Carriage Gap Adjusting Mechanism for Printer Miniaturization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing recording apparatuses face challenges in miniaturization due to the need for extended guide frames and protruding gap adjusting units, which increase size and risk of synchronization shifts, leading to potential paper jams and reduced recording quality.
Innovation Solution
A recording apparatus design featuring a carriage with integrated first and second gap adjusting units and a synchronization unit, eliminating the need for long guide members and supporting portions, ensuring synchronized gap adjustment without protrusions, thus minimizing size and preventing paper jams.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If abutting sites are provided at both ends of guide frames to support gap adjusting units, then the gap adjustment function is achieved, but the guide frame length increases leading to larger apparatus size
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the support function from the guide frame by introducing a dedicated support member that holds the gap adjusting unit. This allows the guide frame to be shortened while maintaining the gap adjustment capability, as the support function is now performed by a separate component rather than requiring an extended guide frame structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent repositions the gap adjusting unit from protruding outward (requiring extended guide frames) to being integrated within the carriage assembly. The support member extends in the depth direction rather than requiring increased length in the scanning direction, effectively utilizing another dimension to solve the space constraint problem.
2Ease of operation
If gap adjusting units protrude from carriage main body at both ends, then gap adjustment is enabled, but paper can touch both ends during paper jam causing synchronization shifts
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a support member as an intermediary component that holds the gap adjusting unit. This support member acts as a mediator between the gap adjusting unit and the external environment, preventing paper from directly contacting the gap adjusting unit during paper jams while still allowing the gap adjustment function to operate normally.
Solution Approach 2:
The gap adjusting unit is nested within the carriage assembly structure rather than protruding from it. The support member integrates the gap adjusting unit into the carriage housing, creating a nested configuration where the gap adjusting unit is protected within the carriage structure, preventing paper contact while maintaining functionality.
3Manufacturing precision
If support portion is provided above gap control member to maintain carriage posture, then recording head alignment is ensured, but apparatus height increases making miniaturization difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the support function with the existing carriage structure by using the support member that already holds the gap adjusting unit. Instead of adding a separate support portion above the gap control member, the support member integrates multiple functions (supporting the gap adjusting unit and maintaining carriage posture) into a single component, avoiding increased apparatus height.
Solution Approach 2:
The support member is designed as a multi-functional component that simultaneously serves to hold the gap adjusting unit and maintain the carriage posture. This universal component performs multiple functions without requiring additional separate structures, thereby preventing an increase in apparatus height while ensuring proper alignment.
Data Source
AI summary
A recording apparatus includes a recording head performing recording on a recording medium, a carriage movable in a scanning direction of the recording head; a first guide member guiding the carriage in the scanning direction; a second guide member provided positioned at a predetermined distance in a direction intersecting the scanning direction with respect to the first guide member; a first gap adjusting unit provided on the carriage, and causing the housing of the carriage to displace in a direction changing the gap between a support face supporting a recording medium and the recording head; a second gap adjusting unit causing the housing of the carriage to displace by being synchronized with the first gap unit in a direction changing the gap; a synchronization unit.