Image Forming Apparatus Sheet Feeding Abnormality Control

Solution Overview

Problem

In image forming systems, when a sheet feeding device experiences an abnormality, existing technologies fail to accurately detect the issue, leading to repeated and unnecessary operations, which shorten the life of consumables and cause inefficiencies due to miscommunication between the sheet feeding device and the image forming apparatus.

Innovation Solution

An image forming apparatus with a sheet detector and controller that monitors sheet feeding requests and stops print jobs after a predetermined number of retry attempts if the sheet is not detected within a certain time, preventing unnecessary operations and consumable waste.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the image forming apparatus continues to send sheet feeding requests after detecting sheet delivery delays, then the system attempts to recover from potential communication errors, but unnecessary operations are performed and consumables are wasted when the sheet feeding device actually has an abnormality

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveabnormality detection accuracyVSAvoidconsumable waste

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by sending multiple sheet feeding requests with predetermined intervals before declaring a definitive abnormality. This allows the system to distinguish between temporary communication delays and actual sheet feeding failures, preventing premature termination of operations while avoiding unnecessary consumable usage.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback control by monitoring whether sheets are delivered within predetermined time intervals after each sheet feeding request. Based on this feedback, the controller dynamically adjusts its behavior - continuing operations if sheets are delivered normally, or stopping operations after a predetermined number of failures, thus resolving the contradiction between reliability and consumable waste.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Productivity

If the image forming apparatus sends multiple sheet feeding requests to handle communication delays, then the system maintains operational continuity, but unnecessary repeated operations occur when the sheet feeding device has a sensor or communication failure

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoperational continuityVSAvoidtime for repeated operations

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by sending multiple sheet feeding requests with predetermined intervals before declaring a definitive abnormality. This allows the system to distinguish between temporary communication delays and actual sheet feeding failures, preventing premature termination of operations while avoiding unnecessary consumable usage.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback control by monitoring whether sheets are delivered within predetermined time intervals after each sheet feeding request. Based on this feedback, the controller dynamically adjusts its behavior - continuing operations if sheets are delivered normally, or stopping operations after a predetermined number of failures, thus resolving the contradiction between reliability and consumable waste.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Speed

If the image forming apparatus uses sensor detection alone to determine sheet delivery, then the system responds quickly to actual sheet arrival, but cannot distinguish between normal delays and abnormality conditions requiring intervention

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedetection response speedVSAvoidabnormality detection accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by sending multiple sheet feeding requests with predetermined intervals before declaring a definitive abnormality. This allows the system to distinguish between temporary communication delays and actual sheet feeding failures, preventing premature termination of operations while avoiding unnecessary consumable usage.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback control by monitoring whether sheets are delivered within predetermined time intervals after each sheet feeding request. Based on this feedback, the controller dynamically adjusts its behavior - continuing operations if sheets are delivered normally, or stopping operations after a predetermined number of failures, thus resolving the contradiction between reliability and consumable waste.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS10362182B2Image forming apparatus, image forming system, and image forming method with sheet feeding abnormality control

Publication Date: 2019.07.23 CANON KK

AI summary

An image forming apparatus transmits a sheet feeding request to the sheet feeding device, obtains a sheet through a receiving device and performs image formation on the sheet. The receiving device comprises an inlet sensor for detecting a sheet fed from the sheet feeding device. The image forming apparatus transmits the sheet feeding request to the sheet feeding device again in a case where the inlet sensor does not detect a sheet within a predetermined time after the sheet feeding device starts to feed a sheet and no signal indicating an abnormality with regard to a sheet is received from the sheet feeding device. If the number of times the sheet feeding request is transmitted exceeds a predetermined number of times, the image forming apparatus stops operation.