Paper conveying apparatus, jam detection method, and computer-readable, non-transitory medium

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-8991820-B2
Application number	US-201313963920-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 9, 2013
Priority date	Sep 14, 2012
Publication date	Mar 31, 2015
Grant date	Mar 31, 2015

Abstract

There are provided a paper conveying apparatus, a jam detection method and a computer-readable, non-transitory medium that can suppress erroneous detection of a jam. The paper conveying apparatus includes a sound signal generator, provided with a sound detector near a conveyance path of a paper, for generating a sound signal, and a sound jam detector for determining whether a jam has occurred based on a variation of a component of the sound signal.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A paper conveying apparatus comprising:
a sound signal generator, provided with a sound detector near a conveyance path of a paper, for generating a sound signal corresponding to a sound generated by the paper during conveyance of the paper;
a frequency signal generator for generating a frequency signal by converting the sound signal to frequency; and
a sound jam detector for determining whether a jam has occurred,
based on a sum of differences of values of frequency components of the frequency signal and values of adjoining frequency components which respectively adjoin the frequency components, or
based on a difference of a maximum value of the frequency signal and a minimum value of the frequency signal, or
based on a difference of a value of the frequency signal at a predetermined frequency and an average value of the frequency signal or a difference of a value of the frequency signal at a predetermined frequency and a minimum value of the frequency signal, or
based on a ratio of a first average value of the frequency signal at a first frequency band and a second average value of the frequency signal at a second frequency band which has a minimum frequency the same as a minimum frequency of the first frequency band and which has a maximum frequency higher than a maximum frequency of the first frequency band, or
based on a ratio of a third average value of the frequency signal at a third frequency band and a fourth average value of the frequency signal at a fourth frequency band higher than the third frequency band.

2. A paper conveying apparatus comprising:
a sound signal generator, provided with a sound detector near a conveyance path of a paper, for generating a sound signal corresponding to a sound generated by the paper during conveyance of the paper;
a first filter for a first frequency band which is within an audible frequency range, and a second filter for a second frequency band which is within an audible frequency range and higher than the first frequency band; and
a sound jam detector for determining whether a jam has occurred based on a ratio of a first sound signal acquired by processing the sound signal by using the first filter for the first frequency band and a second sound signal acquired by processing the sound signal by using the second filter for the second frequency band.

3. A computer-readable, non-transitory medium storing a computer program, wherein the computer program causes a computer to perform a process, the process comprising:
acquiring a sound signal from a sound signal generator, provided with a sound detector near a conveyance path of a paper, for generating the sound signal corresponding to a sound generated by the paper during conveyance of the paper;
acquiring a frequency signal by converting the sound signal to frequency; and
determining whether a jam has occurred,
based on a sum of differences of values of frequency components at the frequency signal and values of adjoining frequency components which respectively adjoin the frequency components, or
based on a difference of a maximum value of the frequency signal and a minimum value of the frequency signal, or
based on a difference of a value of the frequency signal at a predetermined frequency and an average value of the frequency signal or a difference of a value of the frequency signal at a predetermined frequency and a minimum value of the frequency signal, or
based on a ratio of a first average value of the frequency signal at a first frequency band and a second average value of the frequency signal at a second frequency band which has a minimum frequency the same as a minimum frequency of the first frequency band and which has a maximum frequency higher than a maximum frequency of the first frequency band, or
based on a ratio of a third average value of the frequency signal at a third frequency band and a fourth average value of the frequency signal at a fourth frequency band higher than the third frequency band.

4. A computer-readable, non-transitory medium storing a computer program, wherein the computer program causes a computer to perform a process, the process comprising:
acquiring a sound signal from a sound signal generator, provided with a sound detector near a conveyance path of a paper, for generating the sound signal corresponding to a sound generated by the paper during conveyance of the paper; and
determining whether a jam has occurred based on a ratio of a first sound signal acquired by processing the sound signal by using a first filter for a first frequency band which is within an audible frequency range, and a second sound signal acquired by processing the sound signal by using a second filter for a second frequency band which is within an audible frequency range and higher than the first frequency band.

Assignees

• Pfu Ltd

Inventors

• Hongo Masanobu
• Funada Tetsuo
• Yamazaki Nobuhisa

Classifications

• B65H2515/82

  Sound; Noise · CPC title

• B65H7/06 Primary

  responsive to presence of faulty articles or incorrect separation or feed (B65H7/14 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B65H2553/30

  using acoustic or ultrasonic elements · CPC title

• B65H2220/03

  indicating an entity which is measured, estimated, evaluated, calculated or determined but which does not constitute an entity which is adjusted or changed by the control process per se · CPC title

• B65H2511/528

  Jam · CPC title