Print Control with Movable Stacking Space for Jam Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing printing apparatuses with movable portions, such as scan portions, can inhibit print medium discharge or make removal difficult, leading to user inconvenience and increased jamming due to space constraints and obstruction by the movable portion.
Innovation Solution
A print control apparatus with a movable portion that can move between closed and open positions, accompanied by a control unit that notifies users to switch to the open position when print media stacking approaches capacity, thereby preventing jams and facilitating easy removal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If a movable portion (scan portion) is provided to enable space-saving movement, then space utilization is improved, but the movable portion may inhibit print medium discharge or make removal difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The scan portion is designed to be movable between a closed position (covering the discharge portion) and an open position (not covering). The control unit dynamically adjusts the position of the scan portion based on the stacked amount of print media, moving it to the open position when the discharge portion is nearly full to facilitate removal, and to the closed position otherwise to save space.
2Productivity
If the discharge tray stacking capacity is increased, then productivity is improved, but the likelihood of jamming due to movable portion obstruction increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit continuously monitors the stacked amount of print media in the discharge portion and uses this feedback to determine when to move the scan portion to the open position. When the stacked amount reaches a predetermined threshold (nearly full), the control unit moves the scan portion to prevent jamming and facilitate removal, thus maintaining reliability while allowing high stacking capacity.
3Measurement precision
If a sensor with physical mechanism is provided to detect full occupancy, then detection accuracy is improved, but manufacturing costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces the mechanical sensor-based detection system with an electronic counting system. The control unit counts the number of print media discharged from the printing portion and compares this count to the known stacking capacity of the discharge portion to determine full occupancy, eliminating the need for complex mechanical sensors while maintaining accurate detection.
Data Source
AI summary
A technique capable of performing printing while suppressing degradation in user convenience is provided. There are provided a movable portion whose mechanical position is movable to a plurality of positions including a first position in which a space to stack discharged print media has a predetermined size and a second position in which the space is expanded to a size greater than the predetermined size in a direction of stacking of the print media, and a control unit which performs control to make a first notification regarding movement of the movable portion to the second position during execution of printing in which printed print media are discharged to the space in a case where the movable portion is in the first position.