Printer Cutting Unit Standby Position Overlap
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing printing apparatuses designed for table-top use face challenges in increasing size due to the need for a cutter unit, which limits their compactness.
Innovation Solution
The printing apparatus includes a liquid storage part, a conveying unit, an image recording unit, a cutting unit, and a controller. The cutting unit is moved to an outer side of the platen in a scanning direction, and its standby position is arranged adjacent to the liquid storage part, allowing for overlap in the width direction, thereby reducing the overall size of the apparatus.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the printing apparatus is designed for table-top use, then the size is compact, but the size cannot be increased to accommodate a cutter unit
Solution Approach 1:
The standby position of the cutting unit is arranged to overlap the liquid storage part in the width direction when viewed from the front, utilizing three-dimensional space arrangement. This allows the cutting unit to be positioned on the outer side of the platen in the scanning direction while sharing the same footprint area, effectively using vertical and depth dimensions to resolve the space conflict between compactness and cutter unit accommodation
Solution Approach 2:
The cutting unit is designed to be movable between a standby position and a cutting position. At the standby position, it is arranged adjacent to the liquid storage part; during operation, it moves to the outer side of the platen in the scanning direction to perform cutting. This dynamic positioning allows the apparatus to maintain compact size while providing full cutting functionality when needed
2Volume of moving object
If the standby position of the cutting unit is arranged adjacent to the liquid storage part, then the size is reduced, but the arrangement complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The apparatus is divided into distinct functional modules: the liquid storage part, the cutting unit with its carriage mechanism, and the platen. The cutting unit is further segmented into a cutter assembly that can be independently positioned. This modular segmentation allows the standby position to be optimally arranged adjacent to the liquid storage part without complicating the overall system, as each module operates independently with defined movement paths
Data Source
AI summary
A printing apparatus includes: a liquid storage part; a conveying unit; an image recording unit including a platen; a cutting unit; and a controller, wherein the controller cuts a recording medium by moving the cutting unit to an outer side of the platen in a scanning direction intersecting a conveying direction of the recording medium, wherein, on the outer side of the platen in the scanning direction, a standby position for the cutting unit to stand by is arranged adjacent to the liquid storage part in a front-rear direction of the printing apparatus, and wherein at least a part of the cutting unit at the standby position is disposed such that a position thereof in a width direction of the printing apparatus overlaps the liquid storage part in a plan view of the printing apparatus as viewed from front.