Sheet Processing Apparatus Shift Timing Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional sheet processing apparatuses face failures in loading sheets due to inadequate control over shift operations, leading to issues like curling and misalignment, especially when handling sheets of varying firmness and sizes.
Innovation Solution
A sheet processing apparatus with a control unit that adjusts the timing of shift operations and roller contact/separation based on sheet information, ensuring proper alignment and firmness during conveyance, using a combination of ejection rollers and shift rollers to manage sheet positioning on a loading tray.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the shift operation is controlled in the same way regardless of sheet type, then the control system is simple, but loading failures occur for sheets without enough firmness
Solution Approach 1:
The control system dynamically adjusts the shift operation timing and roller contact/separation timing based on sheet information (firmness, size, weight). This makes the previously static control system adaptive to different sheet types, resolving the contradiction between simplicity and reliability by implementing conditional logic that maintains simplicity for common cases while handling special cases appropriately.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes operational parameters (shift timing, roller contact timing, roller separation timing) based on sheet characteristics. By adjusting these parameters according to sheet firmness, size, and weight, the system maintains reliable loading across different sheet types without requiring a completely complex control architecture.
2Ease of operation
If the pair of paper ejection rollers are separated during shift operation, then the shift operation can be performed, but the paper sheet leading end side is not held and hangs down causing curling
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by causing the pair of paper ejection rollers to contact each other before the shift operation begins. This preliminary contact establishes support for the sheet leading end before any shifting occurs, preventing the hanging down and curling problem while still allowing the shift operation to proceed.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies preliminary anti-action by having the ejection rollers contact the sheet leading end before the shift operation. This preemptive support counteracts the gravitational force that would otherwise cause the leading end to hang down and curl during the shift operation.
3Strength
If the paper sheet leading end side is held by the pair of ejection rollers during conveyance, then firmness is provided, but the sheet may not be properly shifted to different positions
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically controls the contact and separation of the ejection rollers based on the operational phase. During the shift operation, the rollers separate to allow proper shifting. During conveyance after shifting, the rollers contact to provide firmness. This dynamic timing control resolves the contradiction between providing firmness and enabling accurate positioning.
Data Source
AI summary
A sheet processing apparatus includes: a loading tray on which a sheet is loaded; a pair of ejection rollers that eject the sheet to the loading tray and in which a pair or roller members are configured to be able to contact with and separate from each other; a pair of shift rollers that is provided upstream of the pair of ejection rollers in a sheet conveyance direction, are movable in a sheet width direction that is a direction perpendicular to the sheet conveyance direction, convey the sheet towards the loading tray, and performs a shift operation of shifting the sheet to a different position in the sheet width direction; and a control unit that performs control to change, based on sheet information, a shift operation timing of the sheet by the pair of shift rollers and a contacting and separating timing of the pair of ejection rollers.