Label Printer Reverse Conveying Prevents Adhesion

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Solution Overview

Problem

Backless label paper sheets often adhere to the platen roller in label printers, leading to waste and inefficiency due to the existing reverse feeding methods that do not effectively prevent the tip end from being attached, resulting in unnecessary paper wastage and printing errors.

Innovation Solution

A label printer with a support unit, conveying unit, printing unit, cutting unit, and control unit that reverses the conveying direction of the backless label paper after cutting, allowing the tip to be stopped at a predetermined position downstream from the print head, preventing adherence and reducing waste by adjusting the conveying amount.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the tip end of the backless label paper sheet is pushed against the platen roller by the printing head for a long period of time, then the label paper can be positioned for the next printing command, but the tip end adheres to the platen roller and may become wound around it

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepositioning accuracyVSAvoidadhesion to platen roller

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies reverse conveying to move the label paper in the opposite direction after printing, pulling the tip end away from the platen roller surface. This inversion of the conveying direction prevents the tip end from adhering to the platen roller while maintaining positioning accuracy for the next printing command.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

2Productivity

If reverse feeding is performed to reposition the label paper after cutting, then the tip end can be positioned for continuous printing, but the existing methods do not effectively prevent the tip end from being attached to the platen roller

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontinuous printing capabilityVSAvoidpaper wastage

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs reverse conveying immediately after cutting to reposition the tip end of the label paper before the next printing command. This preliminary action ensures the paper is properly positioned and prevents adhesion issues before they occur, enabling continuous printing without waste.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

By conveying the label paper in the reverse direction after cutting, the patent pulls the tip end away from the platen roller surface, preventing adhesion. This inversion of the conveying direction resolves the contradiction between maintaining continuous printing capability and preventing paper wastage due to adhesion.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Data Source

PatentUS10252546B2Label printer

Publication Date: 2019.04.09 TOSHIBA TEC KK

AI summary

A label printer according to an embodiment includes a support unit that supports a roll of a backless label paper; a conveying unit that conveys and reverse conveys the backless label paper along a conveying path; a printing unit positioned on the conveying path and including a print head that prints on a surface of the backless label paper; a cutting unit, positioned on the conveying path downstream of the printing unit in a conveying direction, that cuts the backless label paper; and a control unit that controls the conveying unit to reverse convey the backless label paper in a reverse conveying direction after the cutting unit cuts the backless label paper sheet so that a tip of the backless label paper is stopped at a predetermined position downstream from the print head in the conveying direction.