Single-Sensor Sheet Transport for Sheet and Switching-Nail Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sheet transport devices require multiple sensors to detect the presence of recording sheets and the position of switching nails, leading to increased manufacturing costs and complexity.
Innovation Solution
A sheet transport device utilizing a single rotational position sensor to detect both the presence of recording sheets and the position of switching nails, employing a mechanism with a lever, cam, and rotary members to switch transport directions, reducing the need for additional sensors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If multiple sensors are used to detect sheet presence and switching nail position, then detection accuracy is improved, but manufacturing cost and device complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple detection functions into a single sensor system. The rotational position sensor simultaneously detects both the presence of recording sheets and the position of switching nails by monitoring the rotational state of the delivery roller, thereby reducing the total number of sensors required while maintaining detection accuracy
Solution Approach 2:
The single rotational position sensor performs multiple functions: it detects sheet presence, determines sheet transport direction, and identifies switching nail positions. This multi-functional approach eliminates the need for separate sensors for each detection task, simplifying the overall device structure
2Reliability
If multiple sensors are used to detect sheet presence and switching nail position, then detection reliability is improved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple detection functions into a single sensor system. The rotational position sensor simultaneously detects both the presence of recording sheets and the position of switching nails, thereby reducing the total number of sensors required while maintaining detection reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The single rotational position sensor performs multiple functions: it detects sheet presence, determines sheet transport direction, and identifies switching nail positions. This multi-functional approach eliminates the need for separate sensors for each detection task, reducing manufacturing costs
3Device complexity
If a single sensor is used to detect both sheet presence and nail position, then device complexity is reduced, but detection precision may deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary mechanical structure (the delivery roller with attached switching nails) that translates multiple detection targets into a single rotational position signal. The roller's rotation brings different elements (sheets and nails) past the sensor at different times, allowing the single sensor to distinguish between them through temporal separation
Solution Approach 2:
The detection process is segmented into distinct temporal phases: sheet presence detection occurs when the sheet contacts the delivery roller, while switching nail position detection occurs when specific nails pass by the sensor during roller rotation. This temporal segmentation allows a single sensor to accurately distinguish between different detection targets
Data Source
AI summary
A sheet transport device includes a first transport route, a roller, a second transport route, a switching nail, a lever, a sheet detection piece, a cam, an intermediate rotary member, a rotary member, a sensor, a driver, and a controller. The controller controls the driver to switch the switching nail between a first transport position and a second transport position, decides that the sheet is transported through first transport route, when the sheet detection piece retreats contacted by the sheet on the first transport route, with the switching nail being set to the first transport position, and the sensor detects that the rotary member is in the second posture, and decides that the switching nail has been switched from the first transport position to the second transport position, when the sensor detects that the rotary member is in the second posture, after the sheet has passed the sheet detection piece.