Printer Cover Member Discharge Slot Rigidity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional portable printers face issues with deviation in the discharge path of printing media due to potential warping of the housing components during molding, leading to wrinkles in printed sheets.
Innovation Solution
The printer design includes a support frame elongated in a first direction, a discharge slot also elongated in the first direction, and a cover member that surrounds the discharge slot and engages with the support frame, enhancing the rigidity of the cover member and stabilizing the discharge path.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the housing components (cover member and lower cover) are made as separate molded parts, then the ease of manufacture is improved, but the manufacturing precision deteriorates due to potential warping during molding
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the cover member and lower cover into a single integrated housing structure. This combination eliminates the warping issues that occur when these components are manufactured as separate molded parts, as the unified structure provides mutual support and maintains dimensional stability during the molding process, thereby improving manufacturing precision while remaining easy to manufacture.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a composite structure where the cover member and lower cover are formed as a single piece with integrated reinforcement ribs. This composite design combines the benefits of molded manufacturing with enhanced structural rigidity, preventing warping by distributing stresses throughout the unified structure rather than allowing individual components to deform independently.
2Ease of manufacture
If the cover member and lower cover are made with simple structures, then the ease of manufacture is improved, but the stability of the discharge path deteriorates leading to path deviation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality enhancement by incorporating reinforcement ribs specifically at critical locations within the housing structure. These ribs are strategically positioned to provide additional stiffness and prevent warping in areas that directly affect the discharge path stability, while the rest of the housing maintains a simple, easy-to-manufacture design. This localized reinforcement ensures discharge path stability without complicating the overall manufacturing process.
3Volume of moving object
If the housing is elongated in the left-right direction for compactness, then the volume is reduced, but the manufacturing precision deteriorates due to increased warping tendency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates curved reinforcement ribs and arched structural elements within the elongated housing design. These curved features distribute mechanical stresses more evenly throughout the structure, reducing the tendency for warping in the elongated configuration. The curved geometry also provides structural reinforcement that maintains manufacturing precision while preserving the compact, space-efficient elongated form factor of the printer.
Data Source
AI summary
A printer includes: a print head; a support frame elongated in a first direction and supporting the print head; a discharge slot for discharging a medium after printing is performed on the medium; and a cover member covering the print head and the support frame. The discharge slot and the cover member are both elongated in the first direction. The cover member includes a surrounding part and a first engagement portion. The surrounding part surrounds an entirety of the discharge slot and has a peripheral portion extending in the first direction and constituting a part of the discharge slot. The first engagement portion is in engagement with a frame engagement portion of the support frame.