Sheet Feeding Device With Upper Warm Air Blowing Unit
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional sheet feeding devices employing lateral warm air assistance struggle to effectively loosen sheets with strong inter-sheet sticking forces, particularly in smaller devices, due to limited reach of warm air and high energy requirements.
Innovation Solution
A sheet feeding device with a first warm air unit that blows warm air onto the upper face of the sheet stack, combined with an optional lateral warm air unit, to reduce moisture absorption and inter-sheet sticking, utilizing a temperature control unit to manage internal temperatures for efficient loosening.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-generated harmful factors
If lateral warm air assistance is used to loosen sheet stacks, then sheet sticking force is reduced, but device size and energy consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the direction of warm air blowing from lateral (horizontal) to upper (vertical) direction. The upper warm air blowing unit blows warm air onto the upper face of the sheet stack, utilizing the vertical dimension to achieve sheet loosening. This dimensional change allows the device to be more compact while maintaining effective loosening capability, as the warm air can penetrate the sheet stack from above without requiring a large horizontal space.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies warm air blowing locally to the upper face of the sheet stack rather than using a large-scale lateral system. The upper warm air blowing unit is positioned to blow warm air onto the upper face and outer periphery of the sheet stack, concentrating the loosening action on the critical areas where sheets stick together due to moisture absorption. This local application reduces the overall device size while maintaining effectiveness.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If lateral warm air assistance is used to loosen sheet stacks, then sheet sticking force is reduced, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the direction of warm air blowing from lateral (horizontal) to upper (vertical) direction. The upper warm air blowing unit blows warm air onto the upper face of the sheet stack, utilizing the vertical dimension to achieve sheet loosening. This dimensional change allows the device to be more compact while maintaining effective loosening capability, as the warm air can penetrate the sheet stack from above without requiring a large horizontal space.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies warm air blowing locally to the upper face of the sheet stack rather than using a large-scale lateral system. The upper warm air blowing unit is positioned to blow warm air onto the upper face and outer periphery of the sheet stack, concentrating the loosening action on the critical areas where sheets stick together due to moisture absorption. This local application reduces the overall device size while maintaining effectiveness.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If warm air is blown onto side faces of sheet stack, then moisture absorption is reduced, but warm air cannot reach remote regions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the direction of warm air blowing from lateral (horizontal) to upper (vertical) direction. The upper warm air blowing unit blows warm air onto the upper face of the sheet stack, utilizing the vertical dimension to achieve sheet loosening. This dimensional change allows the device to be more compact while maintaining effective loosening capability, as the warm air can penetrate the sheet stack from above without requiring a large horizontal space.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the sheet stack into different regions (upper face, outer periphery, and inner regions) and applies warm air blowing to address each region's moisture absorption issue. The upper warm air blowing unit targets the upper face and outer periphery where moisture absorption is most severe, allowing the warm air to reach remote regions of the sheet stack that would be inaccessible from lateral blowing alone.
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 enables efficient loosening of sheet stacks with reduced energy consumption and device size, effectively addressing the challenge of multi-feeding in smaller sheet feeding devices by concentrating warm air on the upper face and side faces of the sheet stack.
Implementation Method 1
the upper face and side faces of the sheet stack swell due to moisture absorption
Implementation Method 2
blowing warm air onto the upper face of the sheet stack... to reduce moisture absorption
Data Source
AI summary
A sheet feeding device for feeding a sheet-form recording medium includes: a sheet accommodating portion for accommodating a sheet stack constituted by a plurality of sheets of the sheet-form recording medium; and a first warm air unit having a first blowing port for blowing warm air toward an upper face of the sheet stack accommodated in the sheet accommodating portion. The sheet feeding device preferably further includes a second warm air unit having a second blowing port for blowing warm air onto a side face of the sheet stack that is parallel to a sheet feeding direction.