Tape Cartridge Posture Correction via Depressed Identification Portion
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The existing tape cartridges are prone to inclination during mounting due to the weight of the tape body, leading to troublesome mounting operations, potential sticking of the platen roller, and the need for fine adjustments.
Innovation Solution
A tape cartridge design with a second fitting portion disposed in a depressed portion, allowing for posture correction before fitting with the drive shaft, enabling a timing difference in fitting to disperse impact forces and facilitate smooth mounting, while also incorporating a combination of convex and concave shapes for diversified fitting combinations and actuation mechanisms for proper identification.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the tape cartridge is mounted with the tape bearing portion fitting first, then the positioning is accurate, but the platen roller may get stuck in the platen drive shaft requiring fine adjustment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent positions the identification portion (second fitting portion) in a depressed portion of the cartridge case, creating a preliminary action where the identification portion abuts against the depressed portion first to correct the cartridge posture before the tape bearing portion fits into the positioning protrusion. This preliminary posture correction prevents the platen roller from getting stuck during subsequent fitting operations.
2Ease of operation
If the tape cartridge is gripped horizontally during mounting, then the fitting sequence is correct, but it requires conscious effort and skill
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a self-service mechanism where the depressed portion in the cartridge case automatically guides the identification portion to abut first during mounting, regardless of the initial gripping orientation. This self-guiding feature eliminates the need for operators to consciously grip the cartridge horizontally, making the mounting process intuitive and error-proof.
3Ease of operation
If the second fitting portion is placed in a depressed portion, then posture correction is enabled before fitting, but the structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the posture correction function with the identification portion (second fitting portion) by positioning it within an existing depressed portion of the cartridge case. This integration approach allows the identification portion to serve dual purposes: identification and automatic posture correction, without adding separate correction mechanisms that would increase structural complexity.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
[Task] To provide a tape cartridge which can be easily mounted on a mounting section of a tape printer [Means for Resolution] A tape cartridge (100) is mounted on a cartridge mounting section (5) of a tape printer which includes a spline shaft portion providing a conveying force to a print tape and an identification convex portion identifying a type of a cartridge receiving the print tape. The tape cartridge includes a tape roll around which the print tape is wound, a platen roller having a spline boss portion which is fitted to the spline shaft portion, and an identification concave portion (264) which is disposed at the center in an axial direction of the tape roll and which is fitted to the identification convex portion. The identification convex portion (42) is disposed in a depressed portion (262) facing the cartridge mounting section 5.