Sheet Feeding Apparatus Clutch Timing Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional sheet feeding apparatuses experience variations in the interval between sheets being fed due to differences in the number of sheets stacked, leading to inconsistent timing of sheet contact with the feeding roller, which results in increased size requirements for the apparatus when attempting to mitigate these variations.

Innovation Solution

A sheet feeding apparatus incorporating a clutch mechanism that transmits drive to the sheet feeding unit after the stacking plate is elevated by an elevating unit, ensuring consistent sheet contact and feeding timing regardless of the number of sheets stacked, without increasing the apparatus size.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a larger feeding roller is used to reduce variation in sheet feeding timing, then the reliability of sheet feeding is improved, but the size of the sheet feeding apparatus increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesheet feeding timing consistencyVSAvoidapparatus size

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The elevating unit elevates the stacking plate in advance to bring the uppermost sheet into contact with the feeding roller before the feeding operation begins. This preliminary positioning ensures that the sheet is ready for feeding regardless of the number of sheets stacked, eliminating timing variations without requiring a larger roller.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The elevating unit acts as an intermediary mechanism between the sheet stack and the feeding roller. It mediates the timing issue by actively positioning the sheet contact point, thereby decoupling the feeding timing from the sheet stack height and eliminating the need for a larger roller to accommodate variations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If the number of sheets stacked on the stacking plate varies, then the adaptability of the apparatus is improved, but the precision of sheet feeding timing deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesheet stack number flexibilityVSAvoidsheet feeding interval consistency

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The elevating unit provides dynamic adjustment of the stacking plate position based on the actual sheet stack height. By actively elevating the plate to ensure proper sheet contact regardless of stack size, the system adapts to varying sheet numbers while maintaining consistent feeding timing precision.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system implicitly uses feedback from the sheet stack height to determine the elevation amount. The elevating unit responds to the actual sheet position (feedback) by adjusting its elevation action, ensuring that the sheet is properly positioned for feeding regardless of the initial stack height, thus maintaining timing precision across different stack sizes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS9187274B2Sheet feeding apparatus and image forming apparatus

Publication Date: 2015.11.17 CANON KK

AI summary

A sheet feeding apparatus includes a stacking plate configured to stack sheets, a sheet feeding unit configured to feed the sheets by contacting the sheets stacked on the stacking plate, an elevating unit configured to elevate the stacking plate by a drive transmitted from a drive unit, a drive transmission unit configured to transmit the drive from the drive unit to drive the sheet feeding unit, and a clutch mechanism configured to cause the drive transmission unit to transmit the drive from the drive unit to the sheet feeding unit after the elevating unit urges the sheets stacked on the stacking plate toward the sheet feeding unit by elevating the stacking plate.