Sheet Feeding Apparatus Stopper Mechanism for Multi-Feeding Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional sheet feeding apparatuses and document reading systems often experience multi-feeding issues due to inversely aligned states of document bundles, particularly with folded documents, leading to inefficient feeding performance.
Innovation Solution
A sheet feeding apparatus with a conveying path between upper and lower units, featuring a partially exposed feed roller, a separation member, a stopper, and a control unit that rotates the feed roller and opens the stopper to prevent inversely aligned states and improve feeding precision.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the feed roller is partially exposed from the upper surface of the conveying path to ensure gripping of documents with folds, then the reliability of document feeding is improved, but the inversely aligned state occurs causing multi-feeding
Solution Approach 1:
The stopper is positioned in advance to abut against the leading end of the document before it enters the conveying path. This preliminary action prevents the document from approaching the feed roller in an inversely aligned state, eliminating multi-feeding while preserving the partially exposed feed roller configuration for reliable gripping of folded documents
2Object-generated harmful factors
If a movable guide is used to prevent leading ends of documents from contacting the feed roller, then the inversely aligned state is prevented, but folded documents such as four-folded documents still abut against the feed roller causing the problem
Solution Approach 1:
The stopper serves as an intermediary element positioned between the document bundle and the feed roller. It abuts against the leading end of the document to prevent contact with the feed roller, while its specific positioning and movement mechanism ensure that even folded documents are properly guided without causing inversely aligned states
3Object-generated harmful factors
If the stopper is moved to intersect with the exposed surface of the feed roller in closed state, then the inversely aligned state is prevented, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The stopper mechanism is merged with the existing feed roller assembly structure. The stopper is integrated into the feed roller unit and moves in coordination with the feed roller's rotation, reducing the need for separate complex control mechanisms while effectively preventing inversely aligned states
Data Source
AI summary
A sheet feeding apparatus comprises a conveying path formed between an upper and a lower units facing each other; a feed roller which feeds a sheet by a portion partially exposed from an upper surface of the lower unit to the conveying path; a separation member disposed to oppose the feed roller; a stopper which stops entrance of the sheet into the conveying path by abutting against a sheet end in a closed state in which the stopper is moved in a direction to intersect with an exposed surface of the feed roller; a driving unit which drives at least the feed roller and the stopper; and a control unit which controls the driving unit to rotate the feed roller through a predetermined angle in a sheet feeding direction and to then open the stopper when feeding of the sheet is started from the closed state of the stopper.