Printer Driven Gear Nesting for Parts Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional printers require spacers when reducing the number of driven gears, which complicates manufacturing and increases parts count even when functions are minimized.
Innovation Solution
A pair of driven gears with a spur gear and concentric cylinder/hole design allows for shared use across different printer types without the need for spacers, enabling the same gears to be used in various printer configurations by rotating around the same axis.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If the number of driven gears is reduced to minimize printer functions, then the parts count decreases, but spacers must be added to maintain gear positioning, which increases device complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The driven gear is designed with a universal structure that can function in both single-gear and multi-gear configurations. The cylinder extending along the rotation axis and the hole for gear engagement create a standardized interface that works regardless of whether one or multiple driven gears are present, eliminating the need for different gear designs for different printer types.
Solution Approach 2:
The cylinder of one driven gear can be inserted into the hole of another driven gear, creating a nested arrangement. This nesting mechanism allows multiple driven gears to be positioned along the same rotation axis without requiring separate spacers, as each gear's cylinder-hole interface provides the positioning function.
2Manufacturing precision
If spacers are added to maintain gear positioning when reducing functions, then gear positioning consistency is maintained, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The driven gear structure serves multiple functions simultaneously: it transmits rotational motion through the spur gear, positions itself and other gears through the cylinder-hole nesting interface, and maintains consistent positioning whether used alone or with multiple other gears. This eliminates the need for separate positioning spacers and simplifies manufacturing.
3Adaptability or versatility
If different printer types use different numbers of driven gears, then printer functions are optimized, but the same gears cannot be shared across printer types, increasing parts count
Solution Approach 1:
The driven gear is designed as a universal component that can be used in any printer type regardless of the number of gears required. The standardized cylinder-hole interface allows the same gear design to function in single-gear minimal printers as well as multi-gear full-featured printers, enabling parts sharing across different printer configurations.
Solution Approach 2:
The system allows dynamic configuration where the same driven gear design can be used in varying quantities depending on the printer type. The cylinder-hole nesting mechanism enables flexible assembly of 1, 2, or more driven gears along the rotation axis, allowing printer functionality to be adjusted without changing the fundamental gear design.
Data Source
AI summary
A printer having a switch gear, first driven gear and second driven gear. The switch gear has a spur gear and is slidable along a direction that is parallel to a rotation axis of the spur gear. The first driven gear has a first spur gear and a cylinder fixed to the first spur gear. The cylinder is concentric with respect to the first spur gear and extends along the above direction. A hole is formed on the second driven gear. The hole is concentric with respect to a second spur gear and extends along the above direction. The second driven gear is rotatably mounted on the first driven gear by inserting the cylinder of the first driven gear into the hole of the second driven gear. The switch gear slides between a first position for engagement with the first driven gear and a second position for engagement with the second driven gear along the above direction. Since the driven gears are formed in this way, the position of the first driven gear in the above direction is not changed even when the second driven gear is not provided.