Medium Transport Sensor Cleaning via Door-Linked Sliding Wiper
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing medium transport devices, such as inkjet printers, face challenges with sensor size increases due to cleaning configurations, leading to device size enlargement and increased costs.
Innovation Solution
A medium transport device with a detection section, cleaning section, and a housing that slides with a door section, allowing for concurrent cleaning without additional power sources, reducing device size and cost.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the sensor is moved for cleaning, then the detection surface of the sensor can be cleaned, but the sensor itself is increased in size and the configuration for moving the sensor is also increased in size, resulting in an increase in device size
Solution Approach 1:
The invention separates the sensor from the cleaning mechanism. Instead of moving the entire sensor for cleaning, only a dedicated cleaning member is moved to contact and clean the detection surface. This segmentation allows the sensor to remain fixed while the cleaning function is independently provided by a movable cleaning member, thus avoiding the need to increase sensor size or create complex sensor movement mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces a cleaning member as an intermediary element between the sensor and the cleaning source. This cleaning member is moved to and from the detection surface to perform cleaning, rather than moving the sensor itself. The cleaning member acts as a mediator that transfers the cleaning function without requiring the sensor to be movable, thereby maintaining compact device dimensions.
2Reliability
If the sensor is moved for cleaning, then the detection surface can be cleaned, but the configuration complexity increases due to the moving mechanism
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning function is segmented from the sensor assembly. A separate cleaning member with its own movement mechanism is provided, which only needs to move locally to contact the detection surface. This segmentation simplifies the overall system by avoiding the need to move the entire sensor assembly, reducing mechanical complexity while maintaining effective cleaning capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The cleaning member serves as an intermediary that simplifies the cleaning configuration. Instead of integrating complex movement mechanisms into the sensor, the cleaning member is moved to and from the detection surface using a simpler mechanism. This intermediary approach reduces the complexity of the overall cleaning configuration while ensuring reliable cleaning of the detection surface.
Data Source
AI summary
A medium transport device 1 includes a transport section 120 configured to transport a medium P; a detection section 101 configured to detect the medium P transported by the transport section 120 via a detection surface 101A; a cleaning section 110 configured to clean the detection surface 101A; a housing 53 configured to house the transport section 120, the detection section 101, and the cleaning section 110; and a door section 6 configured to open and close the housing 53, wherein the cleaning section 110 is configured to slide with respect to the detection surface 101A in conjunction with opening and closing of the door section 6.