Skew Feed Correction Shutter with Reduced Inertia
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional skew feed correcting mechanisms in image forming apparatuses require excessive time for the shutter member to return to its home position, leading to unreliable skew feed correction and reduced productivity due to increased moment of inertia and collision-induced bound times.
Innovation Solution
A sheet skew feed correcting apparatus with a shutter portion supported by two holders in the width direction, featuring a coupling portion closer to the center of rotation than the outer peripheral surface of the driven rotation members, reducing the moment of inertia and enhancing the speed of the shutter's return to its home position.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the shutter member is pivotally mounted on the driven roller shaft so as to partly cover the driven roller, then the shutter member can perform skew feed correction, but the distance between the shutter member and the driven roller shaft becomes longer than the diameter of the driven roller, increasing the moment of inertia and requiring more time to return to the home position
Solution Approach 1:
The shutter member is divided into multiple independent shutter blades (first shutter blade, second shutter blade, etc.) that can move independently or in coordination. This segmentation reduces the moment of inertia of each individual blade compared to a single large shutter member, enabling faster return to the home position while maintaining effective skew feed correction coverage.
Solution Approach 2:
The shutter blades are arranged in the width direction of the sheet (transverse to the conveying direction) rather than only in the conveying direction. This dimensional arrangement allows the shutter to correct skew feed effectively while reducing the rotational inertia about the pivot axis, as the mass is distributed closer to the pivot point in the width direction.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the shutter member is positioned farther from the driven roller shaft to cover more of the roller, then the skew feed correction coverage is improved, but the moment of inertia increases, causing more bounds and longer return time
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple smaller shutter blades replace a single large shutter member. Each blade has reduced moment of inertia, allowing faster return motion. The collective coverage of multiple blades maintains the necessary skew feed correction capability while enabling higher throughput by reducing bound time.
Solution Approach 2:
The moment of inertia parameter is reduced by changing the mass distribution of the shutter member - either by using multiple smaller blades with mass closer to the pivot axis, or by optimizing the blade geometry and material density. This parameter change enables faster return motion without sacrificing correction coverage.
3Stability of the object's composition
If a long supporting shaft is used to support the shutter member, then the shutter member can be properly positioned and supported, but the moment of inertia increases, requiring more time for the shutter to return to its home position
Solution Approach 1:
The shutter member is segmented into multiple blades that can be supported by shorter, more compact support structures. Each blade's support shaft can be shorter than what would be required for a single large shutter member, reducing the overall moment of inertia while maintaining stable support and positioning.
Solution Approach 2:
The support structure transitions from a long linear shaft to a more compact, possibly curved or offset arrangement that provides stable support with shorter lever arms. This reduces the moment of inertia about the pivot axis while maintaining the necessary structural stability for accurate shutter positioning.
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
This configuration reduces the return time and bound time of the shutter member, ensuring reliable skew feed correction and improving the productivity of image forming apparatuses by minimizing the moment of inertia and eliminating the need for a long supporting shaft.
Implementation Method 1
the shutter member 95 has an increased moment of inertia, which increases the number of bounds, requiring more time to completely return to the home position
Data Source
AI summary
A sheet skew feed correcting apparatus is provided which includes: a driving rotation member that is driven to rotate; a first driven rotation member that is pressure contacted against the driving rotation member; a first holder rotatably holding the first driven rotation member; a second driven rotation member that is pressure contacted against the driving rotation member; a second holder rotatably holding the second driven rotation member; and a shutter portion with which a leading end of a sheet comes into contact for skew feed correction, the shutter portion moving pivotally with one end portion thereof supported by the first holder and another end portion thereof supported by the second holder; wherein the shutter portion has abutting portions with which the leading end comes into contact, and a coupling portion extending so as to couple the abutting portions together between the first and the second driven rotation members.