Ink Supply Bladder Layout for Printer Waste Fluid Reuse
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Inkjet printers produce significant plastic waste due to the disposal of hard plastic ink containers and waste fluid reservoirs, contributing to environmental issues.
Innovation Solution
Implementing ink supply containers with flexible bladders within the internal volume to collect and store waste fluids from printhead maintenance, eliminating the need for separate waste fluid reservoirs and reducing plastic waste production.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If separate waste fluid reservoirs are used to collect purged ink, then waste fluid collection is effective, but plastic waste increases due to frequent disposal of hard plastic containers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the waste fluid reservoir function with the ink supply container by integrating a waste fluid receptacle into the ink supply container structure. This merging eliminates the need for separate waste fluid reservoirs, reducing plastic waste while maintaining effective waste fluid collection. The waste fluid receptacle shares the same housing and support structure as the ink supply container,实现ing dual functionality in a single container unit.
2Strength
If hard plastic containers are used for ink supply and waste fluid storage, then structural strength is sufficient, but environmental harm increases due to landfill contributions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables recovery and reuse of the ink supply container housing after the ink is consumed. The flexible bladder is replaced while the hard plastic housing remains in the printer and is reused for subsequent ink supply containers. This reduces the frequency of disposing hard plastic containers, thereby reducing environmental harm from landfill contributions while maintaining structural strength through continued reuse of the housing.
3Adaptability or versatility
If separate ink supply containers and waste fluid reservoirs are used, then functional separation is clear, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the ink supply container into two functional parts: an ink supply bladder and a waste fluid receptacle, both within a single housing. This segmentation allows clear functional separation between ink supply and waste collection while avoiding the complexity of separate external reservoirs. The waste fluid receptacle is positioned within the ink supply container housing, creating a compact integrated system that reduces overall device complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
An inkjet printer uses ink supply containers that includes bladders for holding waste fluids produced by printhead maintenance stations. The bladders are connected serially or in parallel to the output ports of the printhead maintenance stations to store waste fluids within the bladders of the ink supply containers. As the ink supply containers are depleted of their supply ink, they are replaced and new ink supply containers having bladders within them are installed to renew the capacity of the printer to store waste fluids. In two embodiments, the need for a waste fluid reservoir is eliminated and in a third embodiment, the operational life of a waste fluid reservoir is extended. In all of these embodiments, the production of plastic waste by the printer is reduced.