Liquid Discharge Apparatus Filter Chamber Gravity-Fed Filling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing liquid discharge apparatuses face challenges in efficiently filling the filter chamber with liquid, particularly when bubbles are present, leading to reduced filling properties and prolonged filling times due to difficulties in bubble passage through the filter and partial liquid flow-out.
Innovation Solution
The apparatus incorporates a storage chamber vertically above the filter chamber, connected to the flow path, creating a head difference to facilitate liquid flow into the upstream side chamber, and includes a gas discharge portion to manage air accumulation, ensuring efficient filling even when air is not sucked from the downstream side.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a protrusion portion is provided in the upstream side chamber to generate liquid flow that bypasses the protrusion portion, then bubbles are moved to pass through the filter, but when the filter surface is wet and menisci are formed in filter holes, bubbles are hardly discharged to the downstream side chamber
Solution Approach 1:
The filter chamber is divided into an upstream side chamber and a downstream side chamber by the filter, with the upstream side chamber further segmented by a protrusion portion that creates a bypass flow path. This segmentation allows bubbles to be directed through the filter while maintaining controlled liquid flow patterns that prevent meniscus formation blocking the filter holes.
Solution Approach 2:
A storage chamber is added vertically above the upstream side chamber, creating a third dimension in the system. This vertical arrangement allows liquid to be stored at a higher elevation and flow down into the upstream side chamber through gravity, creating a head difference that enhances bubble discharge efficiency without causing excessive liquid flow that would wet the filter surface.
2Productivity
If liquid in the upstream side chamber partially passes through the filter and flows out to the downstream side chamber during filling, then the upstream side chamber is hardly filled with liquid, but this partial flow-out reduces filling speed and time
Solution Approach 1:
The storage chamber is pre-filled with liquid before the filling process begins. When the pump stops, the stored liquid in the storage chamber flows down into the upstream side chamber through gravity, creating a rapid filling effect that compensates for any partial liquid flow-out during the filling process and maintains high filling speed.
Solution Approach 2:
The system utilizes hydraulic principles by creating a head difference between the storage chamber (vertically above) and the upstream side chamber. This gravitational head difference drives liquid from the storage chamber into the upstream side chamber, providing a controlled hydraulic flow that prevents excessive liquid loss while maintaining rapid filling.
3Productivity
If the storage chamber is arranged vertically above the filter chamber, then a head difference occurs that facilitates liquid flow, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The storage chamber and upstream side chamber are connected through a flow path, merging the storage function with the filtering function in a vertically integrated arrangement. This combination allows the storage chamber to serve both as a liquid reservoir and as a gravity-fed flow source, reducing the need for additional pumps or complex control mechanisms while maintaining high filling efficiency.
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 allows for prompt and efficient filling of the filter chamber by utilizing the head difference and gas management, improving filling properties and simplifying control processes.
Implementation Method 1
The storage chamber is arranged vertically above the filter chamber, so that a head difference occurs between a liquid level of the liquid supplied to the upstream side chamber of the filter chamber and a liquid level of the liquid supplied to the storage chamber. Therefore, when the liquid supply by the pump is stopped, the liquid stored in the storage chamber is flowed into the upstream side chamber of the filter chamber by the head difference.
Data Source
AI summary
A liquid discharge apparatus includes a filter chamber that is provided in a flow path that supplies liquid to a liquid discharge unit, a filter that partitions the filter chamber into an upstream side chamber to which the liquid is supplied and a downstream side chamber that communicates with the liquid discharge unit, a storage chamber that is arranged vertically above the filter chamber and is connected to a branch of the flow path on the upstream side of the upstream side chamber of the filter chamber, and a pump that supplies the liquid to the flow path.