Flexible Ink Container with Angled Side-Mounted Connection
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing methods for supplying ink to printers face difficulties in connecting flexible ink containing bags due to deformation caused by ink weight, making tube connections challenging and inefficient, especially when large volumes are required.
Innovation Solution
A liquid containing body with a flexible portion is designed to connect to a printer, featuring an operation portion that can be held and a liquid supply portion aligned with the printer's introduction portion at specific angles, allowing for simplified connection without changing the holding posture, and including an electric connection portion for simultaneous electrical connection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If a flexible containing bag is used to supply ink to a printer, then the ink capacity can be increased, but the connection operation becomes difficult due to deformation from ink weight
Solution Approach 1:
The liquid containing body is divided into a flexible liquid containing portion and a rigid operation portion. The operation portion includes a liquid supply portion and an electric connection portion that can be held and positioned easily, while the liquid containing portion maintains flexibility for capacity. This segmentation allows the rigid operation portion to facilitate easy connection operations while the flexible liquid containing portion maintains large ink capacity.
2Volume of moving object
If the liquid introduction portion is positioned on the side wall of the liquid consuming apparatus, then space utilization is improved, but the connection trajectory becomes complex requiring posture changes
Solution Approach 1:
The liquid introduction portion is positioned on the side wall of the liquid consuming apparatus, and the liquid supply portion is designed to extend at a specific angle (a1 or a2 between 0-90 degrees) relative to the side wall. This angular configuration allows the connection to be made along a linear trajectory from the front side without requiring complex maneuvers or posture changes, effectively utilizing the side wall space while maintaining operational simplicity.
3Reliability
If separate connections for liquid and electric portions are required, then connection reliability is improved, but operation complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The operation portion integrates both the liquid supply portion and the electric connection portion in a single held structure. This allows both liquid and electric connections to be made simultaneously in one operation without requiring separate connection steps, maintaining connection reliability while simplifying the overall operation complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
Simplification of a connecting operation for liquid supply between a liquid consuming apparatus and a liquid containing body at least a part of which is flexible is achieved. A printer 10 has a liquid supply apparatus 20 on a right side wall 106 . The liquid supply apparatus 20 has an attachment/detachment unit 30 in an inclined manner such that a K1-axis direction in which a liquid introduction portion 362 thereof extends for liquid introduction forms an angle a1 that is larger than 0 degree and smaller than 90 degrees in a clockwise direction with respect to the right side wall 106 when the printer 10 is viewed from vertically above. A liquid containing body 50 has an operation member 53 on an upper end side of a flexible liquid containing portion 52, and a liquid supply portion 57 capable of being connected to the liquid introduction portion 362 of the attachment/detachment unit 30 in the K1-axis direction is connected to the operation member 53.