Holding Member Regulating Inclination for Liquid Storage Container
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing holding members for liquid storage containers in printers often fail to securely mount the container due to inclination during insertion, leading to misalignment of locking mechanisms and incomplete engagement.
Innovation Solution
A holding member with a regulating portion that narrows the space between its inner surface and the liquid storage container's outer surface along the insertion direction, allowing for precise posture regulation and ensuring the container can be mounted correctly regardless of insertion direction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the inner dimension of the holding member is formed larger than the outer dimension of the liquid storage container, then the container can be easily inserted, but the container may be inserted with inclination and fail to engage the locking mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The regulating portion is provided in advance within the holding member to preemptively guide the liquid storage container into the correct orientation during insertion. This preliminary guiding action prevents inclination before it can cause misalignment of the locking mechanisms, thereby maintaining both ease of insertion and mounting reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The regulating portion acts as an intermediary element between the holding member and the liquid storage container. It mediates the insertion process by providing a guiding surface that translates arbitrary insertion angles into the correct final orientation, ensuring reliable engagement of the locking mechanisms while maintaining ease of operation.
2Reliability
If the space between the inner surface of the holding member and the outer surface of the liquid storage container is reduced, then the inclination is regulated, but the ease of insertion is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The regulating portion creates a localized reduction in space at the critical guiding area, while the rest of the holding member maintains sufficient clearance. This local quality change provides the necessary guidance for reliable mounting without creating overall friction or difficulty during insertion.
Solution Approach 2:
The regulating portion changes the spatial parameter (space between surfaces) selectively in the region where guidance is needed. By adjusting this parameter locally rather than globally, the invention achieves reliable inclination regulation while preserving ease of insertion in the overall assembly process.
Data Source
AI summary
A holding member for a liquid storage container includes: a mounting portion for removably mounting the liquid storage container through an opening along a predetermined direction; and a locking member for locking the mounted liquid storage container to the mounting portion by being fitted to the liquid storage container, wherein the mounting portion has a regulating portion for regulating inclination of a posture of the liquid storage container relative to the predetermined direction at the time of mounting the liquid storage container, the regulating portion being a portion provided such that a space between an inner surface of the mounting portion and an outer surface facing thereto of the liquid storage container is partially narrowed along a direction of insertion.