Printing Apparatus Front Take-Out Port Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users face difficulties in retrieving printed print media from a printing apparatus, especially when the workspace around the outlet port is limited, making it challenging to pull out long print media without sufficient space.
Innovation Solution
The printing apparatus incorporates a stacking portion, a discharge unit, and a passage forming portion with a take-out port that allows users to extract printed media from the front side, reducing the need to navigate around the rear of the device, enhancing usability and convenience.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the outlet port is located at the rear of the printing apparatus, then the discharge passage can be efficiently formed, but the user cannot easily take out long print medium when workspace is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The discharge passage is divided into two separate outlets: a rear outlet port for efficient discharge passage formation and a front take-out port for user access. This segmentation allows each outlet to serve its specific function optimally without compromising the other.
Solution Approach 2:
A guide member is introduced as an intermediary component to guide the print medium from the discharge passage to the front take-out port. This guide member enables the print medium to be directed to the front outlet without complicating the overall discharge passage configuration.
2Ease of operation
If the workspace around the outlet port is small, then the printing apparatus can be compact, but the user cannot pull out long print medium
Solution Approach 1:
The take-out port is positioned at the front of the printing apparatus, changing the spatial dimension of access from rearward (requiring workspace behind the device) to forward (utilizing front workspace). This dimensional change enables easy access in compact installations where rear workspace is limited.
3Ease of operation
If a single outlet port is used, then the structure is simple, but the user cannot easily access printed media in constrained spaces
Solution Approach 1:
The single outlet port is segmented into two functional outlets: a rear outlet port for discharge passage formation and a front take-out port for user access. This segmentation enables optimized functionality for each outlet type while maintaining overall structural simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The discharge passage is designed to serve multiple functions: it discharges print medium to the rear outlet port and simultaneously guides the medium to the front take-out port through the guide member. This multi-functionality allows a single passage structure to support both outlet ports.
Data Source
AI summary
A printing apparatus includes a stacking portion on which a print medium printed by a printing unit configured to perform printing is stacked, a discharge unit configured to discharge the print medium printed by the printing unit to the stacking portion, a passage forming portion arranged facing the stacking portion and configured to form a discharge passage of the print medium together with the stacking portion, and an outlet port located at a downstream end of the stacking portion and a downstream end of the passage forming portion in a conveying direction of the print medium. The passage forming portion includes a take-out port through which a user can take out, from the stacking portion, the print medium printed by the printing unit.