Tube Pump Roller Guide Design for Reduced Wear

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing tube pumps in printers suffer from performance degradation due to elastic deformation of guide members, which impairs the positional changes of rollers between operation and release positions, leading to reduced pump performance over time.

Innovation Solution

A tube pump design featuring a roller that moves between pressing and release positions by contacting a contact member, allowing separation from the tube, thereby minimizing degradation and maintaining pump performance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If guide members made of elastic material are used to guide rollers, then the rollers can move smoothly between positions, but the guide members undergo elastic deformation over time which degrades pump performance

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveroller movement smoothnessVSAvoidpump performance stability

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent removes the elastic guide members from the system and replaces them with a rigid guide structure formed by groove walls. This extraction eliminates the source of elastic deformation while maintaining the guiding function through a different mechanism - the rigid grooves constrain roller movement without undergoing deformation themselves.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of using elastic material to achieve smooth movement, the patent inverts the approach by using rigid materials with precisely formed groove walls that guide the rollers. The guidance function is achieved through geometric constraint rather than material elasticity, reversing the conventional design philosophy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

2Manufacturing precision

If rollers constantly contact the tube to maintain positioning, then positioning accuracy is improved, but constant contact increases wear and torque leading to reduced lifespan

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveroller positioning accuracyVSAvoidtube pump lifespan

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSDuration of action of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements periodic contact between the roller and tube, where the roller contacts the tube only during specific phases of the pumping cycle when positioning is required, and separates during other phases. This periodic interaction maintains positioning accuracy when needed while reducing cumulative wear and torque on the tube over time.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

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 design minimizes impairment of pump performance by reducing constant contact between the roller and tube, leading to improved durability and reduced torque, thus extending the lifespan of the tube pump.

Implementation Method 1

a roller (50) configured to selectively press the tube (2) to deform the tube

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElastic deformation: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentUS10794377B2Tube pump and printer provided with the same

Publication Date: 2020.10.06 BROTHER KOGYO KK

AI summary

A tube pump includes a tube, a housing member having a cylindrical chamber including an inner peripheral surface, a rotator having a first shaft and a first portion, the first portion having a guide, and a roller having a first shank received by the guide. The tube pump includes a contact member having a contact portion in the cylindrical chamber extending outwardly towards the inner peripheral surface at least the first distance and less than the second distance, the contact portion being configured to selectively contact the roller.