Rewinding Reel with Expandable Outer Casing for Label Printer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional rewinding reels for label printers face difficulties in removing wound carbon ribbons or label carriers due to their tight engagement, requiring forceful removal and leading to user inconvenience, with existing solutions like using a paper spool being troublesome.
Innovation Solution
A rewinding reel design featuring movable outer casing members with selectively expandable and contractable diameters, driven by a manually depressible knob and a resilient element, allowing easy removal of the wound ribbon or carrier by reducing the outer casing diameter and automatically returning to an expanded state for rewinding.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the outer casing members are kept in expanded state for rewinding, then the rewinding function is improved, but the removal of wound carbon ribbon or label carrier becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The outer casing members are designed to be dynamically adjustable between expanded and contracted states. The movable portions allow the outer casing members to change their radial position, enabling easy removal when contracted and effective rewinding when expanded. This dynamic adjustment resolves the contradiction between maintaining tight engagement for rewinding and enabling easy removal.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the physical parameter of the outer casing members' outside diameter. By manually depressing the knob, the movable portions shift the outer casing members radially, changing their outside diameter from expanded to contracted state. This parameter change allows the same structure to serve both rewinding (expanded) and easy removal (contracted) functions.
2Device complexity
If a conventional fixed structure is used, then the structure is simple, but the removal of wound carbon ribbon or label carrier requires force and causes user inconvenience
Solution Approach 1:
The invention introduces minimal dynamic elements (movable portions with camming projections and follower projections) to the otherwise simple structure. These movable portions are actuated by a manual knob, adding only the necessary complexity to enable easy removal while maintaining overall structural simplicity.
3Ease of operation
If the outer casing members are contracted to allow easy removal, then the removal ease is improved, but the rewinding function is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The invention employs periodic action where the outer casing members alternately switch between expanded (for rewinding) and contracted (for removal) states. The resilient element facilitates this periodic transition by providing automatic return to the expanded state after manual contraction, enabling the system to cycle between the two functional states as needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The resilient element provides self-service by automatically returning the movable portions and outer casing members to the expanded rewinding position after manual contraction. This eliminates the need for additional mechanisms to reset the system, allowing it to serve itself and maintain readiness for the next rewinding operation.
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
Enables easy and efficient removal of wound carbon ribbons or label carriers without force, ensuring user convenience and facilitating the rewinding process by selectively adjusting the outer casing diameter using a camming mechanism and resilient biasing.
Implementation Method 1
The resilient element provides a biasing force that sets the movable portions at a position where the outer casing members expand
Implementation Method 2
The sliding bases include movable portions that form camming projections and follower projections respectively in camming engagement with follower projections and camming faces formed on the outer casing members to radially move the outer casing members away from and toward the sliding bases
Data Source
AI summary
A rewinding reel for rewinding a carbon ribbon or a label carrier in a label printer is provided, including a shaft, a gear, at least two sliding bases, at least two outer casing members, a resilient element, and a knob. The gear is mounted to the shaft to mate a transmission of the label printer for driving rotation of the shaft. The sliding bases are mounted to the shaft and are rotatable by the shaft. The sliding bases include movable portions that form camming projections and follower projections respectively in camming engagement with follower projections and camming faces formed on the outer casing members to radially move the outer casing members away from and toward the sliding bases for expanding and contracting the outer casing members in order to selectively loosen the carbon ribbon or the label carrier wound around the outer casing members. The knob is fixed to the movable portions and is manually depressible to move the movable portions. The resilient element provides a biasing force that sets the movable portions at a position where the outer casing members expand.