Ultrasonic Medium Contact Detection in Recording Apparatus
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing recording apparatuses detect medium jamming after it occurs, making it difficult to prevent jamming and resulting in potential failure due to contact between the recording head and the medium.
Innovation Solution
A detection device with a contact section and a location change section that increases the relative velocity between the medium and the contact section, allowing for earlier detection of contact through elastic wave sensing, specifically using ultrasonic waves to avoid interference from audible range sounds.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the recording apparatus uses a sound detection unit to detect jamming, then the jamming can be detected, but the detection occurs after the jamming has already happened, making it difficult to prevent jamming and potential failure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by moving the contact section toward the medium before actual contact occurs. This preliminary movement at high speed generates elastic waves that enable detection of approaching medium, allowing the system to take preventive action before jamming occurs. The location change section moves the contact section in the direction of the medium at a speed equal to or higher than a prescribed value, creating detectable elastic waves in advance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the traditional acoustic sound detection system with an elastic wave detection system. Instead of using a sound detection unit that listens for jamming sounds after they occur, the system uses an elastic wave sensing section to detect mechanical elastic waves generated by the contact section's movement. This substitution enables earlier detection because elastic waves are generated during the approach phase, not just during actual contact.
2Device complexity
If the recording apparatus detects jamming after occurrence, then the detection system is simple, but it cannot prevent jamming or avoid damage to the recording head
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary detection by moving the contact section toward the medium before contact occurs. The location change section moves the contact section in the direction of the medium at high speed, generating elastic waves that the sensing section detects in advance. This allows the control section to stop the medium transport before jamming occurs, preventing damage while maintaining relatively simple device architecture.
3Measurement precision
If the contact section moves at high speed toward the medium, then the amplitude of generated elastic waves increases making detection easier, but the risk of actual contact and damage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies preliminary anti-action by detecting elastic waves generated during the approach phase and using this information to prevent harmful contact. The control section monitors the elastic wave signals and stops the medium transport before the contact section actually contacts the medium. This preliminary detection and response prevents the harmful effect of damage while maintaining the beneficial high-speed movement for signal generation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback by continuously monitoring elastic wave signals from the sensing section and adjusting the medium transport accordingly. When the elastic wave sensing section detects waves indicating approaching medium, the control section responds by stopping the transport. This feedback loop enables the system to maintain high-speed approach for detection while preventing actual contact through real-time monitoring and response.
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
Enables early detection of medium contact, preventing jamming and potential failures by increasing the amplitude of elastic waves, allowing for timely countermeasures to prevent contact between the recording head and the medium.
Implementation Method 1
an elastic wave sensing section that is capable of sensing an elastic wave which is generated in a case where the medium is in contact with the contact section
Implementation Method 2
the location change section changes the relative location such that a relative velocity between the medium and the contact section is equal to or larger than a prescribed value... it is possible to increase amplitude of the elastic wave which is generated in a case where the medium is in contact with the contact section
Implementation Method 3
In a case where the ultrasonic wave is detected in a case where the medium is in contact with the contact section, for example, it is possible to detect the contact between the medium and the contact section without being influenced by sound in an audible range having a frequency which is lower than the ultrasonic wave
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a recording apparatus including a recording head that performs recording with respect to a medium at a prescribed distance, a contact section that is capable of being in contact with the medium, a carriage that changes a relative location between the medium and the contact section, and an ultrasonic sensor that is capable of sensing an ultrasonic wave which is generated in a case where the medium is in contact with the contact section. The carriage changes the relative location such that a relative velocity between the medium and the contact section is over a prescribed value (transport velocity of the medium), and the ultrasonic sensor is capable of detecting a state of the medium by sensing the ultrasonic wave.