Ink Cartridge Sensor Inversion for Compact Mounting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Ink-jet recording apparatuses face challenges in reducing the size of the mounting portion for ink cartridges while maintaining accurate optical detection, as partition plates used to prevent light leakage increase the apparatus size, and removing them leads to detection errors due to light leakage between optical sensors.
Innovation Solution
The arrangement of optical sensors with light-emitting and light-receiving elements adjacent to each other, where the direction from the light-emitting element to the light-receiving element of one sensor is opposite to that of adjacent sensors, reduces the gap between sensors and allows for a smaller mounting portion without increasing the apparatus size.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If partition plates are provided between optical sensors to prevent light leakage, then detection accuracy is improved, but the width of the mounting portion increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of arranging light-emitting elements and light-receiving elements in the same direction with partition plates between sensors, the invention inverts the arrangement by placing light-emitting elements of adjacent sensors on opposite sides of the mounting portion, eliminating the need for partition plates and reducing mounting portion width
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts and removes the partition plates from the system by changing the sensor arrangement configuration, achieving light leakage prevention through spatial separation rather than physical barriers, thereby reducing the mounting portion width
2Area of stationary object
If partition plates are removed to reduce the mounting portion width, then the apparatus size is reduced, but light leakage causes detection errors
Solution Approach 1:
The invention inverts the conventional sensor arrangement by positioning light-emitting elements of adjacent sensors on opposite sides of the mounting portion rather than the same side, which naturally prevents light leakage without requiring partition plates, thus maintaining detection accuracy while reducing apparatus size
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 reduces the width of the mounting portion, prevents light leakage, and maintains accurate ink detection, thereby minimizing detection errors and allowing for a more compact ink-jet recording apparatus.
Implementation Method 1
sensors that are provided to correspond to the ink cartridges and optically detect information related to the ink cartridges
Implementation Method 2
The light-emitting elements or the light-receiving elements of adjacent sensors are arranged adjacent to each other... prevents light leakage
Data Source
AI summary
An ink cartridge accommodating device is provided. The ink cartridge accommodating device includes: an accommodating portion which is configured to accommodate a plurality of ink cartridges arranged in an arrangement direction; and a plurality of sensors which are provided correspondingly to the plurality of ink cartridges, and which optically detect information related to the plurality of ink cartridges, respectively. Each of the sensors includes a light-emitting element which emits light and a light-receiving element which receives light. The light-emitting elements or the light-receiving elements of adjacent sensors are arranged adjacent to each other.