variable paper stiffness printer roller system design

Abstract:

Variable paper stiffness can greatly disrupt the alignment of printed images . This design project focused on creating a printer roller system that could detect and adjust to variable paper stiffness without manual adjustment and would include green design features. The design detailed below was selected after a weighting of customer needs, an extensive external and internal search, TRIZ and Scamper generation, and a Pugh Chart selection method.

Conclusion:

For our final design prototype it was concluded that it would be best to use the following concepts: a wrap-around roller alignment, LED drums, replaceable rollers, pressure sensor with digital control of roller, film rollers, and timed power control. These concepts best met the customer needs outlined above and allow this machine to be both feasible in design, simple enough for use, and environmentally friendly compared to similar machines.

    Art    

Function Plastic rollersCartridge with memory label

Circuit, LED array

Electrical stepper motor

Disposable rollers

US2005/0061187

memory storage   US7328986US 2005

6876372 

Technique for placing varying

dots     US7830406  

Detects printer jams

US 2008/ 7347782

    US2004/0027089

User Interface Reliability Environment Cost Total

Weight 0.36 0.30 0.27 0.07 1Concept 1 0 1 1 1 0.64Concept 2 0 0 0 0 0Concept 3 0 0 -1 -1 -0.34

Concept 4 0 -1 1 1 

-0.03Concept 5 1 1 1 1 1Concept 6 1 0 1 1 0.70Concept 7 B A S E 0

Customer Needs Table

Patent Search Table

EMS Chart

TRIZ Implementation

Pugh Chart: Stiffness Sensors