Stacking Tray Control for Inkjet Sheet Weight and Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing recording systems fail to adequately handle the weight of sheets after discharge, leading to poor sheet alignment and potential damage to the raising and lowering mechanism due to increased load from ink weight, especially in inkjet printers.
Innovation Solution
A recording system that includes a control unit to estimate the weight of sheets based on ink ejection and paper properties, controlling the raising and lowering operation of the stacking tray to maintain alignment and prevent excessive loading.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the sheaf of sheets is discharged onto the stack tray without weight consideration, then the discharge process is simple, but the sheet alignment property deteriorates and the movable stack tray cannot be normally controlled
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary estimation of the sheaf weight before discharge by calculating the number of sheets stacked on the processing tray. Based on this preliminary information, the control unit pre-adjusts the conveying force and raising/lowering operations to appropriate levels, ensuring proper alignment and control without requiring complex real-time weight sensing mechanisms.
2Reliability
If the conveying force per unit time is increased for heavy sheaves, then the discharge reliability is improved, but the sheet alignment property deteriorates due to excessive force
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit dynamically adjusts the conveying force parameter based on the estimated sheaf weight (number of sheets). For heavier sheaves, the conveying force per unit time is increased to ensure reliable discharge, while for lighter sheaves, the force is reduced to maintain proper sheet alignment. This parameter adaptation resolves the contradiction between discharge reliability and alignment quality.
3Productivity
If more sheets are stacked on the stacking tray, then the productivity is improved, but the weight of the medium increases causing alignment deterioration and mechanism damage risk
Solution Approach 1:
The estimation unit continuously monitors the number of sheets stacked on the stacking tray and provides feedback to the control unit. When the estimated weight reaches a threshold that may cause alignment deterioration or mechanism damage, the control unit adjusts the raising and lowering operations or limits further stacking. This feedback mechanism enables the system to maintain high productivity while preventing alignment deterioration and protecting the mechanism.
4Speed
If the raising and lowering operation is performed continuously without weight adjustment, then the operation speed is maintained, but the mechanism is at risk of damage due to excessive load
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit dynamically adjusts the raising and lowering operations based on the estimated weight of the stacked medium. When the load is heavy, the operation speed is reduced or the operation is temporarily suspended to prevent mechanism damage. When the load is light, normal operating speed is maintained. This dynamic adaptation allows the system to maintain high productivity under normal conditions while protecting the mechanism under heavy load conditions.
Data Source
AI summary
A recording system 1 includes a first discharge portion that discharges medium recorded on by ejecting ink, a stacking tray configured to have stacked thereon the medium P discharged by the first discharge portion, a raising and lowering mechanism 78 configured to raise and lower the stacking tray, a control unit 25 that controls the raising and lowering mechanism 78, and an estimation unit 51 configured to estimate weight of the medium P loaded on the stacking tray, wherein the control unit 25 controls the raising and lowering operation of the stacking tray based on the weight of the medium estimated by the estimation unit 51.