Cutting Blade Pre-Cut Scoring to Prevent Media Jamming

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing cutting technologies face challenges in efficiently cutting media with non-cutting portions of varying widths, often resulting in media jamming due to unnecessary movement, especially when the width of the non-cutting portion exceeds the blade's cutting capacity.

Innovation Solution

A cutting apparatus and method that pre-cuts the media along a cutting line, leaving non-cutting portions, and then fully cuts these portions using a blade that can be vertically moved or rotated, minimizing media movement and preventing jamming by optimizing the cutting path based on blade width and edge angle.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If the blade cuts the media continuously without leaving non-cutting portions, then the cutting is complete, but the media jams due to unnecessary movement

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecutting efficiencyVSAvoidmedia jamming

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The blade performs a preliminary cut along the cutting line to create a score line, then stops before completing the full cut. This preliminary action separates the cutting path into two stages: first creating the score line that allows the media to break, then avoiding unnecessary movement through the non-cutting portion. This resolves the contradiction by preparing the media for easy separation without causing jamming through continuous cutting.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The cutting process is segmented into two distinct phases: (1) pre-cutting along the cutting line to create a score line, and (2) stopping at the non-cutting portion to avoid unnecessary movement. This segmentation allows the blade to perform the necessary cutting action while leaving a portion uncut, preventing media jamming while maintaining cutting efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Productivity

If the blade moves extensively to cut media with non-cutting portions, then the cutting is complete, but the processing time increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecutting completionVSAvoidprocessing time

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The blade performs a preliminary cut along the cutting line to create a score line, then stops before completing the full cut. This preliminary action separates the cutting path into two stages: first creating the score line that allows the media to break, then avoiding unnecessary movement through the non-cutting portion. This resolves the contradiction by preparing the media for easy separation without causing jamming through continuous cutting.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of continuously cutting through the non-cutting portion, the blade inverts the approach by stopping the cutting action at the non-cutting portion. This inversion allows the media to be separated through the score line without requiring the blade to traverse the entire width, significantly reducing processing time while maintaining cutting completion.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

3Adaptability or versatility

If the blade width is increased to accommodate wider non-cutting portions, then the cutting capacity is sufficient, but the blade cannot efficiently handle varying widths

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveblade adaptability to varying widthsVSAvoidblade cutting capacity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLength of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The blade is designed with dynamic positioning capability, allowing it to move vertically and rotate to different orientations. This dynamic structure enables the blade to adapt to varying widths of non-cutting portions by adjusting its position and angle, rather than requiring a fixed, wider blade. The blade can be positioned precisely at the cutting line and rotated to match the specific geometry of each non-cutting portion.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The cutting process is segmented into two distinct phases: (1) pre-cutting along the cutting line to create a score line, and (2) stopping at the non-cutting portion to avoid unnecessary movement. This segmentation allows the blade to perform the necessary cutting action while leaving a portion uncut, preventing media jamming while maintaining cutting efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS10016905B2Cutting apparatus, cutting method, and non-transitory computer-readable recording medium

Publication Date: 2018.07.10 MIMAKI ENGINEERING CO LTD

AI summary

A cutting apparatus includes a blade relatively movable with respect to a media to cut the media along a cutting line. The blade is so constructed to pre-cut the media along the cutting line to leave non-cutting portions and to cut the non-cutting portions after pre-cutting the media.