Pivotable Housing Guide Portion Prevents Sheet Jam
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Solution Overview
Problem
In liquid ejection apparatuses, the pivoting mechanism of the first housing with respect to the second housing can cause sheet jams due to interference between components, especially when the clearance is formed near the conveyance path, as the sheet attempts to return to its original shape from a curved path.
Innovation Solution
The design includes a pivotable first housing with a pivot shaft positioned downstream of the recording portion, a guide portion with an inclined face directing the recording medium away from potential interference, and an annular member that moves between sealing and open positions to control clearance, preventing sheet entry into the clearance and reducing the risk of jamming.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a clearance is formed between components to allow smooth pivoting of the first housing, then the pivoting operation is improved, but the recording medium may enter the clearance and cause sheet jams
Solution Approach 1:
A guide portion is introduced as an intermediary component between the recording medium and the clearance. This guide portion actively directs the recording medium along a predetermined path, preventing it from entering the clearance while allowing the clearance to remain open for smooth pivoting operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide portion is positioned and configured to preemptively counteract the tendency of the recording medium to deviate and enter the clearance. By establishing a predetermined guidance path before the pivoting action occurs, the system prevents the harmful effect of sheet jams before they can happen.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a larger clearance is formed to accommodate component movement during pivoting, then the pivoting range is improved, but the apparatus size increases
Solution Approach 1:
The guide portion serves as a mediating structure that enables effective use of a reduced clearance. By actively managing the recording medium's path, the guide portion allows the clearance to be minimized while still achieving the necessary pivoting range, thus reducing overall apparatus size.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide portion changes the spatial parameters of the clearance by actively directing the recording medium. This allows the physical dimensions of the clearance to be reduced while maintaining the functional pivoting range through intelligent path management rather than relying on increased physical space.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3A~3B
AI summary
A liquid ejection apparatus, including: a recording portion (9) including a liquid ejection head (10) having an ejection face (10a), the liquid ejection head being elongated in a first direction parallel to the ejection face; a supply portion (1c) configured to supply a recording medium; a support member (61) configured to support the recording medium while facing the ejection face; a conveyor mechanism (50) including (i) a conveyance guide (31 a, 31b, 31c) configured to guide the recording medium and defining a U-shaped curved path extending from the supply portion toward the support member and (ii) a conveyor roller (24) configured to convey the recording medium along the conveyance guide, the conveyor mechanism being configured to convey the recording medium in a second direction parallel to the ejection face and perpendicular to the first direction; a first housing (1a) accommodating the recording portion; and a second housing (1b) accommodating the supply portion, the support member, and the conveyor mechanism, wherein the first housing is pivotable about a pivot shaft (1x) extending along the first direction, between (i) an ejection position at which the recording portion ejects liquid onto the recording medium supported by the support member and (ii) a distant position at which the recording portion is farther from the support member than the recording portion in a situation in which the first housing is located at the ejection position, wherein, when the first housing is located at the ejection position, the pivot shaft is located at a position that is farther from the support member than the ejection face in a third direction perpendicular to the ejection face and that is downstream of the recording portion in the second direction, wherein the conveyance guide includes a guide portion (31d) disposed downstream of the conveyor roller and upstream of the recording portion in the second direction, the guide portion having a guide face inclined in a direction directed from the ejection face toward the support member in the third direction toward a downstream side of the guide face in the second direction, the guide portion being configured to guide the recording medium along the guide face, wherein, when the first housing is located at the ejection position, the guide portion is opposed to the recording portion in the second direction with a clearance therebetween, and wherein the recording portion is configured to pass through a space corresponding to the clearance when the first housing is pivoted between the ejection position and the distant position.