Sheet Feeding Apparatus Air Blowing Section Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional pneumatic sheet feeding apparatuses face issues with sheet adsorption failures due to reduced airflow when the number of sheets on the loading platen decreases, particularly with heavy sheets, leading to no-feed failures and increased costs from large-sized fans required for heavy sheets.
Innovation Solution
A sheet feeding apparatus with a loading platen and air blowing section that includes multiple air blowing openings on both sides, where the air blowing section blows air above and below the platen, and the platen has penetrations to ensure consistent airflow, and ribs are formed on the platen to enhance air pressure between sheets, allowing for effective sheet separation and conveyance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If air is blown to the side of the loaded sheet bundle to float sheets for adsorption, then sheet separation and feeding speed are improved, but when the number of sheets decreases the loading platen spans the air blowing opening causing reduced airflow to the final sheet and adsorption failure
Solution Approach 1:
The air blowing opening is divided into multiple segments (first air blowing opening and second air blowing opening) positioned at different locations. The first opening blows air to the side of the sheet bundle, while the second opening blows air to the lower side of the sheet, ensuring that airflow is maintained even when the platen spans the first opening.
Solution Approach 2:
Air acts as an intermediary substance to float the sheets. By providing airflow from both the side (first opening) and lower side (second opening), the air pressure is distributed to ensure the sheet is properly floated and separated for adsorption, preventing failure when sheet count is low.
2Reliability
If large-sized fans are used to provide sufficient airflow for heavy sheets, then sheet floating capability is improved, but device size and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The airflow generation is segmented into two separate openings with different functions. The first opening handles side airflow for general sheet separation, while the second opening provides targeted lower-side airflow for heavy sheet lifting, allowing the use of smaller, more compact fans rather than one large fan.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the air blowing system provide different qualities of airflow. The first opening provides lateral airflow for sheet separation, while the second opening provides upward airflow specifically at the lower side of the sheet to assist heavy sheets, optimizing the local airflow characteristics for each function.
Data Source
AI summary
A sheet feeding apparatus includes: a loading platen on which sheets are loaded, an air blowing section which blows air to sides of a loaded sheet bundle loaded on the loading platen, and an adsorption/conveyance mechanism which adsorbs and conveys a sheet, a driving section moving the loading platen up and down, wherein the air blowing section includes a plurality of air blowing openings facing both sides of the loaded sheet bundle and blowing air to the both sides, wherein each of the plurality of air blowing openings is formed so that a first air flow flows above the loading platen and a second air flow flows below the loading platen when the loading platen reaches a highest position by the driving section, and wherein the loading platen is provided with a penetration thorough which the second air flow flows from below to above the loading platen.