Swingable Auxiliary Tray for Non-Uniform Sheet Feeding

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional sheet feeding apparatuses face issues with feeding envelopes of non-uniform thickness, leading to insufficient feeding pressure and conveying failures such as skew feeding and jamming due to uneven thickness distribution when stacked.

Innovation Solution

A sheet feeding apparatus with a swingable stacking portion and swing regulating mechanism that adjusts its swing based on the sheet stacking position to ensure uniform feeding pressure, preventing excessive stacking and ensuring reliable feeding of envelopes with varying thickness.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If envelopes with non-uniform thickness are stacked in the same direction, then the stacking space is utilized efficiently, but the feeding pressure becomes non-uniform causing feeding failure and conveying failure

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestacking capacityVSAvoidfeeding reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The auxiliary tray is designed to be swingable rather than fixed, allowing it to dynamically adjust its angle based on the thickness distribution of stacked envelopes. When envelopes with non-uniform thickness are stacked, the auxiliary tray swings to tilt the stack in the thickness direction, enabling the pickup roller to apply uniform pressure across the entire surface and achieve reliable feeding without causing feeding failure or conveying failure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Device complexity

If the pickup roller presses onto the bundle of envelopes with non-uniform thickness, then the feeding operation is simplified, but excessive stacking occurs leading to feeding failures

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefeeding mechanism simplicityVSAvoidfeeding reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The auxiliary tray is designed to be swingable rather than fixed, allowing it to dynamically adjust its angle based on the thickness distribution of stacked envelopes. When envelopes with non-uniform thickness are stacked, the auxiliary tray swings to tilt the stack in the thickness direction, enabling the pickup roller to apply uniform pressure across the entire surface and achieve reliable feeding without causing feeding failure or conveying failure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Device complexity

If a fixed stacking portion is used, then the structure is simple, but it cannot accommodate envelopes with non-uniform thickness

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructure simplicityVSAvoidthickness variation accommodation

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The auxiliary tray is designed to be swingable rather than fixed, allowing it to dynamically adjust its angle based on the thickness distribution of stacked envelopes. When envelopes with non-uniform thickness are stacked, the auxiliary tray swings to tilt the stack in the thickness direction, enabling the pickup roller to apply uniform pressure across the entire surface and achieve reliable feeding without causing feeding failure or conveying failure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS8827262B2Sheet feeding apparatus and image forming apparatus

Publication Date: 2014.09.09 CANON KK

AI summary

A sheet feeding apparatus and an image forming apparatus which can reliably feed even sheets having a non-uniform thickness to prevent excessive stacking.An auxiliary tray 1 is swingably provided on the upper surface of a tray 2 which is provided in a cassette body 3a to be lifted and lowered and stacks sheets thereon. When the sheets are stacked, a swing regulating portion 12 regulates the swing of the auxiliary tray 1 when the tray 2 is in a sheet stacking position and releases the regulation of the swing of the auxiliary tray 1 when the tray 2 is lifted.