Printer Paper Detection Sensor Prevents Startup Waste
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional printers waste recording paper every time they are started, as the initial boarding pass is manually or mechanically cut off and discarded, leading to unnecessary paper usage.
Innovation Solution
A printer system that includes a transport roller, a printing head, a cutter, and sensors to detect the presence of recording paper, allowing the controller to only transport and cut the paper when it is detected, thereby preventing unnecessary paper waste during startup.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of substance
If the printer transports and cuts recording paper at every startup, then the first boarding pass can be discarded, but recording paper is wasted unnecessarily
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a sensor to detect the presence of recording paper in the transport path and provides feedback to the controller. The controller then decides whether to activate the cutting mechanism based on this feedback signal. This feedback mechanism prevents unnecessary cutting when no paper is present, thereby reducing paper waste while maintaining automated operation when paper is available.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs self-checking at startup by automatically detecting whether recording paper is present in the transport path before initiating the cutting operation. This self-service detection capability allows the printer to intelligently determine whether paper cutting is necessary, eliminating the need for manual intervention and preventing wasteful automatic cutting when paper is absent.
2Loss of substance
If the printer detects recording paper presence before cutting, then paper waste is reduced, but device complexity increases due to additional sensors and control logic
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a sensor as an intermediary component between the recording paper and the cutting mechanism. This sensor detects the presence or absence of paper and transmits this information to the controller, which then decides whether to activate the cutter. This intermediary detection system adds minimal complexity while effectively preventing paper waste by ensuring cutting only occurs when paper is present.
Data Source
AI summary
A printer includes: a transport roller for transporting recording paper in a transport direction; a head for printing on the recording paper; a cutter disposed downstream of the head in the transport direction and configured to cut the recording paper; a first sensor disposed downstream of the cutter in the transport direction and configured to detect the recording paper; a communication section configured to receive print data; and a controller. The controller detects the recording paper by using the first sensor at least at startup, when the recording paper is detected, the recording paper is transported by the transport roller and is cut by the cutter, whereas when the recording paper is not detected, the recording paper is not transported by the transport roller and is not cut by the cutter, and when the communication section receives the print data, the controller performs printing on the recording paper by using the head.