Swinging Member Sheet Feeding Device Buckling Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional sheet feeding devices face challenges in efficiently conveying thin paper with low stiffness and varying grammage, often resulting in buckling or failure to feed sheets due to inadequate guiding mechanisms, especially when the number of stacked sheets increases, leading to a higher sheet bundle thickness and longer distances between the sheet feeding tray and separation nip portion.
Innovation Solution
A sheet feeding device incorporating a swinging member with a contact portion positioned upstream of the separation nip portion, guided by a pre-separation plate, which adjusts its angle to accommodate varying sheet stacks, ensuring proper alignment and reducing the risk of buckling by applying controlled frictional resistance and maintaining a consistent guiding path.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the number of stackable sheets is increased to enable large number of sheets to be conveyed by a single command, then the sheet bundle thickness increases and the height of the sheet feeding tray from the sheet supporting face to the separation nip portion increases, but thin paper with low stiffness is likely to buckle at a position between the sheet feeding tray and the separation nip portion
Solution Approach 1:
The guiding plate is made swingable about a rotation shaft, allowing it to dynamically adjust its position and angle based on the sheet bundle height. This dynamic adjustment ensures that the guiding plate maintains optimal contact with thin paper sheets regardless of whether the tray is fully stacked or has only a few sheets, preventing buckling while accommodating variable stack heights
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the geometric parameters of the guiding mechanism by positioning the rotation shaft at a specific location that allows the guiding plate to vary its angle and position. This parameter change enables the guiding plate to adapt to different sheet bundle thicknesses, maintaining proper guidance for thin paper even when the tray height varies significantly
2Adaptability or versatility
If a swingable guiding member is employed to guide thin paper to the separation nip portion, then the guiding flexibility improves, but the abutting angle between the leading end of the sheet and the swingable guiding member becomes large when a small number of sheets are stacked, causing the sheet to fail to pass through
Solution Approach 1:
The guiding plate's swingable design allows it to dynamically change its abutting angle based on the sheet bundle height. When few sheets are stacked, the guiding plate swings to a position that creates a smaller, more favorable abutting angle for sheet passage. When the tray is full, it adjusts to maintain proper guidance, thus adapting to different conditions while ensuring smooth sheet feeding
3Quantity of substance
If the distance between the sheet feeding tray and the separation nip portion is increased to accommodate more sheets, then the sheet bundle capacity increases, but thin paper with low stiffness becomes more likely to buckle during conveyance
Solution Approach 1:
The swingable guiding plate acts as an intermediary element between the sheet feeding tray and the separation nip portion. It provides continuous guidance and support for thin paper sheets during conveyance, reducing the buckling risk that would otherwise occur over the increased distance. The guiding plate's ability to adjust its position ensures it remains in optimal contact with the sheets throughout the conveyance path
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 solution effectively prevents buckling and ensures smooth sheet feeding by maintaining a suitable abutting angle regardless of the sheet stack height, enhancing the device's ability to handle a wider range of grammage and increasing the number of stackable sheets without damaging the sheets.
Implementation Method 1
The separation roller is pressed against and brought into contact with a conveyance roller, so as to be rotated and driven in a direction opposite to the sheet conveyance direction through a torque limiter
Implementation Method 2
the separation pad is pressed against the conveyance roller, and separates the sheets from each other with frictional resistance arising in a surface thereof
Data Source
AI summary
A sheet feeding device includes a stacking unit, a feeding unit, a rotating member, a separation unit, a holding unit, a swinging member, and a guiding unit. The stacking unit stacks sheets. The feeding unit feeds stacked sheets. The rotating member conveys sheets, and is on a feeding unit downstream side. The separation unit separates fed sheets one by one, and contacts the rotating member. The holding unit holds the feeding unit and rotating member, and is rotatable about a rotating member rotation shaft. The swinging members swingably disposed on the holding unit and the guiding unit on a swinging member lower side guides the sheets with contact. A first contact portion of the swinging member and the guiding unit is on a second contact portion upstream side, that is a rotating member/separation unit contact portion. A swinging member swinging shaft is on the first contact portion upstream side.