Sheet Conveyance Tensioner With Oblique Rollers for Buckling Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing image recording apparatuses face issues with sheet buckling, inaccurate positioning of side guides, and conveyance defects due to varying sheet widths and conveyance speed, particularly in printers and inkjet recording apparatuses.
Innovation Solution
A conveying apparatus with a tensioner and oblique rollers that apply tension to sheets, guiding them along curved surfaces to reduce buckling, and an interlock mechanism for side guides to ensure accurate positioning and smooth movement, adapting to different sheet widths.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the sheet is conveyed without tension application, then the conveying mechanism is simple, but the sheet buckles and flexes in the width direction
Solution Approach 1:
The tension guide applies tension to the sheet in advance before it reaches the side guides, pre-curving the sheet to match the guide surface contour. This preliminary action prevents buckling when the sheet contacts the side guides by ensuring the sheet is already in the correct curved state.
Solution Approach 2:
The tension guide features a convex arc-shaped guide surface that matches the curvature of the rolled sheet. By guiding the sheet along this curved surface, the sheet maintains a predetermined curvature that prevents buckling and ensures stable contact with the side guides.
2Measurement precision
If the side guides are firmly positioned, then positioning accuracy is improved, but the side guides require greater force to release and are less user-friendly
Solution Approach 1:
The side guides are designed to be movable rather than fixed, allowing them to be easily adjusted by the user. The guides can be positioned firmly when needed for accurate sheet alignment but can also be easily released and repositioned, providing both positioning accuracy and operational ease.
3Ease of operation
If the roller protrudes outward from the guide surface, then the sheet is easier to guide, but the sheet becomes less curved and more likely to buckle
Solution Approach 1:
The tension guide employs a convex arc-shaped guide surface that matches the natural curvature of the rolled sheet. This curved surface guides the sheet while maintaining its curvature, preventing buckling even as the sheet is directed toward the side guides.
4Device complexity
If the sheet width guide pieces have constant distance, then the guide structure is simple, but the guide cannot adapt to different sheet widths
Solution Approach 1:
The side guides are designed as movable components that can be adjusted to different positions. This allows the distance between the guide pieces to be dynamically changed to accommodate sheets of various widths, providing versatility while maintaining a relatively simple overall guide structure.
Data Source
AI summary
A conveying apparatus includes: a conveying unit configured to convey a sheet in a conveyance direction along a conveyance path; a sheet holder arranged upstream in the conveyance direction from the conveying unit to rotate around an axis, the axis extending in a first direction intersecting with the conveyance direction; a tensioner arranged between the sheet holder and the conveying unit in the conveyance path and configured to apply tension to the sheet with the sheet being curved; and a first side guide attached to the tensioner and having a first guide surface, the first guide surface spreading along the conveyance direction and a second direction intersecting with the first direction. The tensioner includes an oblique roller configured to guide the sheet to the first guide surface.