Cartridge Electrical Contact Reliability via Movable Interface

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Solution Overview

Problem

Contact failures can occur between electrical terminals and the electrical interface in recording apparatuses due to dimensional deviations between the cartridge and the receiving portion.

Innovation Solution

A cartridge design that includes a movable member and elastic force application to ensure reliable contact between electrical terminals and the interface, allowing for smooth movement along the inserting direction and reduced force during installation and removal.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the cartridge and receiving portion are designed with fixed electrical terminals and interfaces, then the structure is simple, but contact failures occur due to dimensional deviations

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontact reliabilityVSAvoidstructure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies the dynamics principle by making the electrical interface movable relative to the cartridge. The receiving portion includes a movable interface that can adjust its position along the inserting direction to compensate for dimensional deviations between the cartridge and receiving portion, ensuring reliable electrical contact while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Reliability

If the cartridge is designed to move along the inserting direction to ensure contact, then contact reliability improves, but the force required for installation increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontact reliabilityVSAvoidinstallation force
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSForce

Solution Approach 1:

The movable interface allows the cartridge to move along the inserting direction with minimal resistance. The interface can dynamically adjust its position to accommodate dimensional variations, reducing the force required for installation while ensuring reliable contact between electrical terminals and interface.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the positional parameter of the electrical interface along the inserting direction. By allowing the interface to move within a predetermined range, the system can accommodate dimensional deviations without requiring excessive installation force, thus resolving the contradiction between contact reliability and installation force.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Reliability

If the electrical interface is made movable to compensate for dimensional deviations, then contact reliability improves, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontact reliabilityVSAvoidinterface mechanism complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The electrical interface is designed with movable components that can adjust their position along the inserting direction. This dynamic design allows the interface to compensate for dimensional deviations between the cartridge and receiving portion, improving contact reliability while keeping the mechanism relatively simple through straightforward movable structures.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

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

This configuration reduces contact failures, improves reliability, and facilitates speedy and easy installation of the cartridge, while reducing user effort and the risk of positional deviations.

Implementation Method 1

a movable member configured to move in a cartridge inserting direction; and an elastic member configured to apply an elastic force to the movable member when the cartridge is inserted into the receiving portion

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElastic force: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentEP2602117B1Cartridge and recording apparatus
Publication Date: 2015.08.12 BROTHER KOGYO KK
  • EP2602117B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2602117B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2602117B1 patent drawingFigure 3A~3D

AI summary

A cartridge detachably attachable to a receiving portion of a recording apparatus, the receiving portion including an electrical interface and a movable member configured to move to allow the cartridge to move, includes a plurality of electrical terminals arranged along a direction intersecting an inserting direction along which the cartridge is inserted to the receiving portion and a first portion configured to contact the movable member and allow the cartridge to move along the inserting direction such that the plurality of electrical terminals contact the electrical interface by contacting the movable member.