Recording Apparatus Head Movement Orthogonal Cap Wiper Overlap
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing recording apparatus designs face challenges in minimizing size in the movement direction of the recording head due to the overlapping movement areas of the cap and cleaning portions, which increases the overall size of the apparatus.
Innovation Solution
The proposed solution involves a recording apparatus with a recording head that moves back and forth between support portions, a cap portion that moves intersectingly to cover the ejecting portion at a retracted position, and a cleaning portion that cleans the ejecting portion at the same retracted position, with overlapping movement areas minimized to reduce the required space, allowing for a more compact design.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the wiper and cap are positioned so as not to overlap in the movement direction of the printer head, then the cleaning function and coverage function are ensured, but the recording apparatus increases in size in the movement direction
Solution Approach 1:
The patent positions the wiper's movement area and the cap's movement area to overlap in the movement direction of the printer head, but separates them in the width direction. Specifically, the wiper moves along the long-side direction while the cap moves along the short-side direction, creating orthogonal movement paths that share the same longitudinal space. This dimensional reorganization allows both components to coexist without increasing the overall length of the recording apparatus in the movement direction.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent effectively nests the wiper and cap movement spaces within the same longitudinal envelope by having their movement areas overlap. The wiper blade and cap are positioned such that their respective movement zones intersect in the movement direction, allowing both components to operate within the same spatial boundary without requiring additional length, similar to how nested dolls occupy the same external dimensions while containing separate internal spaces.
2Ease of operation
If the wiper and cap movement areas are separated in the movement direction, then each component has sufficient movement space, but the overall apparatus size increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent resolves the space requirement by transitioning from linear separation along the movement direction to orthogonal separation in the width direction. The wiper operates primarily along the long-side direction while the cap operates along the short-side direction, with their movement areas overlapping in the movement direction. This allows both components to have adequate movement space through three-dimensional spatial arrangement rather than linear extension, preventing apparatus size increase.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs dynamic positioning where the wiper and cap move along different trajectories that intersect in the movement direction. The wiper blade moves along the long-side direction while the cap moves along the short-side direction, creating dynamically overlapping movement areas. This dynamic spatial arrangement allows both components to access their required movement spaces without requiring static separation that would increase apparatus dimensions.
Data Source
AI summary
A recording apparatus includes a support portion to transport a medium in a transport direction. A recording head includes an ejecting surface that faces the support portion and is provided with a nozzle to eject liquid to the medium to be transported. A cap portion covers the ejecting surface, and a movement mechanism moves the recording head in a moving direction which is orthogonal to the transport direction. A cap moving portion supports and moves the cap portion between a cap position where a cap surface of the cap portion covers the ejecting surface and a standby position where the cap surface does not cover the ejecting surface.