Sheet Folding Apparatus Speed Control for Jamming Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sheet folding apparatuses face challenges in efficiently folding sheets of varying lengths without causing jamming, particularly when the sheets are longer than a reference length, which can lead to deviations in folding quality and increased risk of jamming.
Innovation Solution
The sheet folding apparatus incorporates a conveyance member and a registration member that can adjust their speed to either match or exceed the ejection speed of the upstream apparatus, along with a pair of rollers capable of forward and reverse rotation at two speed stages, to determine and adapt to sheet lengths by performing first-speed or second-speed folding based on the sheet's length relative to a reference length.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the conveyance member and registration member rotate at the first speed (lower than ejection speed), then folding quality is improved for shorter sheets, but sheet jamming occurs for longer sheets
Solution Approach 1:
The conveyance member and registration member dynamically adjust their rotation speed between first speed (lower than ejection speed) and second speed (substantially the same as or higher than ejection speed) based on the detected sheet length. This dynamic speed adjustment allows the system to optimize folding quality for shorter sheets while preventing jamming for longer sheets, resolving the contradiction between folding precision and operational reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the operational parameter (rotation speed) of the conveyance member and registration member based on the sheet length parameter. By detecting whether the sheet length exceeds a reference length and accordingly selecting between two speed modes, the system adapts its parameters to prevent both poor folding quality and sheet jamming across different sheet lengths.
2Reliability
If the conveyance member and registration member rotate at the second speed (substantially the same as or higher than ejection speed), then sheet jamming is prevented for longer sheets, but folding quality deteriorates for shorter sheets
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs dynamic speed adjustment where the conveyance member and registration member switch between second speed (for jamming prevention) and first speed (for folding quality) based on real-time sheet length detection. This dynamic adaptation resolves the contradiction by applying the appropriate speed regime to the appropriate sheet type.
Solution Approach 2:
The operational parameter (rotation speed) is changed based on the sheet length condition. When sheet length exceeds the reference length, the system switches to second speed to prevent jamming; when sheets are shorter, it switches to first speed to ensure folding quality, thereby optimizing parameters for different operational conditions.
3Device complexity
If a single fixed rotation speed is used for all sheets, then device complexity is reduced, but both folding quality and jamming prevention cannot be optimized for varying sheet lengths
Solution Approach 1:
Rather than using a single fixed speed, the system implements a dynamic speed control mechanism that automatically adjusts between two discrete speeds based on sheet length detection. This dynamic approach maintains relatively simple device architecture while achieving optimized folding quality and jamming prevention across varying sheet lengths.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the rotation speed parameter based on the detected sheet length, switching between first speed and second speed regimes. This parameter adaptation allows the system to maintain good folding quality and prevent jamming without requiring complex continuous speed control, balancing device simplicity with performance optimization.
Data Source
AI summary
A sheet folding apparatus includes a conveyance member to convey a sheet from an ejection member at a first speed lower than a conveyance speed by the ejection member or a second speed substantially same as or higher than the conveyance speed; a registration member; a pair of first and second rollers to rotate in forward and reverse directions; a plurality of folding rollers downstream from the second roller, to rotate in forward and reverse directions to fold the sheet; and circuitry to determine whether the sheet is equal to or smaller than a reference length from an exit position from the ejection member to a folding start position downstream from the pair of the first and second rollers. The circuitry performs first-speed folding when the sheet is equal to or smaller than the reference length and performs second-speed folding when the sheet is longer than the reference length.