Separate Pressure Element for Strip Media Slippage

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing printer devices face challenges in transporting strip-shaped print media without slippage, particularly during the initiation and process of printing, due to the complex and laborious adjustment of spring forces required to prevent offset impressions in the printed image.

Innovation Solution

A printer device with a separate, movable pressure element that applies a higher spring force than the main pressure body, allowing for controlled pressure application specifically during the transport of strip-shaped print media, ensuring slippage-free transport and accurate printing by utilizing a roller or skid mechanism.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a single pressure body with uniform spring force is used, then the structure is simple, but slippage occurs during transport of strip-shaped print media

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveslippage-free transportVSAvoidpressure device structure
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The pressure body is divided into two independent parts: a main pressure body for general flat materials and a separate pressure element specifically for strip-shaped print media. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for its specific function, with the separate pressure element providing targeted pressure exactly where needed to prevent slippage during transport and printing of narrow media.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of applying uniform pressure across the entire pressure body, the invention applies localized pressure through a separate pressure element positioned at the leading edge of the print media. This local quality approach concentrates the spring force precisely at the point where strip-shaped media are most susceptible to slippage, improving transport reliability without requiring overall pressure increase.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Reliability

If higher spring force is applied to prevent slippage, then transport reliability improves, but printing precision deteriorates due to offset impressions

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveslippage-free transportVSAvoidprint image accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The pressure function is segmented into two stages: the separate pressure element provides high force during transport initiation to prevent slippage, while the main pressure body provides distributed pressure during printing to prevent offset impressions. This temporal and spatial segmentation of pressure application resolves the contradiction between preventing slippage and maintaining print accuracy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The separate pressure element acts preliminary by securing the strip-shaped print media at the leading edge before the printing process begins. This preliminary action prevents slippage during the critical initial transport phase, allowing the main pressure body to then maintain steady, distributed pressure during printing without causing offset impressions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Reliability

If spring force is precisely adjusted for thin materials, then thin material transport is reliable, but thick material transport becomes problematic

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvethin material transportVSAvoidmaterial thickness range
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The pressure device incorporates dynamic adaptability through two independent spring systems with different characteristics. The first spring system (separate pressure element) provides high force for thin materials, while the second spring system (main pressure body) provides adjustable force for thick materials. This dynamic configuration allows the system to automatically adapt to different material thicknesses, maintaining reliable transport across a wide range of materials.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The invention changes the spring force parameter by providing two distinct spring systems with different force characteristics. The separate pressure element uses a spring with higher constant for thin materials, while the main pressure body uses a spring with lower constant for thick materials. This parameter change approach enables the system to handle both thin and thick materials effectively without compromising transport reliability or versatility.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

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

The separate pressure element ensures problem-free transport and printing of strip-shaped media by providing a higher pressure force, preventing slippage and maintaining image accuracy without visible delays in the printing process.

Implementation Method 1

a separate pressure element 361, in particular in the form of a roller, which is designed to be movable separately from the pressure body and is acted upon by a spring force of a further spring or spring-elastic element

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSpring force: Spring

Implementation Method 2

A pressure element, which is arranged in the transport path post-upstream and lying closest to a sensor for triggering the print, was designed to be separately movable... to ensure problem-free transport function during printing, even for strip-shaped print medium

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFriction: Friction

Data Source

PatentEP2902974B1Printing Apparatus
Publication Date: 2018.12.19 FRANCOTYP POSTALIA AG & CO KG
  • EP2902974B1 patent drawingFigure 1a~4
  • EP2902974B1 patent drawingFigure 5
  • EP2902974B1 patent drawingFigure 6a~6b

AI summary

A printing device has an inkjet printer against which a flat material is pressed by means of a pressure plate, the base of which has a pressure plate (311) subjected to a spring force. A recess (312) at the edge of the pressure plate (311) extends further into the pressure body (31) in the z-direction to the inkjet printer. A further pressure plate (36) for strip-shaped printing media (ST) contains a pressure element (361) which is movably separate from the pressure body (31) and is subjected to a spring force by another spring or spring-elastic element. The pressure element (361) is movably arranged in the recess (312).A sensor (151) for triggering the print is arranged on a front wall (40) of a housing lower shell (4) of the printer device and has a sensor area which is adjacent to the separate pressure element (361) in the insertion direction y of a box-shaped assembly (Fig. 3).