Sheet Feeding Apparatus Air Separation Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sheet feeding apparatuses face challenges in feeding sheets with smooth surfaces, such as coated paper, as air blowing to separate sheets can cause curling and skewing, leading to feeding difficulties and reduced printing accuracy.
Innovation Solution
A sheet feeding apparatus with a control unit that performs an air blowing operation to separate sheets, followed by stopping the air blowing and initiating the sheet feeding operation, utilizing a sheet supporting portion and air separation unit to manage sheet adhesion and skewing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If air blowing operation is performed to separate sheets with smooth surface property, then sheet adhesion is reduced and sheets can be separated, but sheet edges are lifted and curled causing skewing
Solution Approach 1:
The air blowing operation is performed before the sheet feeding operation to preliminarily separate the sheets and reduce adhesion. By stopping the air blowing before feeding, the sheet edges settle flat on the sheet supporting portion, preventing curling and skewing during the subsequent feeding process.
Solution Approach 2:
The air blowing operation is performed periodically between sheet feeding operations. The control unit controls the air blowing unit to blow air for a predetermined time, then stops the air blowing, and after a predetermined time elapses, performs the sheet feeding operation. This periodic cycling allows sheets to be separated when needed while preventing skewing during feeding.
2Ease of operation
If air blowing is continued during sheet feeding operation, then sheets remain separated and easy to feed, but sheet edges curl and skewing occurs reducing feeding accuracy
Solution Approach 1:
The air blowing operation is extracted and separated from the sheet feeding operation in time. The control unit stops the air blowing operation before initiating sheet feeding, and only resumes air blowing after the sheet feeding is complete or when sheets need to be separated again. This temporal separation eliminates the harmful effect of air blowing on sheet position accuracy while maintaining its beneficial effect on sheet separation.
3Manufacturing precision
If air blowing operation is stopped before sheet feeding, then sheet edges remain flat and skewing is reduced, but sheets may re-adhere making feeding difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The air blowing operation is performed in advance before sheet feeding to preliminarily separate the sheets and reduce adhesion forces. This preliminary separation ensures that when air blowing is stopped and sheets are fed, they remain sufficiently separated to be easily fed while maintaining flat edges for accurate positioning.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses periodic cycles of air blowing followed by sheet feeding operations. The control unit manages the timing to blow air for a predetermined duration, then stop and feed sheets after a predetermined time. This rhythmic operation ensures sheets are separated when air blows and fed when air is stopped, balancing separation ease with positioning accuracy.
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
This approach reduces sheet adhesion and skewing, improving feeding accuracy and reducing the need for skew correction, thereby enhancing printing quality and reliability.
Implementation Method 1
an air blowing operation of blowing air to a side face of the sheet bundle supported on the sheet supporting portion and separating sheets
Data Source
AI summary
A sheet feeding apparatus includes a sheet supporting portion, a sheet feed portion, an air separation unit, and a control unit. The sheet supporting portion supports a sheet bundle. The sheet feed portion performs a sheet feeding operation by abutting against an uppermost sheet of the sheet bundle supported on the sheet supporting portion and feeding the uppermost sheet. The air separation unit performs an air blowing operation of blowing air to a side face of the sheet bundle supported on the sheet supporting portion and separating sheets. The control unit executes a mode of performing the air blowing operation by the air separation unit, stopping the air blowing operation, and then performing the sheet feeding operation by the sheet feed portion in a state where the air blowing operation is stopped.