Carriage Protrusion Mechanism for Inkjet Printer Paper Uplift
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Solution Overview
Problem
Printers without a discharge roller face issues with paper uplift, leading to carriage interference with paper edges, which complicates paper conveyance and increases device size.
Innovation Solution
A carriage structure with a protrusion that can move bidirectionally and a moving mechanism to protrude the protrusion into the paper conveyance path at a standby position, preventing paper from falling into the carriage's path without requiring a discharge roller or its drive mechanism, thus reducing printer size and cost.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a discharge roller is provided to prevent paper uplift, then paper conveyance reliability is improved, but device complexity and size increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the essential function of preventing paper uplift from the discharge roller system and implements it through a simpler protrusion structure on the carriage. The protrusion directly blocks paper from lifting without requiring a separate discharge roller and its drive mechanism, thereby maintaining reliability while reducing device complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The carriage itself provides the paper prevention function through its own protrusion structure, eliminating the need for a separate discharge roller system. The carriage's movement and protrusion automatically perform the paper control function that would otherwise require a dedicated discharge roller mechanism
2Reliability
If a discharge roller and its drive mechanism are provided, then paper conveyance is improved, but device size increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts only the essential paper-blocking function from the discharge roller system and implements it through a compact protrusion on the carriage. This eliminates the need for a separate discharge roller assembly and its drive mechanism, significantly reducing device size while maintaining paper conveyance reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The invention merges the paper prevention function into the carriage structure itself through the protrusion. By combining multiple functions (carriage movement, printing, and paper control) into a single integrated structure, the device size is reduced while maintaining all necessary functionalities
3Reliability
If the width of the carriage is increased to constantly overlap the conveyance range of the paper, then paper uplift is prevented, but device size increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of increasing the overall carriage width, the invention applies a localized protrusion at the specific position where paper uplift occurs. This targeted approach provides effective paper control only where needed, maintaining reliability while avoiding the need to increase the entire carriage dimensions
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
This configuration effectively prevents paper uplift and carriage interference, allowing for efficient paper conveyance without a discharge roller, resulting in a smaller and more cost-effective printer design.
Implementation Method 1
The moving mechanism has an urging member for pulling the protrusion to the carriage, preferably when the carriage is at the standby position
Data Source
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AI summary
Provided are a carriage structure capable of preventing a carriage from contacting a side edge of a print medium, without requiring a discharge roller and facilitating reducing device size, and a printer having the carriage structure. Disposed to a carriage (21) carrying and inkjet head (22) and moving bidirectionally through a range of movement including the conveyance path of a cut-sheet paper (S) are: a panel member (78) able to protrude in the direction of carriage (21) movement; and a moving mechanism (126) causing the panel member (78) to protrude to the conveyance path of the cut-sheet paper (S) when the carriage (21) is at a standby position (home position) set in the range of carriage (21) movement.