Roll Sheet Jam Handling With Loop Formation for Safe Manual Cutting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing printing apparatuses face user convenience issues during a print medium jam, particularly when both cutter operation and roll paper rewinding are difficult, posing risks of unintentional damage to the printhead or internal components.
Innovation Solution
A printing apparatus with a control unit that stops the conveying unit upon detecting a jam, allowing the user to form a loop in the roll sheet for easy manual cutting, thereby improving user safety and convenience.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the user manually cuts the roll paper near the printhead to remove the print medium jam, then the jam can be cleared, but the user risks unintentionally touching the printhead or moving the cutter and damaging the sheet or internal components
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit performs preliminary actions by automatically rewinding the roll paper when a jam is detected, creating a safe working distance between the user and the printhead/cutter area before the user needs to manually intervene. This preliminary rewinding action prevents the harmful scenario where users must work in close proximity to dangerous components.
Solution Approach 2:
The control unit acts as an intermediary by automatically performing the rewinding operation that would otherwise require manual user intervention near dangerous components. This intermediary action transfers the risky operation from the user domain to the automated system domain, eliminating the direct exposure to harm.
2Extent of automation
If both cutter operation and roll paper rewinding are difficult due to the print medium jam, then automatic processing becomes impossible, but requiring manual intervention increases safety risks
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit performs partial automation by automatically executing only the safe portion of the jam resolution process (rewinding to create clearance), while leaving the final cutting action to be performed manually by the user in a safe location. This partial automation approach maintains user convenience for the critical manual intervention while eliminating the dangerous portions through automation.
Data Source
AI summary
A printing apparatus that includes a holding unit configured to hold a roll sheet performs supplying the sheet by rotating the roll sheet held by the holding unit; nipping and conveying the supplied sheet; performing printing on the conveyed sheet; detecting occurrence of a print medium jam of the sheet; and, if the printing apparatus has detected a print medium jam of the sheet, performing a control process of supplying the sheet in a state in which the conveying is stopped.