Printing Apparatus Spacer for Moisture Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing printing apparatuses face issues with media damage and impaired transport properties when using mediums like polyvinyl chloride, as moisture accumulation during heating can cause wrinkling and affect print quality.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a spacer above the guide surface to separate the medium from the guide surface, allowing vaporized moisture to escape without a slit, thereby preventing moisture accumulation and maintaining transport efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a slit hole is provided in the guide surface to release steam and suppress condensation, then condensation is suppressed, but transport properties of the medium may be impaired
Solution Approach 1:
A spacer is introduced as an intermediary component between the medium and the guide surface. The spacer has a vapor release portion that allows moisture to escape while the spacer itself maintains contact with the medium to ensure proper transport. This mediator structure enables both condensation suppression and transport property maintenance without requiring direct modification of the guide surface with slit holes.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the amount of moisture between the medium and the guide surface is reduced by providing a slit hole, then media damage is suppressed, but transport properties may be impaired
Solution Approach 1:
The spacer serves as a mediator that protects the medium from direct contact with the guide surface while enabling moisture release. The vapor release portion in the spacer reduces moisture accumulation that causes media damage, while the spacer's structure maintains adequate friction for reliable transport of various medium types without requiring slit holes in the guide surface.
3Manufacturing precision
If heating is applied to the medium after printing, then print quality is improved, but moisture accumulation occurs between the medium and guide surface
Solution Approach 1:
The spacer acts as a mediator during the heating process. It allows the medium to be heated for print quality improvement while simultaneously providing a vapor release path that prevents moisture accumulation between the medium and guide surface. The spacer's vapor release portion enables moisture to escape during heating without compromising the heating effectiveness.
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 spacer effectively reduces media damage and maintains print quality by releasing vaporized moisture, ensuring the medium is not in contact with the guide surface, thus preventing wrinkling and ensuring smooth transport.
Implementation Method 1
a heating unit disposed at a position facing the guide surface, and configured to heat the medium
Implementation Method 2
releasing vaporized moisture
Data Source
AI summary
A printing apparatus includes a transport unit configured to transport a medium in a transport direction, a printing unit configured to perform printing on the medium transported by the transport unit and supported by a platen, a downstream guiding unit as a medium guiding unit having a guide surface for guiding the medium downstream in the transport direction from the platen, a heating unit disposed at a position facing the guide surface, and configured to heat the medium, and a spacer provided above the guide surface, and configured to separate the medium from the guide surface.