Sheet Separation Using Ultrasonic Vibration and Air Blow-off
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional separation/extraction apparatuses face challenges in accurately extracting sheets of paper or paper-like medium from a pile, particularly when the sheets are in close contact and adhere to each other, and struggle with soft or electrostatically charged sheets, leading to reduced effectiveness in all-round handling.
Innovation Solution
A separation/extraction apparatus comprising a support base, sensor, vibrating part with ultrasonic vibration, pressing mechanism, extraction mechanism, guide, separation part, and air blow-off part, which collectively reduce adhesion and friction forces between sheets, allowing for precise extraction and prevention of duplicate extraction by combining ultrasonic vibration and air blow-off techniques.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If ultrasonic vibration is applied to reduce adhesion force between sheets, then extraction accuracy is improved, but the effect is reduced when sheets are soft and feeble
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines ultrasonic vibration with air blow-off to create a composite separation system. The air blow-off mechanism supplements the ultrasonic vibration effect, particularly for soft sheets where vibration alone is insufficient. This merging of two different physical mechanisms (mechanical vibration and pneumatic force) resolves the limitation of handling soft and electrostatically charged sheets.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses a composite approach by integrating two different physical fields (ultrasonic mechanical vibration and pneumatic air flow) into a single separation system. This composite mechanism allows the system to handle various sheet conditions (stiff, soft, electrostatically charged) that cannot be effectively managed by a single method alone.
2Device complexity
If conventional separation methods are used, then simple structure is maintained, but duplicate extraction occurs when sheets adhere strongly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies ultrasonic vibration to the pile of sheets before extraction to reduce adhesion forces between sheets. This mechanical vibration mechanism prevents duplicate extraction by ensuring that only the top sheet is separated, thereby improving extraction reliability without significantly complicating the overall system structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces an air blow-off mechanism that uses pneumatic force to assist in separating sheets. This pneumatic approach works complementarily with ultrasonic vibration to prevent duplicate extraction, particularly effective for sheets with strong adhesion or electrostatic charges, while maintaining relatively simple device structure.
3Device complexity
If only ultrasonic vibration is used for separation, then device structure is simple, but electrostatically charged sheets cannot be separated effectively
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges ultrasonic vibration with air blow-off to create a dual-mechanism separation system. The air blow-off component specifically addresses the limitation of handling electrostatically charged sheets, as the pneumatic force can overcome electrostatic adhesion that ultrasonic vibration alone cannot resolve. This combination maintains reasonable structural simplicity while significantly improving adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The air blow-off acts as an intermediary mechanism that mediates the separation process for electrostatically charged sheets. By introducing air flow between the sheets, it provides an additional force mechanism that complements ultrasonic vibration, enabling effective separation of sheets that would otherwise adhere due to electrostatic charges.
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 apparatus effectively reduces adhesion and friction forces, enabling stable and accurate extraction of sheets regardless of their stiffness or electrostatic charge, ensuring efficient handling of various sheet states without duplicate extraction.
Implementation Method 1
a vibrating part having a contact end which is vibrated and is in contact with the uppermost surface at a first contact position, which apply ultrasonic vibration to the pile of sheets
Implementation Method 2
an air blow-off part configured to blow air onto the pile of sheets
Data Source
AI summary
In an apparatus, a pile of sheets is mounted on a support base, and is brought into contact with a guide. A high-frequency vibration is applied to the sheets from a vibrating part which is pressed to the pile. A sheet on the uppermost surface of the pile is transferred by a feed roller. The guide has a guide end defining a guide entrance between the guide end and the feed roller, through which the sheets is passed. The guide end is arranged substantially in a virtual plane including a contact position at which the vibrating part is in contact with the uppermost surface of the pile, and substantially parallel with the sheets. A separation section for separating sheets from each other is arranged behind the entrance, and an air blow-off section for blowing air into the side of the pile is provided in the vicinity of the entrance.