Printer Medium Tray Merging Pre- and Post-Recording Regions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing recording devices are inefficient in configuration, as the constituent members for accommodating pre-recording and recorded media are separately configured and overlap each other, limiting the number of media that can be accommodated without increasing the device's size in the gravitational direction.

Innovation Solution

A recording device with a medium accommodation unit that includes a first region for pre-recording media and a second region for recorded media, allowing both to be accommodated efficiently without overlapping, and featuring an opening/closing cover that serves as a medium placement space to downsize the device and prevent foreign matter entry.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If separate constituent members are used for accommodating pre-recording and recorded media, then the device structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the device size increases in the gravitational direction and the number of media that can be accommodated is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of manufactureVSAvoiddevice size in gravitational direction

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSLength of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the pre-recording media accommodation function and recorded media accommodation function into a single integrated medium accommodation unit. This unit includes a first region for pre-recording media and a second region for recorded media, eliminating the need for separate constituent members and reducing the device's gravitational direction size while maintaining manufacturing simplicity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The medium accommodation unit is configured to extend in a direction intersecting the gravitational direction rather than stacking vertically. This dimensional reorientation allows both pre-recording and recorded media to be accommodated side-by-side, increasing media capacity without increasing the device's height in the gravitational direction

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Ease of manufacture

If separate constituent members are used for accommodating pre-recording and recorded media, then the device structure is simple, but the number of media that can be accommodated is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of manufactureVSAvoidnumber of media accommodated

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the pre-recording media accommodation function and recorded media accommodation function into a single integrated medium accommodation unit. This unit includes a first region for pre-recording media and a second region for recorded media, eliminating the need for separate constituent members and reducing the device's gravitational direction size while maintaining manufacturing simplicity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The medium accommodation unit is configured to extend in a direction intersecting the gravitational direction rather than stacking vertically. This dimensional reorientation allows both pre-recording and recorded media to be accommodated side-by-side, increasing media capacity without increasing the device's height in the gravitational direction

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Length of stationary object

If the device is downsized in the gravitational direction, then the device size is reduced, but the number of media that can be accommodated is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedevice size in gravitational directionVSAvoidnumber of media accommodated

Core Design Contradiction:

Length of stationary objectVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The medium accommodation unit is configured to extend in a direction intersecting the gravitational direction rather than stacking vertically. This dimensional reorientation allows both pre-recording and recorded media to be accommodated side-by-side, increasing media capacity without increasing the device's height in the gravitational direction

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Data Source

PatentUS12088763B2Recording device including medium tray having a first and second region

Publication Date: 2024.09.10 SEIKO EPSON CORP

AI summary

A recording device includes a recording unit configured to perform recording on media, a main body provided with the recording unit, and a medium accommodation unit configured to be attached to and detached from the main body and configured to accommodate the media, wherein the medium accommodation unit includes a first region configured to accommodate a pre-recording medium before being subjected to recording by the recording unit, and a second region configured to accommodate a recorded medium after being subjected to the recording by the recording unit.