Sheet Feeding Optical Detection to Prevent False Restarts
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sheet feeding apparatuses face issues with extended feeding times due to the inability to detect the presence of multiple sheets between the feed and separation rollers, leading to unnecessary non-contact states of the pickup roller and subsequent restarts.
Innovation Solution
Incorporation of a sheet detection unit using sensors to detect the presence or absence of sheets between the feed and separation rollers, allowing immediate detection before feeding, ensuring the pickup roller is in the correct contact state.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the separation roller is not turned around due to decreased friction coefficient, then it is determined that the following sheet has entered between the feed roller and the separation roller, but the following sheet has not actually entered, causing the pickup roller to be in non-contact state and requiring feeding restart
Solution Approach 1:
A light emitter and light receiver are introduced as intermediary detection means to accurately detect the presence or absence of a sheet between the feed roller and separation roller. The light emitter emits light toward the conveyance path, and the light receiver detects the light, enabling precise sheet detection without relying on separation roller rotation state, thus avoiding false determination and unnecessary feeding restarts
Solution Approach 2:
The mechanical detection method based on separation roller rotation is replaced with an optical detection system using light emitter and light receiver. This substitution eliminates the reliability issue of mechanical detection caused by decreased friction coefficient, providing accurate sheet presence detection and preventing false determination that would lead to feeding operation restarts
2Reliability
If the pickup roller is held in non-contact state when separation roller is not rotating, then multi-feeding and jamming are suppressed, but feeding time is extended due to necessary restart when false determination occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The light emitter and light receiver serve as intermediary detection devices to accurately determine sheet presence between the feed roller and separation roller. This accurate detection enables appropriate pickup roller control - maintaining non-contact state only when truly needed - thereby preventing multi-feeding and jamming while avoiding unnecessary feeding restarts, thus improving both reliability and productivity
Solution Approach 2:
The light receiver provides real-time feedback on sheet presence between the feed roller and separation roller. This feedback information is used to control the pickup roller contact state accurately, ensuring the pickup roller is held in non-contact state only when a sheet is actually present, thereby preventing multi-feeding while maintaining high feeding speed by avoiding unnecessary restarts
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 solution prevents unnecessary restarts and reduces the overall time required to complete the feeding process by ensuring the pickup roller is correctly positioned for each sheet, enhancing feeding efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a sheet detection unit configured to emit light and detect presence or absence of a sheet between the feeding unit and the separation unit
Data Source
AI summary
A sheet feeding apparatus includes a sheet loading tray configured to be loaded with a sheet, an intake unit configured to take in the sheet loaded in the sheet loading tray to an apparatus body, a feeding unit configured to feed the sheet taken in by the intake unit, a separation unit configured to contact the feeding unit and separate a sheet to be fed from a plurality of sheets, and a sheet detection unit configured to emit light and detect presence or absence of a sheet between the feeding unit and the separation unit.