Carriage-Mounted Liquid Storage Illumination for Visual Check
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing recording apparatuses face challenges in visually checking the liquid in the liquid storage portion and illuminating the inside of the liquid storage portion effectively.
Innovation Solution
A recording apparatus with a liquid storage portion that has a visual check surface for external visibility, a recording head for ejecting liquid onto a medium, a carriage for mounting these components and moving between visual check and recording positions, and a light emitting unit for illuminating the liquid storage portion at the visual check position.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the liquid storage portion is mounted on the carriage, then the recording apparatus can maintain a compact structure, but it becomes difficult to visually check the liquid in the liquid storage portion
Solution Approach 1:
The carriage is designed to move between a recording position and a visual check position. At the visual check position, the liquid storage portion is positioned to be easily observable from the outside, while at the recording position, it is mounted on the carriage for compact operation. This dynamic positioning resolves the contradiction between compact structure and visual checking ease.
2Device complexity
If the light emitting unit is provided outside the liquid storage portion, then the structure is simplified, but it becomes difficult to illuminate the inside of the liquid storage portion effectively
Solution Approach 1:
A light guide is introduced as an intermediary component between the light emitting unit and the liquid storage portion. The light guide transmits light from the externally positioned light emitting unit into the liquid storage portion, enabling effective illumination without requiring the light emitting unit to be positioned inside, thus maintaining structural simplicity while achieving good illumination.
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 easy visual checking of the liquid in the liquid storage portion and effective illumination of the inside, addressing the difficulties faced by existing technologies.
Implementation Method 1
a light emitting unit that illuminates an inside of the liquid storage portion at least when the carriage is positioned at the visual check position
Data Source
AI summary
A recording apparatus 101 includes a carriage 21 mounted with a liquid storage portion 46 and a recording head 22, the carriage 21 being movable to a visual check position, where liquid in the liquid storage portion 46 is visually checkable through a front surface 43F, and to a recording position, where the recording head 22 ejects the liquid to a medium, and light emitting units 81 and capable of illuminating the inside of the liquid storage portion 46 at least when the carriage 21 is positioned at the visual check position.