Sheet Feeding Apparatus Airflow Segmentation Flutter Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sheet feeding apparatuses face issues with fluttering and jamming of small-sized or low grammage sheets, leading to abnormalities in sheet feeding and reduced productivity, and struggle to achieve high-speed separation due to limitations in air flow control.
Innovation Solution
A sheet feeding apparatus with a flotation unit that floats sheets using a first air blowing outlet and a suction unit that sucks air between sheets, combined with a separation unit that separates sheets using a second air blowing outlet, allowing for continuous operation and reducing fluttering and jamming by stabilizing sheet movement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If air flow is strengthened to separate sheets, then separation ability improves, but sheet fluttering increases causing feeding abnormalities
Solution Approach 1:
The air flow system is segmented into multiple independent outlets: a first air blowing outlet for flotation, a second air blowing outlet for separation, and a suction outlet for stabilizing. This allows each outlet to be controlled independently with optimized air flow strength for its specific function, resolving the contradiction between strong separation air flow and sheet stability.
Solution Approach 2:
Different locations in the air flow system are given different qualities: the second air blowing outlet provides strong localized air flow for separation, while the suction outlet provides localized negative pressure to suppress fluttering. This local differentiation allows strong separation without overall increase in fluttering.
2Speed
If ON/OFF control of air flow is implemented for high-speed separation, then separation speed improves, but system complexity increases and response time may be insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The air blowing outlets and suction outlet operate continuously rather than being switched ON/OFF. This continuous operation eliminates the need for complex timing control mechanisms while maintaining high-speed separation capability, as the air flow is always available when needed.
3Adaptability or versatility
If small sized or small grammage sheets are fed, then versatility improves, but fluttering and feeding abnormalities increase
Solution Approach 1:
The suction outlet creates negative pressure that acts as a counterbalancing force against the upward air flow from the first air blowing outlet. This counteracting suction force prevents lightweight sheets from fluttering excessively, allowing versatile handling of various sheet types while maintaining feeding stability.
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 suppresses sheet fluttering and prevents abnormalities in sheet feeding, enabling high productivity and rapid separation of sheets regardless of size or type, while eliminating the need for ON/OFF air flow control, thus enhancing manufacturing efficiency and reducing the likelihood of faults.
Implementation Method 1
by blowing air from the nozzle for floating at the end part of the sheets stacked in the stacking section, and by causing air to flow between sheets, causes a plurality of sheets to float
Implementation Method 2
by providing a suction box inside a belt passed over a pair of rollers, causing a negative pressure inside the suction box, a sheet is conveyed while sucking and holding it
Implementation Method 3
by blowing air from the nozzle for separation on the side of the conveying section, and the air repelled from the conveying section is made to come in contact with the floated sheets thereby separating them
Data Source
AI summary
A high productivity sheet feeding apparatus in which there is no occurrence of abnormalities related to sheet feeding irrespective of the size and type of sheet, and an image forming system having that sheet feeding apparatus are provided. This sheet feeding apparatus has the feature that it has, a stacking unit for stacking sheets, a conveying unit that is placed above and spaced from said stacking unit and that conveys the sheets, a flotation unit that makes the sheets in the upper part of the sheets stacked in said stacking unit float up towards said conveying unit, and a suction unit that sucks the air included in between the plurality of sheets that have been made to float up towards said conveying unit by said flotation unit.