Sheet Feeding Apparatus with Integrated Pickup Roller and Regulator
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sheet feeding apparatuses are cumbersome and costly due to complex driving mechanisms for leading end regulation and pickup roller motion, leading to issues with feeding thin or curled sheets, where the leading ends may be folded or rolled into the regulating mechanism, disrupting paper feeding.
Innovation Solution
A simplified sheet feeding apparatus design where a leading end regulating member moves between a regulating position and a retreat position, allowing the pickup roller to contact or depart from sheets, eliminating the need for separate lifting and lowering drive mechanisms, and integrating the regulating member with the roller holding mechanism to reduce size and parts, ensuring smooth feeding of various sheet types.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If individual driving means or mechanisms are used for moving the leading end regulating means and driving the pickup roller, then the leading ends of originals can be regulated and sheets can be fed, but the apparatus size increases and cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the leading end regulating means and pickup roller driving means into a single integrated structure. The pickup roller serves dual functions: it acts as both the sheet feeding roller and the driving mechanism for the leading end regulating means. When the pickup roller rotates, it directly drives the leading end regulating means to swing between its regulating position and retracted position through mechanical coupling, eliminating the need for separate driving motors and control mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The pickup roller is designed as a multi-functional component that simultaneously performs sheet feeding and drives the leading end regulation mechanism. This universal component approach reduces the total number of parts while maintaining both functions' effectiveness.
2Productivity
If the leading end regulating means is pushed away upward to release regulation, then sheets can be fed forward, but curled leading ends may be rolled into the regulating means and paper feeding may be disturbed
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of pushing the leading end regulating means upward to release regulation, the patent makes it swing downward and forward to a retracted position. This inverted motion direction prevents curled sheet leading ends from being trapped or rolled into the regulating means, as the regulation component moves away from the sheet path in a direction that avoids interference with curled edges.
Solution Approach 2:
The leading end regulating means swings to the retracted position before the sheet is fully fed, preliminarily clearing the path for smooth sheet advancement. This preliminary retraction action ensures that curled leading ends pass through without obstruction before the sheet body enters the feeding area.
3Reliability
If the pickup roller is held away from sheets at regulating position, then leading ends can be regulated, but the structure becomes more complex with separate lifting and lowering mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the roller positioning function into the leading end regulation mechanism itself. The pickup roller is positioned on a support that is driven by the same mechanism that swings the leading end regulating means, so that when the regulation means swings to its retracted position, the roller automatically descends to contact the sheets, and when the regulation means is in position, the roller is held away. This eliminates separate lifting and lowering drive mechanisms.
Data Source
AI summary
A sheet feeding apparatus including a feeder for feeding sheets stacked up in a sheet stock unit, a leading end regulator for regulating the leading ends in a feeding direction of sheets stacked up in the sheet stock unit, and a driver for moving the leading and regulating member. The feeder unit is free to contact with or depart from the sheets, the leading end regulator is movable in a sheet feeding route between a regulating position for regulating the leading ends of sheets, and a retreat position for releasing the leading end of the sheets from regulation by moving away from the sheet feeding route, and the leading end regulator contacts with and supports the lower end of the feeding unit holding the feeding unit at a position apart from the sheets when the leading end and regulator is at the regulating position, and brings the feeding unit into contact with the sheets releasing the support to the feeder without contacting with the lower end thereof when the leading end regulator is at the retreat position.