Printer Head Cover as Print Medium Guide Roller
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Solution Overview
Problem
The use of a guide roller in printers increases production and maintenance costs due to wear and tear, thereby elevating the total cost of the printer while aiming to stably feed print media.
Innovation Solution
The printer employs a head cover that acts as both an operation member to connect and disconnect the thermal head and a feeding guide, eliminating the need for a dedicated guide roller by guiding the print medium through its rotation mechanism, thus reducing production and maintenance costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a guide roller is introduced to guide the print medium, then feeding stability is improved, but production cost and maintenance cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the guiding function with the existing head cover structure. The head cover is configured to guide the print medium from the container to the platen roller, eliminating the need for a separate guide roller. This merging of functions reduces device complexity and production cost while maintaining feeding stability through the integrated guiding path.
Solution Approach 2:
The head cover serves multiple functions: it protects the thermal head, guides the print medium, and structurally supports the printing mechanism. By making the head cover multi-functional, the patent eliminates the need for dedicated guide rollers, thereby reducing both production and maintenance costs while ensuring stable print medium feeding.
2Reliability
If a guide roller is introduced to guide the print medium, then feeding stability is improved, but maintenance cost increases due to wear
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the guiding function from a separate wear-prone component (guide roller) and integrates it into the head cover structure. Since the head cover is a non-consumable structural component, it does not experience wear from contact with the print medium in the same way a rotating roller would, thereby eliminating maintenance costs associated with guide roller replacement while maintaining feeding stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent avoids using disposable or wear-prone components for guiding. Instead of a guide roller that wears down and requires replacement, the guiding function is implemented through the durable head cover structure, eliminating the need for periodic maintenance and replacement of guiding components.
3Reliability
If a guide roller is introduced to guide the print medium, then feeding stability is improved, but the total cost of the printer increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the guiding function into the head cover structure, eliminating the need for separate guide roller components. This reduces the total number of parts, simplifies manufacturing processes, and lowers production costs while ensuring stable print medium feeding through the integrated guiding path provided by the head cover.
Data Source
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AI summary
A printer includes a housing, a printer cover configured to rotate between a closed position at which the printer cover closes an interior of the housing and an open position at which the printer cover opens the interior of the housing, a platen roller configured to feed print medium, a thermal head opposed to the platen roller when the printer cover is located at the closed position, and an operation member configured to connect and disconnect the thermal head, the operation member guides the print medium fed by the platen roller when the printer cover is located at the closed position.