Integrated Bobbin Gear with Pentagonal Teeth

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Solution Overview

Problem

Thermal transfer printers have a high number of constituent components and risk scratching the touch roller due to driving irregularities on the bobbin surface during ribbon winding.

Innovation Solution

A thermal transfer printer design with a bobbin body that integrates a gear flange and support shaft, featuring a gear with pentagonal teeth for engagement with the drive and brake units, eliminating the need for separate flanges and ensuring a smooth outer surface to prevent scratching.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If driving irregularities are formed on the outer surface of the bobbin body, then the drive and brake units can be engaged, but the rubber touch roll will come into contact with the irregularities and form scratches on the touch roll

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveengagement reliabilityVSAvoidscratch formation on touch roll

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the driving flange and support shaft into a single integrated bobbin body structure. The gear is formed as an integral part of the bobbin body, eliminating the need for separate driving flange components. This merging allows engagement features to be incorporated without adding separate parts that could create surface irregularities affecting the touch roll.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Reliability

If a separate driving flange is mounted on the bobbin body, then the drive unit can be engaged, but the number of constituent components increases and production cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedrive engagementVSAvoidnumber of components

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The driving flange and support shaft are merged into a single integrated bobbin body. The gear is formed directly on the bobbin body as an integral structure, reducing the number of separate components. This integration simplifies the overall device structure while maintaining the drive engagement functionality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Reliability

If a separate driving flange is mounted on the bobbin body, then the drive unit can be engaged, but the operation of disposing the bobbin becomes cumbersome

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedrive engagementVSAvoidbobbin disposal operation

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The integration of the driving flange and support shaft into a single bobbin body structure creates a unified component that is easier to handle and dispose of. The single-integrated structure eliminates the complexity of managing multiple separate parts, improving operational ease during bobbin disposal.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentEP3378819B1Bobbin for thermal transfer sheet or image-receiving sheet, bobbin and sheet combination, and thermal transfer printer

Publication Date: 2023.01.04 DAI NIPPON PRINTING CO LTD

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AI summary

The present invention makes it possible to reduce the number of constituent components, and to provide a bobbin body having a smooth surface. A bobbin for a thermal transfer sheet or an image-receiving sheet includes a cylindrical bobbin body 11, wherein a a gear 12 including a plurality of teeth 13 is formed on one side end of the bobbin body 11. Each tooth 13 of the gear 12 has a polygonal shape with not less than five corners as a whole, when viewed from a lateral side.