Swing Bracket Thermal Head for Photo Printer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional photo printers experience reduced print quality due to surface contact between the thermal printing head and platen roller, leading to inefficient heat transfer and paper misfeeding, caused by the hinge shafts' location and spring configuration, resulting in uneven pressure and potential double feeding.
Innovation Solution
A photo printer design with a swing bracket and pressurizing means that allows the thermal head to swing and maintain uniform pressure over the entire area, ensuring line contact with the platen roller and preventing double feeding through a guide sheet and double feed prevention member.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the hinge shafts are located in front of the platen roller and springs are at the back, then the space between the head and platen roller becomes large to allow paper advancement, but the platen roller becomes compressed and deformed causing surface contact instead of line contact
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the conventional arrangement by positioning the hinge shafts at the rear of the platen roller instead of in front, and the springs at the front instead of at the back. This inversion changes the swing direction of the lower casing, allowing the space between head and platen roller to increase during paper advancement while preventing platen roller compression and deformation, thereby maintaining line contact between the thermal head and paper.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the spatial parameters of the hinge shafts and springs, specifically their positions along the platen roller axis. By relocating the hinge shafts to the rear and springs to the front, the mechanical parameters of the pressing mechanism are altered, which changes how the system responds during paper feeding while maintaining proper contact conditions.
2Manufacturing precision
If the thermal head presses the paper under uniform pressure, then heat is transferred locally to improve print quality, but the structure becomes more complex with swing brackets and pressurizing means
Solution Approach 1:
The swing bracket serves multiple functions: it provides the mechanical linkage for the head, acts as the pressurizing means through its swing motion, and maintains uniform pressure distribution across the thermal head. The lower casing's swing operation simultaneously creates space for paper advancement and applies uniform pressure through the spring mechanism, eliminating the need for separate complex pressing mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The thermal head pressing mechanism is self-regulating through the swing bracket and spring system. As the lower casing swings during paper advancement, the spring automatically adjusts the pressure to maintain uniform contact between the head and paper without requiring external control mechanisms. The system uses its own motion to achieve proper pressing conditions.
3Volume of moving object
If the lower casing swings downward to allow paper advancement, then the space between head and platen roller increases, but the platen roller compresses and deforms at the contact portion
Solution Approach 1:
By inverting the hinge shaft position to the rear and spring position to the front, the patent reverses the swing characteristics of the lower casing. This inversion ensures that during the downward swing for paper advancement, the platen roller is not compressed at the contact portion, thereby preventing deformation while still allowing adequate space for paper to pass between the head and platen roller.
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
This design enhances print quality by ensuring local heat transfer and minimizing platen roller compression, preventing surface contact, and effectively addressing paper misfeeding issues.
Implementation Method 1
the part corresponding to the cartridge is contained in the paper, and accordingly, only heat is used to express colors. That is, dyes, which respond to heat and thus express colors, are laminated on the paper, so that the heating temperature or heating time of a head is controlled to print images (pictures) or texts.
Implementation Method 2
the rear sides of the upper casing 10 and the lower casing 20 are connected to each other by means of springs S, so that the upper casing 10 and the lower casing 20 can swing elastically.
Implementation Method 3
a pickup roller 40 disposed protruding from the underside of the base 15
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a photo printer including: a base adapted to accommodate paper therein; a pickup roller protruding from the bottom of the base to feed the paper accommodated in the base forwardly; a platen roller disposed in front of the base to discharge the paper fed by the pickup roller forwardly; a head located above the platen roller to apply given heat to the paper; a swing bracket having a mounting portion formed at the front side thereof in such a manner as to be coupled to the head and coupling portions formed at the rear side thereof in such a manner as to be rotatably coupled to the base to allow the head to swing; and pressurizing means adapted to pressurize the head downwardly to allow the head to come into close contact with the paper advancing into the space between the head and the platen roller.