ASME/JSME Joint Conference on Micromechatronics

for Information and Precision Equipment (MIPE 2006)

Santa Clara, CA, June 21-23, 2006

Shigeo Yanabe1 and Tetsuya Maeda2

1
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Nagaoka University of Technology
Kamitomioka, Nagaoka-shi, Niigata, 940-2188, Japan
yanabe@mech.nagaokaut.ac.jp

2
Student of Graduate School, Mechanical Engineering, Nagaoka University of Technology,
Introduction roller nip which is to be a function of a preloads are given

Skew of Paper Transferred by Rubber Rollers in Printers

A paper feed
mechanism with rubber
rollers is widely used in
printers, copiers, and
other flexible media
handling machines. In
this mechanism, a
paper skews (goes
obliquely with
changing attitude) more
or less. The paper skew
must be corrected for
registration, especially
in printers and copiers.
Some researchers [1],
[2] have studied the
methods for correcting
the skew by using
registration rollers,
misaligned rollers or by
adjusting speeds of two
belts which convey a
paper. In spite of its
importance, there are
few works which
investigate the causes
of the skew.
In the present paper,
the skew motion of a
paper transferred by
two rubber rollers is
simulated by FEM
software MARC under
several conditions of
preload added between
the rollers, a coefficient
of friction of a paper
and a front tension.
Both skew amount and
skew angle of the paper
are precisely
investigated and the
following results are
obtained. The direction
of the skew can be
easily predicted by
considering the local
paper velocity at a
influenced by the roller normal force P , a through the springs
surface elongation and coefficient of friction constraining a
the friction force at the
 and a slip velocity translational motion of
Vr as shown by Eq. the paper. Finally, the
nip. The skew angle
(1), where C is a feed roller starts to
and skew amount can normalized slip rotate, after releasing
be easily estimated, if a velocity to be the constraints of the
traveling length, an determined by paper. The skew
attitude angle change experiments. motion of the paper
and a side walk amount together with the
of the paper at each deformation and
calculation step are rotation of the rollers
known. Furthermore, areω(0.05rad/s
calculated.
Feed roller (b)) Definition of skew
effects of a guide plate element:736
amount Z and skew
which is set to prevent φ10×2mm
the skew, are shown. angle  Rigid Cylinder
In orderφ9.5×2mm
to describe
FEM Simulation
the simulation results,
(a) Simulation model two quantities are
Paper
Figure 1 shows a
three-dimensional FEM
element:1920 introduced. One is a
15×4×0.1mm skew amount RubberZ layerand
model simulating the φ10×2×0.5m
paper skew. The model the other is ma skew
angle  . Figure 2(a)
Preload roller
is composed of a paper element:1624
(t=0.1mm), a feed φ10×2mm and (b) Steel
showCylinder
the initial
φ9.5×2mm
roller with a rubber state of a paper and the
layer of 0.25mm Spring
state of the i-th
thickness and a preload calculation step.
roller with the same P1 P2
Coordinates of the
rubber layer. The feed Preloads
roller (φ10×2mm) nodes of the front
corner of the paper Q1
rotates at a constant
angular velocity and Q2 are denoted by
( x1 , z1 ) and ( x 2 , z 2 ) .
ω=0.05rad/s and the
preload roller rotates
Table 1 Material In this study, the skew
freely and is pushed to amount Z and the skew
the feed roller through constants of model
components angle  are defined by
two springs connected
to both ends of a roller E(MPa) Eqs.(2)ν and (3), μ where
center line. Material Rigid Cylinder -  is the
- width - of the
constants of these Rubber Layer 3.7 paper.0.49 1
components are listed Steel Cylinder 21000 0.3 z  z -
Paper 2000 Z  1 21
0.3 (2)
in Table 1. These 2
components are divided
by eight-node- 2 Vr   x1  x2 (3)
hexahedron solid F  P tan 1 tan   z1  z 2
 C
elements. A friction (1)
force F acting At the initialFig.1
state,Simulation
the model
between the paper and paper is pinched by the
rubber layer is assumed two rollers and then the

Simulation results
(a) Effects of
imbalance of
preload
An imbalance of
preload means that the
preload forces P1 and
P2 added to the preload
roller in Fig.1 are
different. Keeping P1
constant and changing
P2 in three levels, the
skew simulation was
carried out. The results
of Z and  are plotted
in Figs.3(a),(b) against
the calculation step (the
feed roller rotation).
These figures show that
(1) the paper skews to
–z direction which is
the P2 side (that means
the paper skews to the
smaller preload side),
(2) Z increases
parabolically with the
calculation step, (3) 
increases almost
linearly with the
(a)
calculation step, and
(4) Both Z and 
become larger as the
Fig.2 Position and attitude of skewing paper
imbalance(b) of the
preload increases.
Fig.3 Curves of Z and
V paper  Vroller  Vr  r (1  conditions
)  Vr
(6)
Equation (4) shows that
a roller surface velocity
in a nip Vroller is a little
bit larger than a roller
circumferential
r . 
velocity
denotes a mean
elongation strain of the
rubber roller in the nip.
It is estimated by Eq.
(5), where P/h
denotes a preload per
unit roller length, E is
Young’s modulus,  R is
a roller radius and  Feed is roller
a constant.
Paper r
The paper
feed velocity V paper is
calculated from Eq.(6), V
paper
where Vr is a slip Preload
velocity between the roller
rubber rollerP and paper.
Vr can be calculated
from Eq.(1). It should Fig.4 Paper skew direction
be noted that  is
proportional to the
preload P and Vr is
(b) On the skew small for a difficult to
direction slip situation, while
Recently, many Vr is large for a easy
studies [3] ～ [5] have to slip situation.
been made concerning In order to consider
the paper feed system the paper skew
with rubber rollers. The direction in this case,
main results about we separate the paper
paper feed velocity are into two strips (see
expressed by the Fig.4) and investigate
following formulas. the paper velocity of
each strip
V paper1  r (1   1 )  Vr1
and
Vroller  r (1   )      (4)
V paper 2  r (1   2 )  Vr 2
P/h
     (5) . attitude
ER
Under large preload
( P1  P2 ),
 1 becomes larger
than  2 due to Eq.(5),
and the slip velocity
V r1 becomes smaller
than Vr 2 (under large
preload, the paper and
rollers are in a difficult
to slip situation). Then
V paper1 becomes
V
larger than paper 2 . As
the results, the paper
skews to the smaller
preload side.
P2 V paper 2
V paper1
Roller P１
P1  P2
　　
(c) Estimation of skew
angle  and skew
amount Z
After several trials,
the following method is
found.
Figure 5(a) illustrates
that each side of the
paper goes by a
distance  1 and  2 at
every calculation step
together with a side
walk b . This means
that the paper gains a
traveling length
s  ( 1   2 ) / 2 , an
angle
a  ( 1   2 ) /  and a
side walk b at every
calculation step. From corresponds to a (e) Effects of front
this,  and Z after n-th “difficult to slip” tension acting the paper
calculation steps can be situation and it makes This case is
easily expressed by the slip velocity Vr1 illustrated in Fig.9. In
Eqs.(8) and (9) (see smaller. Then this case, it is easy to
Fig.5(b)). V paper1  r (1   )  Vr1 imagine that the paper
The results predicted becomes larger than skews to the opposite
by these formulas are V p 2 . As the results, side of the front
shown in Fig.6(a) and tension. The simulation
(b). For the skew angle the paper skews to the results are plotted in
 , the predicted result smaller  2 side. Fig.10. The figure
is in good agreement shows the skew angle
with the simulated one Y X increases as the
(the case of P1=1N, calculation
Paper step or the
P2=0.8N in Figs.3(a), Area 2(μ2) front tension increases.
(b)). Concerning the V paper 2
Z
skew amount Z, the
result predicted by Eq. Y X Paper
(9) (red triangle mark) Fig.6 Comparison of predicted Z and  P1=P2 μ1>μ2
with
has a simulation result V paper1
Area
Z 1(μ1) Rolle
1   2 good agreement with r
s
2 the simulated one, if
we choose b=0.0006, Fig.7 Imbalance distribution of friction coefficient
1  2
a 　　      (7) while if b =0, the Front
l Roller
　 　   an predicted result is tension T
(8) different from the
Fig.9 Effects of front tension
n
n(1 simulated
n) one.
Z   ( sia  b)  sa  bn
Unfortunately, at
i 1 2 present, it is difficult to
(9) obtain  1 ,  2 and b 0.07
mm

T=0.005N
Z[

0 by a simple method.
]

Predicted b=0
na=γ 0.06
-0.05 δ2 (d) Effects of
-0.1 3a
imbalance distribution 0.05
-0.15 a 2a
a papers by friction
of Predicted Eq.(9)
-0.2 0.04
b coefficient
γ[rad]

T=0.001N
ｌ-0.25
-0.3 s
s this case, the paper
Simulation result
In 0.03 Z
-0.35 s is bdivided nb into two T=0.0001N
-0.4 b longitudinal areas 1 0.02
δ1 and 2 and coefficients X of γdue T=0.0005N
Fig.8 Change to imbalance of friction
-0.45
(a) (b)
0 100 of200friction of 300
two areas coefficient (P1=P2=0.55N, ω＝0.05rad/s)
0.01
Fig.5 Evaluation of skew angle
Step and skew amount
 The simulation results
(a) and are
1 2
are 0plotted in Fig.8.
γ[ra

different (see Fig.7).

d]

0.045 The-0.01
figure
0 shows
50 that 150 200 250 300 350
100
0.04 Here 1 >  2 and the skew angle
P1  P2 are assumed. Step
0.035 increases with the
0.03 Let’s consider paper
Predicted by Eq.(8) calculationFig.10
step Change
and it of γdue to front tension
0.025 velocities of the two (P1=P2=0.55N,
also increases as  2 μ1=μ2=1, ω＝0.05rad/s)
0.02 areas. The large 1 decreases.
0.015
Simulation result
0.01
0.005
0
0 100 200 300
Step
(b)
 increases   and   the
(f) Effects of skew paper   velocity
prevention guide
A guide plate is often increases   with   the
used to prevent the strain.
skew. Effects of the (2) The skew angle and
guide plate are Feed Roller
skew   amount   can
simulated under several
conditions. Figure 11 be estimated by the
Skew
Paper proposedPrevention
  formulas
shows a simulation Guide plate
model. When the feed when   a   traveling
roller rotates, the paper distance, change of
skews to –z direction
due to the imbalance of attitude angle and a
preload and contacts side   walk   of   the
with the guide plate. paper   corners   at
The simulation results, every   calculation
that is, z-direction Preload Roller
displacements of the step are known.
paper front corner (3) The paper skews to
Q1(x1,z1) and Fig.12 Skew displacement of Q1 and
Fig.14 Q2 unsymmetrical bending
A large the  side   with   a
deformation
Q2(x2,z2) are shown in (P1=1N,P2=0.1N, μ1=μ2=1, ω ＝ smaller   coefficient
0.05rad/s)
Fig.12. The figure
shows the skew of friction.
displacement of Q2 Feed roller large
guide plate unsymmetrical (4) The paper skews  to
(z2) is mostly restricted bending deformation the opposite side of
to be zero, while z1 due to the paper skew the front tension.
increases as the feed and the friction force
roller rotation. This from the guide plate as (5) The   skew
means that the paper Paper shown in Fig.14. This prevention   guide
deforms in y-direction. may cause the paper to plates   restricts   the
This situation is shown Preload run on to the guide skew   displacement
in Figs.13(a) and (b). In roller plate or to jam in a
of   the   contacting
some case, the paper paper transfer path.
shows a (a) View from z direction paper corner, while
Feed roller Conclusions the   skew
(1) The paper skews to
guide plate displacement of the
Feed roller the  smaller  preload
Skew other   front   corner
prevention side.  This   is increases.   As   the
guide plate
Paper
μ=0.5 because  the results,   the   paper
elongation strain of shows   a   large
Paper the rubber roller in unsymmetrical
a   nip  in  the   paper
Preload bending
Q2(x2,z2) traveling
roller  direction deformation   and   it
Q1(x1,z1) becomes   larger   as may   cause   the
Preload
the   roller  preload
(b) View from x direction paper   to   run   on   to
roller

P1 P2 Fig.13 Paper displacement in y-direction

Fig.11 Simulation model for skew prevention

guide plate (P1=1N, P2=0.1N, ω ＝ 0.05rad/s)
 the guide plate or to [3] Okamoto, N. et al,
jam   in   a   paper 2001,  Study   on
transfer path. Velocity Feed roller ω(0.05rad/s)
Feed roller
  Characteristics   and (φ10×2mm)

Mechanics   of   Paper Rigid

SkewCylinder
(φ9.5×2mm)
Feeding   with   Rubber­ prevention
guide
Q2 plate
Covered   Roller   Drive, μ=0.5
Trans. of JSME, C, 67­ Q1 Rubber layer
(φ10×2×0.5mm)
654,   475­482   (in Paper
Pushing roller Steel Cylinder
Japanese).  (φ10×2mm) (φ9.5×2mm)

[4] Yanabe, S. et al, Spring Q2(x2,z2)

2003, FEM Simulation
of Paper Feed P1 P2 Q1(x1,z1)
Preload
Mechanism with roller
Rubber Roller,
Proceeding of IIP/ISPS P1 P2
Joint MIPE ’03, 311-
312.
[5] Yanabe, S., 2006, A
teaching material on
simulation method for
handling flexible media
and results, Japan
Techno-Center. (in
Japanese)

guide plate
Feed roller Feed guide
roller plate
References
[1] Fujimura, H. and
Ono, K., 1996-4, Paper
Analysis of Paper
Motion Driven by Paper
Skew-Roll Paper
Feeding System, Trans. Preload
of JSME, C, 62-596, Preload
roller roller
1354-1360 (in
Japanese).
[2]  Shima,   Y.  et al,
1997, Skew Control
Mechanism of Flexible
Media Moving through
V paper1
Belts, Proceeding of
JSME, No.97-22, 923-
924. (In Japanese).
 mm
Z[
0

]
Predicted b=0
na=γ -0.05
P2 V paper 2
δ2 -0.1
3a -0.15
2a Predicted by Eq.(7)
a a s -0.2
b -0.25
P Simulation result
ｌ s
s -0.3
Roller
Z P１ a
V paper1
s b -0.35
nb -0.4 δ2 p P1  P2 na
b Z
-0.45 X e 3a
(a) δ1 (b) 0 a r 100 a 2a 200 s 300
Step
Fig.5 Evaluation of skew angle and skew amount b (a)

γ[ra
ｌ s

d]
sS
0.045
0.04 s b nb
0.035 b
0.07 0.03 δ1
Predicted by Eq.(6)
T=0.005N 0.025
0.06 0.02
0.015
0.05 Simulation result
0.01
0.04 0.005
γ[rad]

T=0.001N 0
0.03 0 100 200 300
Step
T=0.0001N (b)
0.02
T=0.0005N
0.01

0 δ2
Vp2
-0.01 0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350

Step
V p1
P１ Rollerδ1
0.07
T=0.005N Feed Roller
0.06
Skew
0.05 Paper Prevention
guide
0.04
γ[rad]

T=0.001N
0.03
T=0.0001N
0.02
T=0.0005N
0.01

0 Preload Roller
-0.01 0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350

Step