Tubular Member Reduces Wear in Flexible Cable Guide
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing inkjet recording apparatuses face issues with high operation noise, frictional wear, and electrical disconnection due to frictional contact between cable holders and flexible cables, leading to increased maintenance costs and potential damage to cables.
Innovation Solution
A movement apparatus with a movable body, a long member, and a support member where the long member is supported by a linear material portion via a tubular member, preventing direct contact and reducing frictional wear and noise through the use of a tubular member with higher vibration damping properties and lower friction coefficient than the linear material portion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a cable holder and cable-holder driving belt are used to move the cable holder in accordance with carriage reciprocation, then the flexible cable can be prevented from slacking, but the device becomes large in size, high in cost, and generates high operation noise
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the complex cable-holder driving belt and motor mechanism from the system. Instead, it uses a simple guide member with a groove that passively guides the flexible cable during carriage reciprocation, eliminating the need for active driving components while maintaining cable tension and preventing slacking.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a guide member as an intermediary component between the carriage and the flexible cable. The guide member with its groove structure mediates the cable's movement path, ensuring proper tension maintenance without requiring complex active driving mechanisms.
2Reliability
If a cable holder and cable-holder driving belt are used to move the cable holder, then cable tension can be maintained, but frictional contact causes high-frequency noise and wear of the flexible cable
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical friction-based cable holder system with a groove-guided system. The flexible cable runs through a groove in the guide member, eliminating frictional contact between separate components while maintaining cable tension through the groove's geometric constraint.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes the flexible nature of the cable itself, allowing it to bend and conform within the groove of the guide member. This flexible adaptation eliminates the need for rigid cable holders and reduces frictional wear while maintaining proper cable tension.
3Reliability
If the cable holder is moved by the cable-holder driving belt, then cable positioning can be maintained, but frictional contact leads to wear and potential electrical disconnection
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the active cable holder moving mechanism entirely, replacing it with a passive groove-guided system. The flexible cable is directly guided through the groove without intermediate holders, eliminating frictional wear points and potential electrical disconnection issues while maintaining proper cable positioning during carriage reciprocation.
4Reliability
If minute particles are produced from worn flexible cable, then friction wear occurs, but these particles may inhibit other members from operating normally
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the friction-based cable holder system with a groove-guided system where the flexible cable runs through a groove in the guide member. This substitution eliminates frictional wear that produces particles, preventing contamination of other apparatus components while maintaining reliable cable operation.
Data Source
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AI summary
There is disclosed a movement apparatus including a movable body, a flexible long member, a support member, and a tubular member. The movable body reciprocates along a straight line. The long member has having two opposite ends a first one of which is fixed to the movable body and a second one of which is fixed to a stationary member. The form of the long member changes in accordance with a reciprocating movement of the movable body along the straight line and relative to the stationary member. The support member has a linear material portion at which the support member supports the long member. The tubular member is fitted on the linear material portion.