Portable Printer Removable Support Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing printers are not lightweight, compact, durable, user-friendly, and efficient in loading and unloading label and tag supplies in roll and fan-fold forms, with complex mechanisms and many parts.
Innovation Solution
A portable printer design featuring a lightweight, compact, and durable structure with minimal parts made of molded plastics, incorporating a spring-urged mechanism for easy loading and unloading of ink ribbon cartridges and label/tag supplies, and a toggle latch mechanism for simplified operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If existing printers use complex mechanisms with many parts for loading and unloading label and tag supplies, then the printer can perform printing functions, but the printer becomes heavy, non-compact, and difficult to operate
Solution Approach 1:
The printer is divided into separable modules: a removable support assembly that can be detached from the housing, allowing ink ribbon cartridges and label/tag supplies to be loaded and unloaded independently without manipulating the entire printer. This segmentation simplifies the loading/unloading operation and reduces the operational complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The support mounting the print head and ink ribbon cartridge is extracted as a removable assembly from the printer housing. This allows users to easily remove the support to access and replace ink ribbon cartridges or label/tag supplies without disassembling the entire printer, significantly improving ease of operation while reducing the effective complexity of supply management.
2Adaptability or versatility
If existing printers include many parts for supply management, then the printer can handle different supplies, but the printer loses portability and compactness
Solution Approach 1:
The removable support assembly serves multiple functions: it mounts the print head, holds the ink ribbon cartridge, and manages both roll and fan-fold label/tag supplies through integrated guides. This multi-functionality in a single removable unit maintains adaptability to handle different supply types while preserving compactness and portability.
Solution Approach 2:
The ink ribbon cartridge is nested within the removable support assembly, which itself is nested within the printer housing during operation. The label/tag supplies are guided through integrated pathways within the compact housing. This nesting arrangement allows multiple components to coexist in a compact form factor while maintaining full functionality.
3Reliability
If existing printers use complex mechanisms for supply management, then the printer can manage supplies reliably, but the durability is reduced due to more parts that can fail
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the support assembly as a removable unit, the number of permanent fasteners, screws, and connection points within the printer housing is reduced. Fewer permanent connections mean fewer potential failure points, enhancing overall durability while maintaining reliable supply management through the simplified removable interface.
Solution Approach 2:
Extracting the support assembly as a removable component eliminates the need for complex permanent mounting mechanisms. The simplified removable connection reduces the number of parts subject to wear and failure, thereby improving durability while maintaining reliable operation through the straightforward attach/detach interface.
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 printer is easy to use, efficient in supply management, and maintains a compact form while ensuring reliable operation with reduced parts for enhanced durability and user-friendliness.
Implementation Method 1
a guide for the web continuously spring-urged into a non-operating position
Implementation Method 2
a spring is connected to the support and the guide for accomplishing the spring-urging
Data Source
AI summary
This is disclosed a portable printer that is easy to load with an ink ribbon cartridge and record members web supplies, that is simple, has relatively few parts, is lightweight and has a small footprint.