Inclined Case Mounting for Printer Housing Void Elimination
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Solution Overview
Problem
Recording apparatuses that eject liquid for printing face issues with voids between the housing and the case, leading to a recessed appearance and potential damage to the external appearance, particularly when a common case with a rectangular parallelepiped shape is mounted on a housing with a curved side surface, causing visibility and aesthetic concerns.
Innovation Solution
The recording apparatus is designed with a case mounted on the housing's side surfaces in an inclined manner relative to the depth direction, positioning the case's outer surface closer to the inner side in the width direction, which reduces the visibility of voids and prevents the apparatus from appearing recessed, and incorporates a sealing member to block potential gaps.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a common case with rectangular parallelepiped shape is mounted on housing with curved side surface, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but void is generated between case and housing causing recessed appearance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dimensionality change by transitioning from a two-dimensional flat mounting surface to a three-dimensional inclined mounting surface. The case is mounted on the housing at an inclination angle rather than flush, which allows the outer surface of the case to be positioned on the inner side in the width direction as approaching the near side in the depth direction. This three-dimensional arrangement eliminates voids while maintaining the simple rectangular parallelepiped shape of the case, thus resolving the contradiction between ease of manufacture and appearance.
2Shape
If case is mounted flush on housing, then appearance is uniform, but void becomes visible when housing has curved side surface
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by making the mounting configuration specific to the curved side surface of the housing. Rather than requiring the entire case to be custom-shaped, only the mounting interface is adapted with an inclined surface that matches the housing's curvature. This allows the majority of the case to remain a simple rectangular parallelepiped while locally adapting to the housing shape, thus maintaining appearance uniformity without excessive design complexity.
3Shape
If case is positioned to eliminate void, then appearance is improved, but width uniformity may be affected
Solution Approach 1:
The patent resolves the width uniformity issue by utilizing the depth direction dimension. The case is inclined such that its outer surface is positioned on the inner side in the width direction as approaching the near side in the depth direction. This means the case's position in the width direction varies intentionally with depth, creating a tapered appearance that eliminates voids at the front while maintaining overall width uniformity when viewed from the front, thus resolving the contradiction between void elimination and width uniformity.
Data Source
AI summary
A printer includes: a liquid ejecting head which performs recording on a paper sheet by ejecting liquid; a housing in which the liquid ejecting head is stored; an operating panel which is provide in the housing; a liquid storing body which stores the liquid supplied to the liquid ejecting head; and a case which accommodates the liquid storing body. When a direction in which a sign on the operating panel faces is considered as a front surface of the printer and the housing, the case is mounted on a right side surface of the housing, and the case is mounted on the housing in a state of being inclined with respect to a depth direction of the printer.