Printer Guide Member Tilting Reduction via Gear-Driven Sandwiching
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing printers that handle roll-shaped print-receiving media face difficulties in smoothly advancing and retreating guide members due to flexure and tilting, especially when manually operated, which affects the reliable guidance of media with varying widths.
Innovation Solution
A printer design featuring a roll storage part with advanceable and retractable guide members, driven by a gear system, which includes a through-hole structure and sandwiching parts to securely hold the guide members in place, allowing them to move in tandem and adjust to different roll widths, reducing flexure and tilting.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the height-direction dimensions of guide members are increased to contact both width-direction end surfaces of the roll, then the guide members can reliably guide the print-receiving medium, but guide member flexure and tilting occur during manual operation, making smooth advancement and retraction difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The guide member is divided into multiple sections along its length: a first section that contacts the roll end surface, a second section that meshes with the driving gear, and a third section that extends below the bottom surface to contact the support surface. This segmentation allows each section to perform its specific function independently, reducing overall flexure and tilting during operation.
Solution Approach 2:
A driving gear is introduced as an intermediary mechanism between the operator's manual input and the guide member. The driving gear engages with the second section of the guide member, providing controlled rotational motion that translates into smooth linear advancement and retraction, eliminating direct manual handling issues.
Solution Approach 3:
The guide member is designed to extend in multiple dimensions: above the top surface to contact the roll end, and below the bottom surface to contact the support surface. This three-dimensional configuration provides stability in both vertical directions, preventing tilting and flexure during horizontal movement.
2Device complexity
If the guide members are made to advance and retreat by manual operation, then the structure remains simple, but flexure and tilting occur, affecting smooth operation
Solution Approach 1:
A driving gear is introduced as an intermediary mechanism between the operator's manual input and the guide member. The driving gear engages with the second section of the guide member, providing controlled rotational motion that translates into smooth linear advancement and retraction, eliminating direct manual handling issues.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide member's second section automatically engages with the driving gear, which converts rotational motion into linear motion. This self-engaging mechanism eliminates the need for complex external actuators or motors, maintaining structural simplicity while achieving smooth operation through the gear's inherent mechanical advantage.
Data Source
AI summary
A printer comprising a roll storage part, a feeder, a printing head, a first guide member, a second guide member, and a driving gear. The first and second guide members guide a print-receiving medium in a width direction and provided in an advanceable and retreatable manner. The driving gear makes the first and second guide members advance and retreat. The roll storage part comprises a first through-hole for guiding the first guide member in the width direction, and a second through-hole for guiding the second guide member in the width direction. The first guide member comprises a first driven part configured to mesh with the driving gear, and a first sandwiching part holding the first guide member. The second guide member comprises a second driven part configured to mesh with the driving gear, and a second sandwiching part holding the second guide member.