Printer Shutter Mechanism for Noise Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Printing apparatuses face issues with unwanted noise due to limited air passage hole dimensions, which increase airflow resistance and require higher fan revolutions for cooling, leading to increased operation noise.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a shutter mechanism that opens and closes air passage holes during fan operation, allowing for wider hole dimensions while maintaining effective airflow and noise reduction by coordinating with the opening and closing of the apparatus door.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the opening dimensions of air passage holes are limited to prevent foreign objects and user injury, then safety is improved, but airflow resistance increases and wind noise is generated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by making the shutter movable between open and closed states based on operational conditions. The shutter dynamically adjusts the air passage hole dimensions: closed during normal operation to ensure safety, and open during fan cooling to reduce airflow resistance and wind noise. This dynamic adjustment resolves the contradiction between safety and noise reduction.
2Reliability
If the opening dimensions of air passage holes are limited, then safety is improved, but fan operation noise increases due to higher required revolutions
Solution Approach 1:
The shutter dynamically changes the air passage configuration from limited (closed state) to expanded (open state) during fan operation. This allows the fan to achieve required cooling airflow at lower revolutions, reducing fan operation noise while maintaining safety when the shutter is closed during normal operation.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If the shutter is made movable to enable opening during fan cooling, then wind noise is reduced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The shutter mechanism is designed to open automatically during fan cooling operation and close automatically when the fan stops or the door is opened. This self-service operation reduces the need for complex control systems, minimizing the increase in device complexity while still achieving wind noise reduction through dynamic air passage adjustment.
4Object-generated harmful factors
If the shutter mechanism is added to dynamically control air passages, then unwanted noise is reduced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The shutter is configured to operate automatically based on fan status and door position, reducing the need for complex control mechanisms. The shutter opens during fan cooling to reduce unwanted noise and closes automatically when the door is opened or fan stops, achieving noise reduction with minimal increase in device complexity through self-service operation.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The shutter mechanism reduces wind noise and fan operation noise by optimizing airflow and fan revolutions, preventing foreign object entry, and ensuring accurate shutter closure when the door is open.
Implementation Method 1
a fan configured to perform at least one of drawing of air into the case or exhausting of air from the case via the opening and the duct with the door being closed
Implementation Method 2
a shutter configured to open the opening during drive of the fan and close the opening while the door is open
Data Source
AI summary
A printing apparatus includes: a case having a door; a duct installed on an inner side of the door in the case and communicating with an outside of the case; a cover installed in the case and having an opening, the opening allowing an inside of the case and the outside of the case to communicate with each other via the duct of the door being closed; a fan configured to perform at least one of drawing of air into the case or exhausting of air from the case via the opening and the duct with the door being closed; and a shutter configured to open the opening during drive of the fan and close the opening while the door is open.