Printing Apparatus Opening Closing Portion Front Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users face difficulties in extracting printed print media from a printing apparatus, especially when the workspace around the outlet port is limited, making it challenging to handle long print media.
Innovation Solution
A printing apparatus design featuring a stacking portion, a discharge unit, and a passage forming portion with an opening/closing mechanism that allows the user to easily access the print media from either the rear or front, enabling the print media to be pulled out from a take-out port, which is closer to the user, thereby improving usability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the outlet port is located at the rear of the printing apparatus, then the discharge passage can be formed efficiently, but it becomes difficult for users to access and extract print media when workspace is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The passage forming portion is divided into a fixed portion and a movable opening/closing portion. The movable portion can be opened to create a take-out port at the front, allowing users to access print media from the front rather than navigating around to the rear outlet port, thus improving ease of operation while maintaining discharge passage functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The opening/closing portion is designed to be movable between a closed position (forming the discharge passage) and an open position (creating a take-out port). This dynamic structure allows the system to adapt between maintaining the discharge passage configuration and providing user access, resolving the contradiction between passage formation efficiency and ease of operation.
2Area of stationary object
If the workspace around the outlet port is small, then the printing apparatus can be installed in tighter spaces, but it becomes difficult to handle long print media
Solution Approach 1:
The invention creates a take-out port at the front of the apparatus, changing the access dimension from rearward (requiring workspace around the outlet port) to forward (accessible from the front). This allows users to handle long print media by pulling them out from the front take-out port, eliminating the need for significant workspace around the rear outlet port while maintaining compact installation.
3Productivity
If the stacking portion is enclosed to form a discharge passage, then the print medium can be conveyed efficiently, but it becomes difficult to extract the print medium
Solution Approach 1:
The passage forming portion is segmented into a fixed portion that maintains the enclosed discharge passage for efficient conveyance and a movable opening/closing portion that can be opened to create a take-out port. This segmentation allows the system to maintain enclosed conveyance productivity while providing easy extraction capability when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The movable opening/closing portion can be opened to extract the print medium from the enclosed stacking portion. This extraction mechanism allows users to easily remove printed media without compromising the enclosed discharge passage structure that ensures efficient conveyance, thus resolving the contradiction between productivity and ease of operation.
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 an opening/closing portion which is displaceable between a closed position for forming the discharge passage and an open position for opening access to the stacking portion.