Printer Cutting Mechanism Crop Mark Positioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Printers with cutting functions face issues of ink bleeding on printed images and increased working hours due to the need for ink drying before cutting, as well as accuracy problems when cutting heat-sensitive media, which can shift during the drying process.
Innovation Solution
A printer with a cutting mechanism, sensor, and control device that creates crop marks by cutting holes on the medium, allowing for accurate positioning and reducing ink bleeding by enabling cutting before printing or printing after cutting, using a movable cutting and ink head along a guide rail, with sensors detecting level, color, or reflectance for precise alignment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If cutting is performed after ink is sufficiently dried, then ink bleeding is prevented, but working hours are increased
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by creating crop marks through cutting before the printing process. The crop marks are formed by the cutting head cutting holes at predetermined positions on the medium before ink is applied. This allows the cutting operation to be completed in advance, eliminating the need to wait for ink drying, and enabling subsequent printing to proceed independently without causing ink bleeding.
2Reliability
If drying time is extended to prevent ink bleeding, then ink bleeding is reduced, but medium susceptible to heat is twisted by heat
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs the cutting action to create crop marks before the printing and drying processes. By establishing the crop marks in advance on the medium, the position reference is set before any heat exposure occurs during ink drying. This prevents heat-induced twisting of the medium from affecting crop mark position accuracy, as the cutting has already been completed.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent inverts the conventional sequence by performing cutting before printing instead of after. Traditionally, printing is done first followed by cutting after ink drying. This invention reverses the order to cutting first (creating crop marks), then printing, which eliminates the need for extended drying time and prevents heat-related distortion issues.
3Productivity
If cutting is performed before printing, then working hours are reduced, but ink may bleed on printed image
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates crop marks by cutting before printing as a preliminary action. The cutting head forms holes at predetermined positions on the medium before the ink head applies ink. This preliminary cutting establishes position references that guide subsequent printing, allowing the main cutting to be done after printing without risking ink bleeding, while still benefiting from reduced working hours.
4Reliability
If medium is exposed to heat for ink drying, then ink drying is achieved, but medium susceptible to heat is twisted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs the cutting operation to create crop marks before the ink drying process. By establishing the position reference through cutting in advance, the subsequent heat exposure during ink drying cannot affect the already-formed crop mark positions. This separates the timing of position establishment from the drying process, eliminating heat-induced distortion issues.
Data Source
AI summary
A printer with a cutting function includes a cutting mechanism configured to cut a medium, a sensor configured to detect a cut portion of the medium, a printing mechanism configured to perform printing on the medium, and a control device configured and programmed to control the cutting mechanism and the printing mechanism.