Ink Container Keying Structure for Correct Cartridge Attachment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ink cartridges do not adequately distinguish between different ink compositions or business models, leading to potential incorrect attachment and increased risk of damage due to concentrated load on key portions.
Innovation Solution
The ink container features multiple key portions positioned on different surfaces, allowing for a 2-step insertion process to ensure correct attachment, reduce damage risk, and facilitate identification of characteristics such as ink color or composition.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a single key portion is used for attachment, then the attachment process is simple, but the risk of damage to the key portion increases due to concentrated load and incorrect insertion cannot be prevented
Solution Approach 1:
The single key portion is divided into multiple key portions (first key portion and second key portion) positioned at different locations on the cartridge. This segmentation distributes the mechanical load during attachment, reducing stress concentration on any single key portion and thereby lowering the risk of damage while maintaining operational simplicity.
2Reliability
If multiple key portions are added to distinguish ink characteristics, then correct attachment can be ensured, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Different key portions are positioned at specific locations on the cartridge body corresponding to different ink characteristics (e.g., first key portion for ink color, second key portion for ink composition). Each key portion has a distinct local function, allowing the system to encode multiple identification characteristics without requiring a completely complex reconfiguration of the entire attachment mechanism.
3Device complexity
If key portions are positioned on the same surface, then the structure is compact, but the risk of simultaneous damage to all key portions increases when the cartridge falls
Solution Approach 1:
The key portions are distributed across different surfaces or dimensions of the cartridge body rather than being concentrated on a single surface. This spatial distribution in multiple dimensions ensures that if the cartridge falls, the impact is unlikely to damage all key portions simultaneously, as they are positioned at different locations that would not be subjected to the same impact force.
Data Source
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AI summary
An ink container (30) is configured to be insertable into an attachment space (108) of an attachment unit (101) in a first direction. The ink container (30) comprises: a main body that includes a chamber (46) configured to store ink and a supply port (34) configured to receive a supply tube (20) provided in the attachment space (108) for retrieving ink from the chamber (46), the supply port (34) facing in the first direction. The main body further includes: a first key portion (77); and a second key portion (78) positioned on an outer surface different from a surface on which the first key portion (77) is positioned, wherein: the first key portion (77) is configured to be received by a first receiving portion (115) of the attachment unit (101), when the ink container (30) is inserted into the attachment unit (101) in the first direction, and the second key portion (78) is configured to be received by a second receiving portion (138) of the attachment unit (101), when the ink container (30) moves in the attachment unit (101) in a second direction different from the first direction.