Duplex Printer Dual Thermal Head Back-Side Printing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current duplex printers waste resources by printing only on one side of the medium and require high-cost media with preprinted advertisements or patterns on the back side, which become obsolete quickly.
Innovation Solution
A duplex printer design that uses two thermal heads to print both sides of a medium, allowing for the selection and regular printing of fixed patterns or notice information on the non-information side while printing optional information on the information side, using a low-cost unprinted medium.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of substance
If a printing medium with fixed pattern or advertisement preprinted on the back side is used, then the amount of printing medium used is reduced, but the cost increases and the information becomes obsolete quickly
Solution Approach 1:
The invention preprints fixed patterns or notice information on the back side of the printing medium before the actual printing process. This preliminary action allows the printing medium to be reused multiple times for the same printing task, reducing waste while using low-cost unprinted media instead of expensive preprinted media
Solution Approach 2:
The invention creates a copy of the fixed pattern or notice information by printing it on the back side of the printing medium. This copied information serves the same function as preprinted information but uses inexpensive unprinted media, eliminating the need to stockpile expensive preprinted media
2Device complexity
If information is printed only on the front side of the printing medium, then the printing process is simple, but the amount of printing medium used increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention utilizes the back side of the printing medium as an additional printing surface. By printing fixed patterns or notices on the back side while printing variable information on the front side, the system effectively doubles the usable area of each printing medium, reducing waste without significantly complicating the printing process
Solution Approach 2:
The invention divides the printing medium into two functional zones: the front side for variable printing information and the back side for fixed patterns or notices. This segmentation allows each side to serve its specific purpose, enabling efficient reuse of the printing medium while maintaining a relatively simple printing process
3Productivity
If a duplex printer with two thermal heads is used to print both sides simultaneously, then the printing efficiency increases, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the functions of two separate printers (one for front side, one for back side) into a single duplex printer. By combining the printing operations on both sides of the medium into one device, the system achieves efficient simultaneous printing while consolidating the complexity into a single integrated system rather than requiring two separate devices
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 approach reduces the need for high-cost preprinted media, allows users to easily change patterns or information, and minimizes waste by using a low-cost printing medium, eliminating the need for stockpiling unnecessary paper.
Implementation Method 1
a first thermal head (1) to contact a front side (12a) of the printing medium (12) and to print printing data on the front side (12a) of the printing medium (12)
Implementation Method 2
a conveying mechanism (5) to convey the printing medium (12) in the printing direction (X)
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
A duplex printer, in which when a first thermal head (1) prints information (24, 35, 45, 55) on a front side (12a, 21a, 22a, 31a, 32a, 41a, 42a, 51a, 52a) as an information printing side of a printing medium (12, 21, 22, 31, 32, 41, 42, 51, 52), a second thermal head (2) repeatedly prints a previously registered and selected fixed pattern or notice information (23, 34, 44, 54) on a back side (12b, 21b, 22b, 31b, 32b, 41b, 42b, 51b, 52b) as an information non-printing side of a printing medium (12, 21, 22, 31, 32, 41, 42, 51, 52) at regular cycle or at an optional timing.