Integrated Thermal Transfer Cartridge Thickness Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional thermal transfer printer cartridges have difficulty reducing overall thickness due to separate ink sheet and printing medium housings, which complicates manufacturing and increases costs.
Innovation Solution
An integrated cartridge design where the printing medium, feeding bobbin, and take-up bobbin are combined, with a discharge port between them, allowing for reduced thickness and simplified assembly by direct insertion of bobbins into the cartridge housing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If separate ink sheet housing and printing medium housing are used, then functional separation is achieved, but overall cartridge thickness increases and manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the ink sheet housing and printing medium housing into a single integrated cartridge housing. The ink sheet is mounted on a first bobbin within the housing, while printing medium sheets are stacked in a receiving groove of the same housing. This merging eliminates the need for separate housings and coupling means, directly reducing manufacturing steps and overall cartridge thickness while maintaining all necessary functions.
2Ease of manufacture
If separate ink sheet housing and printing medium housing are used, then functional separation is achieved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates multiple functional components into a single cartridge housing structure. The housing simultaneously accommodates the ink sheet bobbin, printing medium stack, and provides the necessary mounting interfaces. This eliminates the need for separate coupling mechanisms and reduces the number of parts, directly simplifying the device structure and manufacturing process.
3Length of stationary object
If discharge port is positioned on one side, then simple structure is maintained, but thickness reduction is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent repositions the printing medium discharge port from a side location to the lower portion of the cartridge housing. This dimensional change in port placement allows the printing medium to be discharged vertically downward, enabling a more compact horizontal arrangement of internal components and facilitating reduction of the cartridge's overall thickness while maintaining ease of discharge operation.
Data Source
AI summary
An integrated cartridge is provided, which includes a printing medium receiving groove in which a printing medium is loaded; a feeding mounting hole and a take-up bobbin mounting hole are formed; a feeding bobbin mounted in the feeding bobbin mounting hole; a take-up bobbin mounted in the take-up bobbin mounting hole; and a first opening disposed between the feeding bobbin and the take-up bobbin configured to draw out the printing medium.