Sheet Stacking Regulating Member Switching Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sheet stacking apparatuses face challenges in efficiently regulating sheet edges due to complex structures and high operational loads, particularly when trying to prevent tilting and ensure accurate positioning of side guide portions, which often results in a cumbersome and labor-intensive process.
Innovation Solution
A movable regulating member with a switching device that allows the side guide portions to be switched between a changeable and fixed state, integrated into a sheet stacking apparatus, enabling easy adjustment and locking without requiring simultaneous force application in multiple directions, thus simplifying the operation and reducing component size and load.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If the side guide portion is lengthened upward to stack a large number of sheets, then the stacking capacity is improved, but the load when operating the side guide portion becomes large and the structure becomes complicated
Solution Approach 1:
The side guide portion is divided into an upper side guide portion and a lower side guide portion, each capable of independent movement. This segmentation allows each portion to be smaller and lighter, reducing the overall operational load while maintaining the ability to stack a large number of sheets vertically.
Solution Approach 2:
The side guide portions are designed to be movable rather than fixed. The upper and lower side guide portions can independently move along the width direction, allowing the system to adapt to different sheet sizes and stacking configurations without requiring a rigid, complex structure.
2Stability of the object's composition
If multiple slide shafts are provided at upper and lower portions to avoid tilting, then the stability is improved, but the device complexity and operational load increase
Solution Approach 1:
The side guide portion is segmented into upper and lower portions that can move independently. Each portion has its own support structure, eliminating the need for multiple slide shafts at both upper and lower portions while maintaining stability through the segmented design.
Solution Approach 2:
The tilting prevention function is extracted from the slide shaft system. Instead of using multiple slide shafts to prevent tilting, the invention uses the segmented structure with independent upper and lower side guide portions, each supported by its own shaft, which inherently prevents tilting without requiring additional reinforcement components.
3Strength
If the side guide portion thickness is increased in the moving direction to avoid tilting, then the strength is improved, but the device complexity and operational load increase
Solution Approach 1:
The side guide portion is divided into upper and lower segments that can move independently. This segmentation allows each segment to have reduced thickness compared to a single monolithic structure, as the load is distributed across multiple independent moving parts rather than requiring increased thickness in a single component.
4Reliability
If a push-in mechanism is provided as a lock forgetting prevention mechanism, then the reliability is improved, but the ease of operation deteriorates due to simultaneous force application requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The locking mechanism is designed to automatically engage when the upper and lower side guide portions are in their respective positions. The lock switching member dynamically responds to the movement of the side guide portions, automatically locking them in place without requiring the operator to simultaneously apply force in multiple directions, thus improving ease of operation while maintaining reliability.
Data Source
AI summary
A storage to store a sheet to be conveyed by a conveyance unit includes a regulating member to regulate a sheet edge in the storage and a switching device to switch a regulating member state to a first state where a regulating member position is changeable and to a second state where the position is fixed. The storage is to be held by a main body of a sheet stacking apparatus and is moveable to a closed and to a pullout position. The regulating member state is switched to the first or second state by an operator operating the switching device when the storage is in the pullout position. When the storage is pushed from the pullout position into the closed position while the regulating member state is the first state, the regulating member state is switched from the first state to the second state by the main body.