Ink Cartridge Mold Sharing via Standardized Case Walls
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ink cartridge systems for ink jet printers require multiple molds for each size variation, leading to increased manufacturing costs and time due to the need for distinct molds for each cartridge size.
Innovation Solution
The ink cartridge system uses a combination of three cartridges with differently sized case members, where the second case members of two cartridges share the same dimensions, and the first case members of two other cartridges share dimensions, allowing for the use of fewer molds, reducing manufacturing complexity and costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If multiple molds are used for each cartridge size variation, then each cartridge size can be manufactured with optimal dimensions, but manufacturing costs and time increase due to the need for distinct molds for each cartridge size
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by designing case members with standardized wall area dimensions that can be used across multiple cartridge sizes. Specifically, the first case member has a first wall area that is the same as the second case member's first wall area, and the second case member has a second wall area that is the same as the third case member's second wall area. This allows a single mold design to produce different cartridge sizes by varying only the ink reservoir capacity, thereby reducing the number of molds from six to four while maintaining manufacturing precision for each cartridge size.
2Manufacturing precision
If multiple molds are used for each cartridge size variation, then each cartridge size can be optimized, but manufacturing time increases due to the need for distinct molds for each cartridge size
Solution Approach 1:
The patent reduces manufacturing time by creating a universal mold design that can produce multiple cartridge sizes. The standardized wall area dimensions across different case members allow the same mold to be used for different cartridge types (e.g., first, second, and third cartridges with different ink reservoir capacities). This eliminates the need to create and switch between six different molds, significantly reducing manufacturing time while maintaining optimized dimensions for each cartridge size.
3Shape
If case members have different wall areas for each cartridge size, then each cartridge can have optimal dimensions, but the number of molds increases from four to six
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by standardizing the wall area dimensions of case members across different cartridge sizes. The first case member and second case member share the same first wall area, and the second case member and third case member share the same second wall area. This standardization allows a single mold design to produce different cartridge dimensions by varying only the ink reservoir capacity, reducing the number of molds from six to four while maintaining optimal cartridge dimensions for each size category.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of manufacturing an ink cartridge system includes the steps of using a first mold to make a first case member a first ink cartridge, using a second mold to make a second case member of the first ink cartridge, using the first mold to make a first case member of a second ink cartridge, using a third mold to make a second case member of the second ink cartridge, using a fourth mold to make a first case member of a third ink cartridge, and using the third mold to make the second case member of the third ink cartridge. Moreover, a size of the first ink cartridge is not equal to a size of the second ink cartridge, the size of the first ink cartridge is not equal to a size of the third ink cartridge, and the size of the second ink cartridge is not equal to the size of the third ink cartridge.