Printer Guide Member Through Holes for Roll Width Adjustment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing printers that print on print-receiving tapes face challenges in smoothly adjusting the position of guide members to accommodate rolls of varying widths, leading to inefficient tape guidance and feeding.
Innovation Solution
A printer design featuring a guide member that can advance and retreat along the roll width direction, with through-holes for support rollers to facilitate smooth tape feeding and adjustment, ensuring reliable guidance of the tape regardless of roll width.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the guide member is made to advance and retreat along the roll width direction to accommodate various roll widths, then the adaptability of the printer is improved, but the ease of operation deteriorates due to difficulty in adjusting the guide member position
Solution Approach 1:
The support rollers are designed to automatically advance and retreat along the width direction based on the roll width, eliminating the need for manual adjustment of the guide member. The guide member simply guides the support rollers, which self-adjust to contact the roll end surfaces, thereby maintaining ease of operation while achieving adaptability to various roll widths
Solution Approach 2:
The support rollers are configured as movable components that can dynamically advance and retreat along the width direction of the roll. This dynamic positioning allows the guide member to effectively guide rolls of different widths without requiring manual repositioning, thus resolving the contradiction between adaptability and ease of operation
2Reliability
If multiple support rollers are provided inside the roll storage part to rotatably support the roll, then the feeding smoothness is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The support rollers serve multiple functions: they support the roll weight, enable smooth feeding through rotation, and simultaneously act as positioning elements that advance and retreat to accommodate different roll widths. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate adjustment mechanisms, thereby managing device complexity while maintaining feeding smoothness
Solution Approach 2:
The functions of roll support and width adaptation are merged into a single integrated structure where the support rollers both bear the roll and automatically position themselves according to roll width. The guide member and support rollers work as a combined system, simplifying the overall device complexity while ensuring reliable feeding
Data Source
AI summary
A printer comprising a roll storage part, a feeder, a printing head, a plurality of support rollers, and at least one guide member. The roll storage part rotatably stores a roll that winds a print-receiving tape around a predetermined axis. The feeder pulls out and feeds the print-receiving tape. The printing head performs desired printing on the print-receiving tape. The plurality of support rollers contact an outer peripheral surface of the roll and rotatably support the roll. The at least one guide member is provided to the roll storage part in an advanceable and retreatable manner and guides the print-receiving tape by contacting an end surface of the roll. The guide member comprises a plurality of through-holes configured to guide advancing and retreating of the guide member. A plurality of support rollers are respectively inserted along the width direction thorough the through-holes.