Thermal Printer Sheet Guide Prevents Fluttering
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing thermal printers experience sheet fluttering and jamming issues during printing, leading to printing failures.
Innovation Solution
The thermal printer employs a combination of fixed and upper guide plates that guide the sheet from both sides, ensuring the upper guide plate reaches the upper portion of the fixed guide, which includes a scale for accurate sheet width setting, preventing sheet fluttering and jams.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a guide plate and width restriction plates are used to guide the sheet, then the sheet can be transported to the thermal head, but the sheet flutters causing printing failure and sheet jam
Solution Approach 1:
The sheet guiding system is divided into multiple independent guide portions (first guide portion, second guide portion, third guide portion) that each perform a specific guiding function. This segmentation allows precise control of the sheet at different locations, preventing fluttering while maintaining ease of transport.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide portions extend in the sheet width direction (lateral dimension) rather than only in the transport direction. By providing guides that span the entire width of the sheet and extend forward, the system controls sheet position in the lateral dimension, effectively preventing fluttering movements.
2Manufacturing precision
If the upper guide plate is extended to reach the upper portion of the fixed guide portion, then sheet width setting accuracy is improved and fluttering is prevented, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The upper guide plate is merged with the fixed guide portion to form an integrated guiding structure. The upper guide plate becomes an extension of the fixed guide portion, creating a continuous guiding surface that simplifies the overall structure while improving sheet width setting accuracy and preventing fluttering.
Solution Approach 2:
The extended upper guide plate serves multiple functions: it guides the upper side of the sheet, provides a reference surface for sheet width setting, and prevents fluttering by reaching the leading edge of the fixed guide portion. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate components.
Data Source
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AI summary
Provided is a thermal printer capable of preventing fluttering of a sheet during printing by a thermal head and thus preventing printing failure or a sheet jam. A thermal head (26) is provided to oppose a platen roller (28), and a scale (60) is provided in a fixed guide portion (23) which is provided on an upstream side of the platen roller (28) and guides an entire width of a sheet (12). In addition, a pair of sheet guides (18a) and (18b) is provided on an upstream side of the fixed guide portion (23) to guide a sheet width, and upper guide plates (20a) and (20b) provided in the sheet guides (18a) and (18b) are formed to reach an upper portion of the fixed guide portion (23).