Ink Cartridge Inner Plug Sealing Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ink cartridges face issues with ink dripping from the ink supply port when detached from a printing machine due to absorbent deterioration and over-absorption, leading to ineffective ink holding capabilities.
Innovation Solution
An ink cartridge design featuring an inner plug with an ink holding portion that uses a biasing force and surface tension to seal the ink passage and prevent dripping, eliminating the need for an absorbent by utilizing an insertion shaft to press and pull the inner plug, which holds ink near the supply port.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If an absorbent made of urethane foam is used to hold ink leaking from the ink supply port, then ink dripping is prevented, but the absorbent swells and deteriorates due to oil-based ink and becomes unable to absorb ink
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the absorbent component entirely from the system and replaces it with a plug mechanism that uses elastic force and surface tension to prevent ink leakage. This extraction eliminates the deterioration problem while maintaining the ink holding function.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the chemical absorption mechanism (absorbent) with a mechanical sealing system (plug with elastic portion) that uses physical elasticity and surface tension to prevent ink leakage, avoiding the chemical incompatibility issues.
2Reliability
If an absorbent is used to hold ink, then ink dripping is prevented, but when the ink cartridge is repeatedly attached and detached, the amount of ink absorbed exceeds the absorbable amount and the absorbent cannot absorb ink anymore
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates the absorbent component and replaces it with a reusable plug mechanism that can be repeatedly compressed and released without depleting its ink-holding capacity, enabling multiple cartridge replacements.
Solution Approach 2:
The plug is designed to be dynamically compressible by the insertion shaft during attachment, creating a reusable mechanism that resets its ink-holding capacity with each attachment-detachment cycle, unlike the static absorbent that becomes saturated.
3Device complexity
If no absorbent is used to avoid deterioration, then the structure is simplified, but ink drips from the ink supply port when the ink cartridge is detached
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the plug into distinct functional portions: a sealing portion that contacts the ink supply port, an elastic portion that provides restoring force, and an ink holding portion that captures excess ink. This segmentation achieves effective ink prevention with a relatively simple structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The plug acts as an intermediary mechanism between the ink supply port and the external environment, using its elastic properties to dynamically seal the port during detachment without requiring complex mechanical structures.
4Ease of operation
If the insertion shaft presses the inner plug against biasing force during fitting, then the ink passage communicates with the ink supply port, but the plug must be reliably sealed when pulled out
Solution Approach 1:
The plug's elastic portion provides dynamic adaptability: during attachment, it is compressed to open the ink passage; during detachment, it automatically restores to seal the port. This dynamic behavior ensures both ease of operation and sealing reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The plug uses its own elastic properties to automatically perform the sealing function when the insertion shaft is pulled out, without requiring additional actuation mechanisms. The elastic restoring force self-activates the sealing action.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This configuration effectively suppresses ink dripping during detachment and carriage, maintaining ink containment through surface tension and negative pressure, even when the cartridge is inclined, reducing overall ink loss and facilitating easy handling.
Implementation Method 1
an inner plug configured to seal an ink passage to the ink supply port in response to biasing force applied from a side of the ink storage container
Implementation Method 2
maintaining ink containment through surface tension and negative pressure, even when the cartridge is inclined
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3A~3B
AI summary
An ink cartridge includes a socket portion provided at one end of an ink storage container and configured to be fitted to and detached from a joint portion of a printing machine, an ink supply port provided in the socket portion, and an inner plug configured to seal an ink passage to the ink supply port in response to biasing force applied from a side of the ink storage container. An insertion shaft, provided in the joint portion, pressing the inner plug against the biasing force upon a fitting of the socket portion to the joint portion enables the ink passage to communicate with the ink supply port. An ink holding portion of the inner plug with the insertion shaft pulled out from the ink holding portion after inserted holds the ink near the ink supply port.