Transformable Guide Plate for Sheet Edge Waste Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current post-processing systems for image forming technologies face inefficiencies in housing and removing side edge parts of sheets, particularly in maintaining operation continuity and enhancing waste housing efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A post-processing apparatus with a side edge part removing portion, a housing section, and guide plates that transform between mountain-shaped and valley-shaped inclined surfaces to efficiently guide and house removed side edge parts, allowing continuous operation and improved waste management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a fixed guide plate structure is used to guide side edge parts to the housing portion, then the structure is simple, but the waste housing efficiency is poor and operation continuity is interrupted
Solution Approach 1:
The guide plate is designed to be transformable between a first form (with inclined surfaces guiding waste to housing portion) and a second form (with inclined surfaces guiding waste to discharge port). This dynamic transformation allows the guide plate to adapt its function based on operational needs, enabling continuous operation by preparing the discharge path in advance while maintaining relatively simple structure.
2Productivity
If the guide plate is designed to guide side edge parts to the housing portion, then waste housing is efficient, but the discharge path is blocked and operation must be interrupted
Solution Approach 1:
The guide plate can be transformed between two functional forms: in the first form, inclined surfaces guide side edge parts to the housing portion for efficient waste collection; in the second form, the inclined surfaces are reconfigured to guide waste to the discharge port, clearing the housing portion for continuous operation. This dynamic reconfiguration resolves the contradiction between efficient housing and easy discharge.
3Productivity
If a transformable guide plate mechanism is added to enable continuous operation, then productivity improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The guide plate is designed with transformable inclined surfaces that can switch between guiding waste to the housing portion and guiding waste to the discharge port. This dynamic capability enables continuous operation by preparing discharge paths in advance, improving productivity while adding only moderate complexity through a mechanism that transforms an existing component rather than adding entirely new systems.
Data Source
AI summary
A post-processing apparatus includes a side edge part removing portion that removes a side edge part from a sheet; a side edge part housing portion that houses the removed side edge part and is able to be pulled out from an apparatus body; a guide plate that is inclined in a direction intersecting with a moving direction of the side edge part and guides the removed side edge part along the moving direction to the housing portion; and a second guide plate that is arranged between the housing portion and the guide plate, and is transformable into a first form having substantially mountain-shaped inclined surfaces in which both end portions of the second guide plate along the moving direction are lower than a center portion thereof, and a second form having substantially valley-shaped inclined surfaces in which both the end portions are higher than the center portion.