Folded Nozzle Ink Pouch for Leak-Safe Refill Alignment
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Ink storage pouches are flexible, making it difficult to align the nozzle with an ink refill receptacle, leading to potential misalignment and liquid leakage during refilling.
Innovation Solution
The ink storage pouch features a nozzle with a folded structure, comprising a piping portion and a tip piping portion that extend in intersecting directions, allowing for stable positioning and alignment with the refill receptacle.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of substance
If a flexible ink storage pouch is used instead of a rigid ink bottle, then material usage is reduced and environmental friendliness is improved, but alignment between the nozzle and ink refill receptacle becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a flexible pouch made of thin film material to store ink, replacing traditional rigid bottles. This flexible structure reduces material consumption while maintaining storage functionality. The flexibility is compensated by designing a rigid nozzle assembly that provides structural stability during the refilling operation, enabling proper alignment with the receptacle despite the pouch's flexible nature.
Solution Approach 2:
The refilling system is divided into separate functional components: the flexible pouch for ink storage, a rigid nozzle assembly for precise positioning and dispensing, and a receptacle for receiving ink. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently - the pouch for material efficiency and the nozzle for alignment precision - resolving the contradiction between flexibility and alignment difficulty.
2Loss of substance
If a flexible ink storage pouch is used, then material usage is reduced, but misalignment may result in liquid leakage
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible pouch is designed with integrated sealing features at its opening. When the pouch is inserted into the nozzle assembly, these sealing features engage with corresponding structures in the rigid nozzle, creating a leak-proof connection. This ensures that even though the pouch itself is flexible, the connection point maintains reliability and prevents liquid leakage during refilling operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The rigid nozzle assembly incorporates alignment guides and positioning features that ensure proper orientation of the pouch opening before the refilling process begins. These pre-positioning mechanisms prevent misalignment that could lead to leakage, compensating for the inherent flexibility of the pouch material.
3Ease of operation
If a rigid ink bottle is used, then alignment with the refill receptacle is easier, but more material is consumed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent adopts a flexible pouch constructed from thin film material, significantly reducing material consumption compared to rigid bottles. To compensate for the loss of structural rigidity that aids alignment, the design incorporates a rigid nozzle assembly with integrated positioning features that guide the pouch into the correct orientation, achieving both material efficiency and alignment ease.
Solution Approach 2:
The system separates the storage function (flexible pouch) from the dispensing and alignment function (rigid nozzle assembly). This segmentation allows the pouch to be made from minimal material while the nozzle provides the structural stability needed for easy alignment, resolving the contradiction between material usage and alignment ease.
Data Source
AI summary
An ink storage pouch for refilling a liquid discharge apparatus with ink, including: a pouch portion for storing ink; and a nozzle which is provided in the pouch portion and which is equipped with a discharge path that discharges ink from inside of the pouch portion, wherein the nozzle includes a first part in which the discharge path extends in a first direction and a second part in which the discharge path extends in a second direction that intersects with the first direction. The technologies described in this specification have the potential to contribute to the achievement of a sustainable society, such as a decarbonized society/circular society.