Gap Adjuster With Slide Contact Member For Inkjet Printers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing recording apparatuses face challenges in maintaining a consistent gap between the recording head and the supporting surface, leading to potential print quality issues due to obstruction of the coil spring's end surface, which can prevent the desired gap from being achieved.
Innovation Solution
A recording apparatus with a gap adjuster mechanism that includes a slide member, a cam member with stepped portions, and a first urging member with a slide contact member, allowing the carriage to change position in the vertical direction while preventing coil spring buckling, ensuring a stable gap between the recording head and the supporting surface.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If coil springs are used to urge the carriage with respect to the slide member, then the carriage can be positioned in a predetermined direction, but the slide operation of the end surface of the coil spring is obstructed by the spring end, preventing the desired gap from being obtained
Solution Approach 1:
A slide contact member is introduced as an intermediary component between the coil spring and the carriage. The slide contact member has a sliding surface that contacts the end surface of the coil spring, allowing the spring to exert urging force on the carriage through this intermediary. This resolves the contradiction by preventing direct contact between the spring end and carriage, eliminating the obstruction that prevented smooth slide operation while maintaining the desired gap stability.
2Device complexity
If the end surface of the coil spring contacts the carriage directly, then the structure is simple, but the slide operation is obstructed leading to decreased print quality
Solution Approach 1:
The slide contact member serves as an intermediary that adds minimal structural complexity while significantly improving gap precision. The sliding surface of the slide contact member provides a dedicated contact interface that eliminates obstruction during slide operation, ensuring the carriage can achieve and maintain the precise gap position required for high-quality printing, whereas direct contact between the spring end and carriage caused operational interference.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the carriage position is adjusted in multiple steps using the cam member and slide member, then the gap can be optimized for different paper types, but the slide operation may be obstructed by the coil spring end
Solution Approach 1:
The slide contact member acts as an intermediary that enables smooth slide operation during multi-step gap adjustment. As the slide member moves along the guide member to adjust the gap for different paper types, the slide contact member ensures continuous smooth contact between the coil spring and slide member, preventing obstruction that would interfere with the stepwise adjustment process and maintaining adaptability across various paper types.
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
The solution stabilizes the gap between the recording head and the supporting surface, enhancing print quality by preventing coil spring obstruction and ensuring smooth sliding, thus maintaining consistent inkjet printer performance across various paper types.
Implementation Method 1
coil springs that urge the carriage with respect to the slide member in a predetermined direction
Implementation Method 2
a slide contact member that slides on the carriage
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus includes a gap adjuster that adjusts a gap in a vertical direction between a recording head and a supporting surface for supporting a medium. The gap adjuster adjusts the gap by engagement of a carriage, a slide member, and a cam member that is provided therebetween and has a stepped portion with an alternate-arrangement structure in a width direction. The gap adjuster includes a coil spring that urges the carriage with respect to the slide member in the direction that is the opposite of the transportation direction. A slide contact member is provided on an end of the coil spring.