Inkjet Printer Sheet Conveyance Path Geometry
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional recording apparatuses with multiple recording modules and a common tray are prone to sheet jams due to excessive bending of recording sheets, especially when thick paper or envelopes are used, leading to increased conveyance resistance and inconvenience in sheet handling.
Innovation Solution
The recording apparatus is designed with recording modules spaced orthogonally to each other, featuring a common tray and second conveyance paths that minimize sheet bending angles, ensuring the sheets are not bent by 90° or more, thereby reducing conveyance resistance and preventing jams. This design includes inclined paths and shared components for efficient sheet handling and size reduction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the connection guide path and branch paths are curved such that the recording sheet is bent by 90° or more, then the recording apparatus can have a compact structure with shared sheet supply and discharge units, but the conveyance resistance increases and sheet jams occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from two-dimensional planar path arrangements to three-dimensional spatial configuration by introducing inclined conveyance paths that extend in the vertical direction. This allows the recording sheet to be conveyed at angles greater than 90° between path segments, reducing bending while maintaining compact footprint. The inclined paths enable the sheet to follow a gentler, more gradual trajectory through space rather than making sharp 90° turns in a plane.
2Reliability
If individual sheet supply units are provided for each printing unit to avoid sheet bending, then sheet jams are reduced, but the apparatus size increases and user convenience decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal sheet supply system where a single sheet supply unit serves multiple printing units through the inclined conveyance path configuration. The shared sheet supply tray and common conveyance mechanism demonstrate multi-functionality, allowing one supply unit to efficiently serve several recording modules without requiring individual supply units for each printer, thus maintaining reliability while reducing complexity.
3Volume of moving object
If the recording modules are disposed close to each other for compact structure, then the apparatus size is reduced, but the sheet conveyance path requires sharp bends causing increased conveyance resistance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces sharp angular bends with curved, inclined transition paths that guide the recording sheet smoothly between conveyance directions. The curved path geometry allows the sheet to follow a continuous, rounded trajectory rather than making abrupt 90° turns, significantly reducing bending stresses and conveyance resistance while maintaining the compact arrangement of recording modules.
Data Source
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AI summary
A recording apparatus including: recording modules (50) each having a first conveyance path (7); a first common tray (10, 11) having a support surface (10a, 11a); and a second conveyance path (6, 8) connecting each first conveyance path and the first common tray, wherein the recording modules are disposed such that the first conveyance paths are parallel to and are spaced apart from each other in a direction orthogonal to the first conveyance paths, and wherein an angle formed by any continuous two path portions (6a, 6b, 6c, 8a, 8b, 8c) in the second conveyance path, an angle formed by the second conveyance path and the support surface of the first common tray, and an angle formed by the second conveyance path and each first conveyance path are made larger than 90° and are not larger than 180°, such that a maximum bending angle of a recording medium that is conveyed between the first common tray and each recording module is less than 90°.