Printer Housing Access Segmentation for Component Maintenance

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Solution Overview

Problem

In printing apparatuses, components are unevenly accessible, leading to decreased convenience for users and maintenance personnel due to varying accessibility based on their positions within the housing, resulting in components being arranged at positions with low accessibility, which complicates access and maintenance.

Innovation Solution

The housing is divided into two sections in a front-rear direction with specific access points of varying difficulty levels, allowing components frequently accessed by users to be positioned at easily accessible front or rear faces and components primarily accessed by maintenance personnel to be positioned at less accessible side or opening-closing portions, thereby optimizing access convenience.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If components are arranged inside the housing without specific access portions, then the housing structure is simple, but accessibility to components becomes uneven and inconvenient

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaccessibility to componentsVSAvoidhousing structure
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The housing is divided into multiple access portions (first access portion, second access portion, third access portion) that provide different levels and types of access to components. This segmentation allows users to access frequently used components through easily accessible portions while maintaining a relatively simple overall housing structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different portions of the housing are designed with different accessibility characteristics. The first access portion is designed for easy user access, the second access portion provides access from another direction, and the third access portion allows access to specific components. This local differentiation optimizes accessibility without requiring complete redesign of the entire housing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Ease of operation

If all components are placed at easily accessible positions, then user convenience is improved, but maintenance personnel may have unnecessary access and security is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveuser convenienceVSAvoidaccess control
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

Components are divided into different groups and placed in different access portions based on their access requirements. Frequently accessed user components are in the first access portion, while other components are in second or third access portions. This segmentation allows differential access control while maintaining user convenience for essential operations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Ease of operation

If the housing is divided into multiple sections with different access portions, then component accessibility is optimized, but the housing structure becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecomponent accessibilityVSAvoidhousing division
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The housing is segmented into distinct access portions (first, second, and third access portions) that can be independently designed and accessed. This segmentation strategy optimizes component accessibility by providing multiple entry points while keeping each portion's design relatively simple, avoiding the need for complex integrated solutions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP3248803B1Printing apparatus with access portions for access to inside of housing
Publication Date: 2020.11.04 RISO KAGAKU CORP
  • EP3248803B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3248803B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3248803B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A printing apparatus includes a plurality of components for the printing apparatus, and a housing configured to house the plurality of components in an inside of the housing and having a plurality of access portions used by a user and a service man to access the inside of the housing. The access portions have predetermined difficulty levels of access of accessing the inside of the housing from the access portions respectively. At least one or more of the plurality of components housed in the inside of the housing are arranged based on positions and the predetermined difficulty levels of access of the access portions and a frequency of access to the at least one or more of the plurality of components by the user and the service man.