Recording Apparatus Slot Detection Using Reflecting Plates
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Solution Overview
Problem
Recording apparatuses face challenges in recognizing and preventing unintended recording on trays with slots of arbitrary shapes and positions, leading to ink ejection on empty slots, resulting in unnecessary printing and contamination.
Innovation Solution
A recording apparatus with a reception unit for specifying detection positions, a specification unit for determining the presence of media in slots, and a control unit that ensures recording only occurs on slots with media, preventing recording on empty slots by using reflecting plates and optical sensors to detect medium presence.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If trays with slots of arbitrary shapes and positions are used, then adaptability to different recording media is improved, but the ability to recognize and detect medium presence in slots deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The tray is divided into multiple independent slots, each capable of holding different types of recording media. The detection system is segmented to individually detect medium presence in each slot, allowing arbitrary slot configurations while maintaining detection capability for each specific position.
Solution Approach 2:
Reflecting plates are strategically placed at specific locations within slots where medium presence needs to be detected. This local placement of detection elements ensures accurate detection in arbitrary slot configurations without requiring a complete detection system for the entire tray.
2Manufacturing precision
If medium detection for each slot is implemented, then recording accuracy is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Reflecting plates serve as intermediary elements between the optical sensor and the recording medium. These simple reflective surfaces enable detection without requiring complex sensing mechanisms in each slot, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining detection accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of placing complex detection sensors in each slot, the system uses optical sensors that detect the presence or absence of reflected light from simple reflecting plates. This copying of the detection function through optical means simplifies the physical detection system while maintaining accuracy.
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
Effectively prevents ink ejection on empty slots, reducing unnecessary printing and contamination, while ensuring intended recording occurs on trays with arbitrary slot shapes and positions.
Implementation Method 1
it is determined whether or not a medium is arranged in the slot, and if there is an error, a notice indicating the message is issued to a user
Data Source
AI summary
A recording apparatus performs recording on a recording medium by using a tray having a plurality of slots, and includes a reception unit receiving information for specifying a detection position of the recording medium in a slot of the tray from an external apparatus, and a specification unit to specify the detection position. In addition, a control unit controls the recording apparatus so that, in a case where the recording medium is arranged in a first slot and no recording medium is arranged in a second slot, recording processing is performed on the recording medium arranged in the first slot, and recording processing is not performed in association with the second slot. Detection processing to detect a recording medium is not performed for a third slot which is not specified, and detection processing is performed for the first and second slots which are specified.