensuring reliable conveyance through the bent path without causing jams or damage.
3Reliability
If the top edge of paper sheets cannot be guided into the sheet nip portion due to bending conveyance path, then paper jams occur, but repeating the separating conveyance operation alone cannot solve the problem
Solution Approach 1:
A sheet guide member acts as an intermediary component between the manual feed tray and the sheet feed rollers. This guide member specifically targets and guides the leading edge of paper sheets into proper alignment with the sheet nip portion formed by the feed rollers. By mediating the transition of paper sheets through the bent conveyance path, it ensures reliable entry without jams while maintaining high conveyance efficiency.
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 effectively prevents paper jams and enhances the conveyance efficiency of high-rigidity paper sheets without increasing the apparatus's size or cost, allowing for reliable and efficient operation with reduced downtime.
Implementation Method 1
a top edge vibrator that vibrates a top edge of the paper sheet, the top edge vibrator being located on an upstream side of the pair of sheet feed rollers in a conveyance direction
Data Source
AI summary
A sheet feeder device includes: a pickup roller that separates paper sheets placed on a manual feed tray from one another, and transfers a paper sheet; a pair of sheet feed rollers that include an upper feed roller and a lower feed roller, form a sheet nip portion when the upper feed roller and the lower feed roller are pressed against each other, and transfer the paper sheet transferred from the pickup roller; a top edge vibrator that vibrates a top edge of the paper sheet, the top edge vibrator being located on an upstream side of the pair of sheet feed rollers; and a hardware processor that controls sheet feeding of the paper sheets placed on the manual feed tray, wherein, when a predetermined condition is satisfied in the sheet feeding, the hardware processor controls the top edge vibrator, to vibrate the top edge of the paper sheet.