Sheet Feeding Apparatus Damping Mechanism for Stopper Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional sheet feeding apparatuses risk damage or sheet buckling when users vigorously set sheets, due to the strong abutment of the leading edge against the stopper, which can lead to mechanical failure or sheet deformation.
Innovation Solution
A sheet feeding apparatus with a sheet regulation member that can switch between a regulation posture to prevent sheet entry into the separation nip and a retracted posture to allow sheet entry, featuring a lock mechanism and a damper to absorb external forces exceeding a predetermined threshold, ensuring safe and stable sheet feeding.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a stopper is provided to regulate the number of sheets fed to the separation roller, then sheet feeding control is improved, but the stopper may be damaged or sheet leading edge may be buckled when users vigorously set sheets
Solution Approach 1:
A resilient member (spring) is pre-installed between the engagement member and feed holder to absorb impact forces before they reach the stopper. When users vigorously set sheets, the spring compresses to cushion the blow, preventing damage to the stopper and sheet leading edge while maintaining sheet feeding control functionality.
2Manufacturing precision
If a lock mechanism is added to lock the sheet regulation member in regulation posture, then sheet positioning precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The lock mechanism utilizes the sheet bundle's own weight and the gravitational force acting on the feed holder to automatically engage the lock. When the feed holder rotates to the approach position with the sheet bundle, the engagement member automatically locks with the lock portion without requiring additional actuators or complex control systems, thus achieving precise positioning with minimal added complexity.
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 prevents damage to the apparatus and sheet buckling by absorbing excessive forces, maintaining stable sheet feeding operations even under vigorous loading conditions.
Implementation Method 1
the resilient member is elastically deformed if external force in the sheet feeding direction and equal to or more than a predetermined amount is applied to the sheet regulation member
Data Source
AI summary
A sheet feeding apparatus includes a sheet regulation member, a lock portion, and a damper portion. The sheet regulation member is changeable between a regulation posture to regulate a sheet supported on a supporting portion not to enter a separation nip portion and a retracted posture to allow the sheet to enter the separation nip portion. The lock portion locks the sheet regulation member in the regulation posture. In a case where external force equal to or more than a predetermined amount is applied to the sheet regulation member toward the downstream in the sheet feeding direction with the sheet regulation member is locked by the lock portion in the regulation posture, the damper portion allows displacement of the sheet regulation member.