Portable Photo Printer Using Display Light and External Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional portable photo printers are complex, large, expensive, and inconvenient due to their numerous internal electronic components and the need for external power sources, making them unsuitable for widespread use.
Innovation Solution
A portable image printing device that uses a light collector to focus light from a display device onto photographic paper, with an external control device managing the movement of the paper and light shutter to form images, eliminating the need for internal processors, memory, and batteries, and simplifying the structure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional photo printers use multiple internal electronic parts (communication device, memory, processor, battery), then they can function independently, but the device complexity increases and manufacturing becomes complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the electronic control components (processor, memory, communication device) from the printing device and relocates them to an external portable device. The printing device retains only the essential mechanical components (photographic paper feed mechanism, heating element, press roller), thereby dramatically reducing device complexity while maintaining independent printing functionality through external control.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent makes the printing device universally compatible with various portable devices (smartphones, tablets, cameras) that have display screens. By using the display screen of any portable device as the light source for photopolymerization, the printing device can work with multiple different external control devices, achieving multi-functionality without requiring dedicated electronic components within the printer itself.
2Adaptability or versatility
If conventional photo printers include all necessary electronic components, then they can operate autonomously, but the weight increases making them inconvenient to carry
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the battery and electronic control components from the printing device, extracting these weight-bearing elements and placing them in the external portable device. The printing device becomes a lightweight mechanical unit that only contains essential components for paper feeding, heating, and pressing, making it highly portable while still capable of autonomous operation when paired with any powered portable device.
3Adaptability or versatility
If conventional photo printers are equipped with complete internal electronics, then they can function independently, but the manufacturing cost increases making the product expensive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the expensive electronic components (processor, memory, communication module) from the printing device and places them in the user's existing portable device. This dramatically reduces the bill of materials for the printing device itself to only mechanical components (housings, rollers, heating elements, photopolymerizable paper), thereby reducing manufacturing costs while maintaining independent printing capability through external control.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent leverages the portable device that the user already owns as the control unit. The user's smartphone or camera, which they already possess and have paid for, serves as the brain of the printing system. This eliminates the need to duplicate expensive electronics in the printing device, reducing manufacturing costs while maintaining full printing functionality.
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
Enables convenient, cost-effective printing of images from portable devices without the complexity and bulk of traditional photo printers, facilitating widespread use.
Implementation Method 1
a light collector for focusing light output from the display device in a direction substantially perpendicular to a screen of the display device
Implementation Method 2
a photographic paper which is positioned over the light collector, and on which an image displayed on the display device is formed through exposure to light received from the light collector
Implementation Method 3
the photographic paper includes a photopolymerizable layer that is photopolymerized when exposed to light received from the light collector
Data Source
AI summary
An image printing device using a display device according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises: a light collecting device for substantially focusing light output from the display device on a screen of the display device in a vertical direction; and a photographic paper which is located on the light collecting device and is photosensed by light provided from the display device through the light collecting device so that an image displayed on the display device is formed, wherein movement of the photographic paper provided in the image printing device is controlled by an external control device in which the display device is mounted, so that an image displayed on the display device can be formed in the photographic paper provided in the image printing device.