Recording Device Extraction Area Alignment Guide

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing recording devices face issues with the alignment property of media after recording, as the medium drops from the recording unit to the extraction portion, leading to operational inefficiencies and potential misalignment.

Innovation Solution

A recording device with a housing that accommodates a recording unit, featuring a loading portion and an extraction portion with a demarcated extraction area, where the medium is loaded and removable from downstream in the discharge direction, improving alignment and operability by integrating an inclined upper inner wall surface and overlapping extraction and loading areas.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If the medium drops from the recording unit to the extraction portion, then the device structure is simple, but the alignment property of the medium deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedevice structureVSAvoidalignment property of medium

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

A guide structure is introduced as an intermediary component between the recording unit and extraction portion. This guide structure includes a guide surface that contacts the medium and guides it along a predetermined path, preventing misalignment during the transition from the recording unit to the extraction portion while maintaining overall structural simplicity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If the extraction area is positioned upstream, then the medium can be removed earlier, but the alignment property deteriorates due to dropping

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemedium extraction timingVSAvoidalignment property of medium

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The guide structure extends in the discharge direction (downstream) rather than allowing immediate upstream extraction. By positioning the guide surface to extend downstream from the recording unit toward the extraction portion, the medium is guided along the discharge direction, maintaining alignment while enabling extraction at the optimal downstream position.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Manufacturing precision

If the guide structure extends upstream, then the medium can be guided better, but the device size increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemedium guidanceVSAvoiddevice size

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of extending the guide structure upstream from the extraction portion, the guide surface is positioned to extend downstream from the recording unit. This inverted approach allows the guide structure to start from the source (recording unit) and follow the natural discharge direction, providing effective guidance while minimizing the required device volume.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Data Source

PatentEP4296066A1Device, recording device

Publication Date: 2023.12.27 SEIKO EPSON CORP

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AI summary

A device includes a housing. The housing is capable of accommodating a recording unit (20). The recording unit includes a recording portion that performs recording on a medium, and a loading portion (49) on which a medium is loaded after recording is performed on the medium by the recording portion. The housing includes an extraction portion (70) that demarcates an extraction area (72) from which a medium loaded on the loading portion is removable. The extraction area is an area from which a medium loaded on the loading portion is removable from downstream in a discharge direction in which the medium on which recording is performed by the recording portion is discharged.