Ink Cartridge Case With Movable Receiver for Drip Containment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Ink cartridges in printers can drip ink when demounted, causing the mountable compartment to become dirty, which can stain new cartridges.
Innovation Solution
A system with a movable ink receiver that pivots between proximal and retracted positions, positioned to catch dripping ink from the ink needle, and a movable member that restricts the receiver's pivoting to manage ink containment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the ink cartridge is demounted from the mountable compartment, then the ink cartridge can be replaced, but ink drips down from the tip of the ink supplying needle and dirties the mountable compartment
Solution Approach 1:
A protrusive portion is introduced as an intermediary element between the ink supplying needle and the mountable compartment. This protrusive portion extends from the ink cartridge and protrudes beyond the ink supplying portion in the mounting direction, serving as a mediator to intercept and catch the ink before it can drip onto the mountable compartment floor.
Solution Approach 2:
The protrusive portion is designed to be positioned in advance during the mounting process, extending forward before the ink cartridge is fully inserted. This preliminary positioning ensures that when ink dripping occurs during demounting, the protrusive portion is already in place to catch the ink, preventing contamination of the mountable compartment.
2Reliability
If the protrusive portion is positioned to overlap the tip of the ink supplying needle, then ink can be caught, but the protrusive portion may not be in the correct position when the ink cartridge is demounted
Solution Approach 1:
The protrusive portion is merged with the ink cartridge as a single integrated component. This merging ensures that the protrusive portion moves automatically with the ink cartridge during mounting and demounting operations, eliminating the need for separate positioning mechanisms and ensuring consistent overlap with the ink supplying needle tip throughout the operational cycle.
Solution Approach 2:
The protrusive portion serves multiple functions: it acts as a structural component of the ink cartridge, serves as a positioning element that overlaps the ink supplying needle tip, and serves as an ink-catching surface. This multi-functionality simplifies the overall design and ensures reliable ink catching without requiring additional complex positioning systems.
Data Source
AI summary
A system, having a liquid container and a case, is provided. The case has a tubular body extending along a mounting/demounting direction and entering the liquid container through a supply port, a liquid receiver located below an end of the tubular body, and a movable member contacting and being moved by the liquid container moving along the mounting/demounting direction. The liquid receiver is movable between a first position, at which the liquid receiver is one of in contact with and in proximity to the end of the tubular body, and a second position, at which the liquid receiver is separated farther from the end of the tubular body than the first position. The movable member moves the liquid receiver from the first position to the second position by contacting and being moved by the liquid container moving in the mounting orientation.