Printer Ink Tube Vertical Stacking Prevents Encoder Contamination
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Solution Overview
Problem
In printer systems, the encoder strip used for carriage movement detection becomes dirty due to lubricant and dust, leading to reduced accuracy in position detection, and the ink-supply tube's movement causes it to contact the guide device and encoder strip, compromising the apparatus' size and functionality.
Innovation Solution
A printer design where the guide device, ink-supply tube, and encoder strip are positioned on different vertical planes, with the ink-supply tube having a flexible U-shape that follows the carriage movement, preventing contact and allowing for a reduced size by overlapping with the guide device and encoder strip, thus keeping the encoder strip clean and maintaining high accuracy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the ink-supply tube is positioned to allow movement following carriage reciprocation, then the tube can supply ink effectively, but the tube contacts the guide device and encoder strip, causing lubricant to stick to the encoder strip and reducing position detection accuracy
Solution Approach 1:
The patent positions the ink-supply tube, guide device, and encoder strip on different vertical planes (stacking in the vertical direction). This spatial separation in the vertical dimension prevents the ink-supply tube from contacting the encoder strip while still allowing the tube to move with the carriage, thus maintaining ink supply reliability without compromising position detection accuracy.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the ink-supply tube is given flexibility to follow carriage movement, then the tube can accommodate reciprocating motion, but the tube shakes and contacts the guide device and encoder strip, causing lubricant contamination
Solution Approach 1:
By stacking the ink-supply tube, guide device, and encoder strip on different vertical planes, the patent eliminates the harmful contact between the flexible tube and the encoder strip. The tube maintains its flexibility to follow carriage movement in the horizontal direction while the vertical separation prevents it from reaching the encoder strip, thus avoiding lubricant contamination.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a fixing member that anchors the ink-supply tube to the main body of the image recording apparatus. This intermediary structure provides a stable reference point that reduces excessive tube movement and shaking, preventing contact with the encoder strip while still allowing necessary flexibility for carriage reciprocation.
3Reliability
If additional space is provided for the ink-supply tube to change attitude without contacting guide device and encoder strip, then contact is prevented, but the apparatus size increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes the vertical dimension by stacking the ink-supply tube, guide device, and encoder strip on different vertical planes. This approach prevents contact between components without requiring additional horizontal space, thereby maintaining a compact apparatus design while ensuring reliable prevention of encoder strip contamination.
Data Source
AI summary
A printer including: (i) a guide device extending in a first direction; (ii) a carriage reciprocateable in the first direction, while being guided by the guide device; (iii) a recording head carried by the carriage; (iv) a feed device for feeding the recording medium in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction; (v) a flexible ink-supply tube for supplying ink to the recording head; and (vi) a carriage movement detector including an encoder strip which extends in the first direction. The ink-supply tube has a U-shaped body including a pair of arm portions extending in the first direction and spaced apart from each other in the second direction. The guide device, the ink-supply tube and the encoder strip are located on respective different positions in a third direction that is perpendicular to the first and second directions. The ink-supply tube has a part that overlaps with the guide device and the encoder strip as seen in the third direction.