Separable Housing Connector for Printer Maintenance Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
In large printing apparatuses, components near the center are difficult to access for maintenance, leading to inefficient maintenance workflows and potential stability issues due to the weight of electric components, which can cause apparatus instability and connector breakage.
Innovation Solution
A printing apparatus design featuring a second housing that is movably supported on an installation surface, allowing it to open and close relative to the first housing horizontally, tilt, and move upward and downward, facilitating access to central components without increasing the apparatus size and reducing the risk of connector breakage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If components are arranged near the center of the apparatus, then space utilization is improved, but maintenance access becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The housing is divided into a main body housing and a separable electric component housing. The electric component housing can be opened and closed relative to the main body housing, allowing maintenance personnel to access components near the center without disassembling the entire apparatus. This segmentation enables both effective space utilization and easy maintenance access.
2Productivity
If electric component housing is made openable for maintenance, then maintenance efficiency is improved, but apparatus stability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The electric component housing is configured to be dynamically openable and closeable relative to the main body housing through a connector mechanism. This dynamic design allows the housing to be opened for maintenance when needed and closed during operation to maintain apparatus stability, thus resolving the contradiction between maintenance efficiency and stability.
3Ease of operation
If electric component housing is made openable, then maintenance access is improved, but connector breakage risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The connector is designed with specific structural parameters including a tilt angle of 5 to 15 degrees relative to the vertical direction, and allows upward and downward movement of 5 to 20 mm. These parameter changes enable the connector to accommodate installation surface unevenness and reduce stress concentration, thereby preventing connector breakage while maintaining ease of maintenance access.
Data Source
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AI summary
A printing apparatus includes: a first component; a second component; a first housing configured to house the first component; a second housing configured to house the second component and movably supported on an installation surface on which the printing apparatus is installed; and a connector configured to connect the second housing openably and closably to the first housing in a horizontal direction and to allow a tilt of a turning axis of the second housing to the first housing and an upward and downward movement of the second housing to the first housing upon opening and closing of the second housing.