Stiffening Roller Conveyance Force Control for Sheet Corrugation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional sheet conveying devices in image forming apparatuses face issues such as reduced stacking quality, rear end remaining, and abnormal sounds due to corrugation when conveying sheets to curved paths, primarily caused by the use of stiffening rollers that apply uneven conveying forces.
Innovation Solution
A sheet conveying device with a configuration that includes both first and second stiffening rollers, where the first stiffening roller applies a conveying force and the second stiffening roller applies a reduced or no force, ensuring a simple and low-cost structure that maintains sheet stacking quality and reduces corrugation amplitude, thereby minimizing abnormal sounds during sheet conveyance to curved paths.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If stiffening rollers with larger diameters are disposed coaxially with conveyance rollers to prevent rear end remaining and improve stacking quality, then stacking quality is improved, but abnormal sounds occur due to corrugation when sheets are conveyed to curved paths
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the operational parameters of the stiffening rollers by controlling their rotation speeds to be different from the conveyance rollers. This parameter change allows the stiffening rollers to reduce corrugation amplitude and prevent abnormal sounds while maintaining their function of improving stacking quality through controlled sheet stiffening
Solution Approach 2:
The invention makes the rotation speed of stiffening rollers dynamic and independent from the conveyance rollers. By allowing different rotation speeds, the system can adapt to different conveying conditions and sheet types, optimizing both stacking quality and abnormal sound prevention in real-time
2Reliability
If stiffening rollers are disposed coaxially with conveyance rollers to prevent leading end from being weighed down, then rear end remaining is prevented, but the structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The stiffening rollers are designed to serve multiple functions: they stiffen the sheet to prevent leading end weighing down, prevent rear end remaining, and reduce corrugation. By making these rollers multi-functional, the invention avoids needing separate devices for each function, thereby reducing overall system complexity while maintaining high conveyance reliability
3Productivity
If stiffening rollers apply conveying forces to sheets, then sheet conveyance is improved, but corrugation amplitude increases causing abnormal sounds
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the speed parameter of stiffening rollers relative to conveyance rollers. By rotating at different speeds, the stiffening rollers can apply conveying force to maintain productivity while simultaneously reducing corrugation amplitude to prevent abnormal sounds during curved path conveyance
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 proposed configuration ensures improved sheet stacking quality and reduces the occurrence of abnormal sounds related to corrugation, regardless of the rotation direction of the conveyance rollers, by managing the conveying forces and circumferential speeds of the stiffening rollers, thus enhancing the overall performance of the sheet conveying process.
Implementation Method 1
The first stiffening roller applies a conveying force to the sheet, and the second stiffening roller applies a smaller conveying force to the sheet than the conveying force to the sheet by the first stiffening roller
Data Source
AI summary
A sheet conveying device (30) includes a plurality of first conveyance rollers (31) and a plurality of second conveyance rollers (32). The sheet conveying device (30) includes stiffening rollers (34). The stiffening rollers (34) are disposed coaxially with at least one conveyance rollers (32) among the first and second conveyance rollers (31) and (32), and have diameters larger than diameters of the conveyance rollers (32). The stiffening rollers (34) includes first stiffening rollers (34a), which apply conveying forces to a sheet (P), and second stiffening rollers (34b), which apply smaller conveying forces to the sheet (P) than the conveying forces to the sheet (P) in the first stiffening rollers (34a).