Elastic Ink Container Structure for High Capacity, Low Plastic Waste
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ink containers contribute significantly to plastic waste due to their construction materials, which hinders waste plastic elimination and reduction efforts.
Innovation Solution
An ink container with an elastic member forming the ink containing portion, which expands to twice its size when filled, allowing for increased ink capacity while minimizing plastic usage through the use of materials like fluorine-contained rubber, nitrile rubber, butyl rubber, or chloroprene rubber, and being designed for easy attachment and detachment from an apparatus main body.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If traditional plastic materials are used to construct the ink container, bag, connection member, handle member, and container case, then the ink container can provide sufficient containing capacity and ease of handling, but it significantly increases plastic waste and hinders waste plastic elimination efforts
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter from traditional rigid plastic to elastic rubber material for the ink containing portion. This material substitution allows the container to achieve high ink capacity while reducing plastic waste, as rubber is more biodegradable and can be used in smaller quantities while maintaining functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs an elastic member that can dynamically expand and contract. The ink containing portion expands when filled with ink and contracts when empty, allowing for efficient space utilization and reduced material usage. This dynamic behavior enables the container to maintain high capacity while using less plastic material overall.
2Loss of substance
If an elastic member is used to form the ink containing portion, then plastic waste is reduced and ink capacity is increased, but the structural complexity increases due to the need for attachment and detachment mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the attachment and detachment functions into the elastic member itself. The elastic member is configured to be attachable to and detachable from the apparatus main body, combining multiple functions (containment, attachment, detachment) into a single component, thereby reducing overall structural complexity despite the elastic material usage.
3Loss of substance
If the ink containing portion is made from elastic material, then waste plastic reduction is achieved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase due to the need for accurate attachment and detachment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a flexible elastic member that can accommodate variations in manufacturing precision. The elastic material's inherent flexibility allows it to deform and adapt to slight dimensional variations, reducing the stringency of manufacturing precision requirements while still achieving reliable attachment and detachment functionality.
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
The solution reduces plastic waste by enabling high ink capacity and easy handling, while maintaining structural integrity and usability, thus contributing to a sustainable society.
Implementation Method 1
an ink containing portion formed of an elastic member and configured to contain the ink inside via the channel, in which a surface area in a state in which the ink containing portion contains the ink is at least twice as great as a surface area in a state in which the ink containing portion does not contain the ink
Data Source
AI summary
An ink container configured to be attachable to and detachable from an apparatus main body of a liquid ejection apparatus includes: a channel configured to allow ink to flow in and out; and an ink containing portion formed of an elastic member and configured to contain the ink inside via the channel, in which a surface area in a state in which the ink containing portion contains the ink is at least twice as great as a surface area in a state in which the ink containing portion does not contain the ink.