Printer Tension Control for Roll Paper Transport
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing recording devices face issues with medium skew and wrinkle due to tension variations, leading to transportation failures when medium slack occurs or when it is excessively pulled, affecting accuracy and reliability.
Innovation Solution
A recording device with a control unit that switches between two tension modes to manage tension between roller pairs and an accommodating portion, applying first tension to prevent skew and wrinkle, and second tension to prevent excessive pulling, ensuring accurate transport.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If tension is applied to the medium between the second roller pair and the accommodating portion, then skew and wrinkle of the medium are suppressed, but the medium may be excessively pulled causing transportation failure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by switching between two tension modes (first mode with higher tension and second mode with lower tension) based on real-time detection of medium characteristics such as thickness, width, and transport path length. This dynamic adjustment allows the system to optimize tension application for each specific medium, preventing both excessive pulling and insufficient tension control.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements parameter changes by varying the tension magnitude applied to the medium. The control unit changes the tension parameter between first tension (higher) and second tension (lower) based on detected medium parameters, thereby adapting the tension application to match the specific characteristics of each medium being transported.
2Reliability
If no tension is applied to the medium, then the medium can be transported without excessive pulling, but skew and wrinkle occur during transportation
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts tension application by switching between first mode (with tension) and second mode (without or with minimal tension) based on medium characteristics. This ensures that tension is applied only when necessary to maintain medium flatness, while avoiding excessive tension that could cause transportation failures.
Solution Approach 2:
The control unit changes the tension parameter from zero or low tension to higher tension based on detected medium parameters such as thickness and width, thereby optimizing the balance between maintaining medium flatness and ensuring reliable transportation.
3Ease of operation
If fixed tension is applied to all mediums, then the system is simple to operate, but the system cannot adapt to different medium characteristics causing transportation failures
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements self-service by automatically detecting medium characteristics (thickness, width, transport path length) and autonomously determining the appropriate tension mode without requiring manual intervention. The control unit self-adjusts the tension parameters based on the detected medium properties, making the system adaptable to different mediums while maintaining ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies feedback by using detection units to sense medium characteristics and feeding this information back to the control unit, which then adjusts the tension mode accordingly. This closed-loop feedback mechanism enables the system to adapt to different medium characteristics automatically while maintaining simple operation for the user.
Data Source
AI summary
In a printer, an accommodating portion accommodates roll paper. A supply roller pair is disposed upstream of a recording unit in a transport direction, and nips the roll paper. The intermediate roller pair is rotatably disposed between the supply roller pair and the accommodating portion, and nips the roll paper. A second motor and a third motor apply tension to the roll paper between the intermediate roller pair and the accommodating portion. A control unit can switch between a first mode and a second mode. In the first mode, first tension is applied to the roll paper between the intermediate roller pair and the accommodating portion. In the second mode, second tension smaller than the first tension is applied.