Carriage Base Pen Guide Angular Loading Manifold
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Solution Overview
Problem
Continuous Ink Supply Systems (CISS) fluid ejection systems face challenges in pen durability and installation complexity due to the need for large reservoirs and complex pen loading processes, which can lead to fluid leakage and wear on electrical contacts, making it difficult to maintain and replace pens efficiently.
Innovation Solution
A manifold with a rotational connector that allows for easy pen installation by rotating out of the way, reducing the size of the printing system and minimizing the opening size between the fluidic interface and pens, while also reducing wear on pen pads through angular loading.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If a manifold is used to connect large reservoirs to pens in CISS systems, then fluid supply capacity is improved, but device complexity increases and pen installation becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The system is divided into separate functional modules: a removable manifold assembly that can be detached from the carriage base, allowing the reservoirs to be serviced independently from the pen assembly. This segmentation reduces overall system complexity while maintaining fluid supply capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
The manifold is extracted as a separate removable component from the permanent structure of the carriage base. This allows the manifold to be easily removed for pen installation or replacement without disturbing the reservoirs or other system components, thereby reducing installation complexity.
2Reliability
If pens are installed in a traditional manner with the manifold in place, then fluid connection is maintained, but installation complexity increases and fluid leakage risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The manifold is removed from the carriage base before pen installation begins. This preliminary action clears the installation path and provides unobstructed access to the pen mounting locations, making installation easier while preventing fluid leakage during the process.
Solution Approach 2:
The removable manifold acts as an intermediary component that can be temporarily removed during pen installation and then reinstalled to restore fluid connections. This mediator approach allows easy pen access while ensuring reliable fluid connections are reestablished after installation.
3Volume of moving object
If the opening size between fluidic interface and pens is reduced, then system size is reduced, but pen installation access is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The manifold is designed as a removable dynamic component rather than a fixed structure. During normal operation, the compact configuration is maintained with small opening sizes. During pen installation, the manifold is removed to provide full access, thus resolving the contradiction between compact size and installation access.
Data Source
AI summary
A fluid ejection system can include a carriage base that includes a first pen slide at a bottom rear of the carriage base, a second pen slide at a front of the carriage base, and a pen guide at a top rear of the carriage base, the pen guide can include a guide portion to engage a substantially vertical portion of a back corner of a pen, a blocker portion to engage a substantially horizontal portion of the top back corner of the pen, and a pen guide corner formed between the guide portion and the blocker portion to hold a top back corner of a pen substantially in place during an angular loading of the pen.