Printer Cable Harness Storage Casing Design

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

In existing printers, the short length of the cable harness limits workspace during maintenance or replacement of the print head, leading to degraded workability, and increasing its length can cause the cable to contact or get caught in peripherals, resulting in failures.

Innovation Solution

A printer design that includes a storage casing on the feeding path to store the cable harness, allowing it to be extended and stored safely, preventing contact with peripherals and enhancing workability by providing a wider workspace.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the cable harness length is increased to widen workspace during maintenance, then workability is improved, but the cable may contact or get caught in peripherals causing failures

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveworkability during maintenanceVSAvoidfailure risk of cable harness

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The cable harness is extracted from the operational area and stored in a dedicated storage casing when not in use. This separates the cable from the peripherals, eliminating the risk of contact or entanglement while maintaining full length for workspace requirements during maintenance operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The cable harness is nested within the storage casing structure. The casing provides a containment space that holds the cable in an organized manner, preventing it from contacting peripherals while preserving its full extended length for when maintenance work requires access to the print head.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

2Reliability

If the cable harness length is kept short to avoid contact with peripherals, then reliability is improved, but workspace during maintenance is significantly reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefailure prevention of cable harnessVSAvoidworkability during maintenance

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The storage casing is prepared in advance and positioned to receive the cable harness when the print head is removed for maintenance. This preliminary arrangement ensures that the cable can be immediately stored in an safe, organized manner without creating hazards, while the full-length cable remains available for workspace during the maintenance process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Ease of operation

If the cable harness is extracted during maintenance, then workspace is widened, but the cable may become tangled or exposed causing failures

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveworkspace availabilityVSAvoidtangling and exposure risk

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The cable harness is extracted from the operational area and placed into the storage casing during maintenance operations. This extraction removes the cable from the workspace temporarily, eliminating tangling risks while the print head is being serviced, and prevents exposure to potential damage sources.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Data Source

PatentEP3150387B1printer

Publication Date: 2022.01.19 SATO HLDG CORP

Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3

AI summary

A printer has a print head, a cable harness connected to the print head, a head bracket detachably installed with the print head, a platen roller provided to face the print head, and a storage casing provided in one side of a feeding path and provided with a storage space in which the cable harness can be stored.