Sheet Stacking Apparatus Dynamic Tray Adjustment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sheet stacking apparatuses experience stack misalignment due to the reduction in landing reaction force and sliding resistance as the stacking height increases, leading to uneven sheet alignment and transportation issues.
Innovation Solution
A sheet stacking apparatus equipped with a sheet discharge portion, an abutment member, a sheet stacking height detecting sensor, a transporting portion that can raise and lower, and a control system to adjust the transporting portion's position based on detected stacking height and amount, ensuring proper alignment and preventing misalignment by maintaining contact pressure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If the stacking amount of sheets increases, then the stacking height increases, but the contact pressure between the transporting portion and the sheet decreases leading to stack misalignment
Solution Approach 1:
The transporting portion is made movable in the sheet stacking height direction, allowing its position to be dynamically adjusted according to the stacking amount. As sheets are stacked and the stacking height increases, the transporting portion automatically lowers to maintain a constant relative position and contact pressure with the sheet, preventing stack misalignment while accommodating increasing stacking quantities.
2Quantity of substance
If the stacking amount of sheets increases, then the stacking height increases, but the sheet alignment precision deteriorates due to reduced braking forces
Solution Approach 1:
The transporting portion dynamically adjusts its position in the stacking height direction to compensate for changes in braking forces. By lowering as stacking amount increases, it maintains optimal contact pressure for sheet return motion along the inclined surface, ensuring consistent alignment precision regardless of stacking quantity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses a stacking amount detecting portion to monitor the number of stacked sheets and provides feedback to the control portion, which then adjusts the transporting portion's position accordingly. This closed-loop feedback mechanism ensures that alignment precision is maintained by compensating for the reduced braking forces that occur as stacking height increases.
3Quantity of substance
If the stacking height increases, then more sheets can be stored, but the transporting portion cannot effectively transport sheets due to decreased contact pressure
Solution Approach 1:
The transporting portion is designed to move vertically in response to stacking height changes. This dynamic adjustment ensures that even as stacking capacity increases and the tray lowers, the transporting portion maintains effective contact with sheets for reliable transportation, preventing slippage and ensuring consistent transport efficiency throughout the stacking process.
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 effectively prevents stack misalignment by maintaining contact pressure and adjusting the transporting portion's position, ensuring consistent sheet alignment and transportation efficiency as the stacking height increases.
Implementation Method 1
a sheet stacking height detecting sensor configured to detect a top surface position on the abutment member side of the sheet, which is stacked on the stacking tray, in a sheet stacking height direction
Implementation Method 2
the pressure of contact between the transporting portion and the sheet may decrease. Accordingly, the transporting portion cannot transport the sheet
Implementation Method 3
the sheet does not sufficiently return along the inclined surface due to the self-weight of the sheet
Implementation Method 4
The discharged sheet is subjected to a reaction force generated when the downstream edge thereof lands on the inclined stacking surface of the stacking tray 1137
Data Source
AI summary
A finisher includes: a bundle discharge roller pair; a sheet stacking portion which has a lower stacking tray, an abutment member on which a sheet is abuttable, and a sheet stacking height detecting sensor detecting a height of the sheets on the abutment member side, the sheet stacking portion configured to stack the sheet while lowering the lower stacking tray in accordance with a detection result; tray paddles coming into contact with the discharged sheet in a direction from a top of the sheet, to bring the sheet into abutment on the abutment member; a stacking amount detecting portion detecting a stacking amount of the stacked sheet, and a finisher control portion performing control of reducing a relative distance between the tray paddles and the sheet stacked on the lower stacking tray at the time of transporting of the sheet along with increase in the stacking amount of the sheet.