Coupling Structure for Inkjet Apparatus Preventing Leakage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Inkjet image forming apparatuses face challenges with ink leakage and restricted ink supply due to the use of seals that can break and mix with ink, and the difficulty in making large ink supplying ports, which limits ink flow and introduces foreign matter.
Innovation Solution
A coupling structure comprising a cap and joint that includes a container side communication path, a container opening/closing valve, a main body side communication path, a main body opening/closing valve, and a biasing member, which allows for secure ink supply by opening and closing ports without breaking seals, preventing foreign matter contamination and ensuring consistent ink flow.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a seal is used to close the ink supplying port, then ink leakage is prevented during storage and transportation, but the seal may break when the ink supplying needle penetrates through it, causing foreign matter contamination and restricted ink supply
Solution Approach 1:
The seal is extracted and removed from the system. Instead of using a seal that needs to be penetrated, the invention employs a valve mechanism that opens when the ink supplying needle approaches, eliminating the harmful effect of seal fragmentation while maintaining ink leakage prevention.
Solution Approach 2:
A valve body acts as an intermediary between the ink container and the ink supplying needle. The valve body with its opening/closing mechanism mediates the connection, opening to allow ink flow when the needle approaches and closing to prevent leakage, without requiring the needle to penetrate a seal.
2Quantity of substance
If the ink supplying port is made large to increase ink supply amount, then ink flow is improved, but it becomes difficult to maintain proper sealing and prevent leakage
Solution Approach 1:
The valve body is designed as a dynamic component that can change its state between open and closed. This dynamic mechanism allows the system to have a large effective opening for ink supply when needed while automatically sealing when the ink supplying needle is not in position, resolving the contradiction between supply amount and sealing performance.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If a valve mechanism is introduced to control ink flow without seals, then foreign matter contamination is prevented, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The valve body performs self-service by automatically opening when the ink supplying needle approaches due to the removal of the seal, and automatically closing when the needle moves away. This self-actuating mechanism reduces the need for additional complex control systems while preventing foreign matter contamination.
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
The coupling structure effectively prevents ink leakage, maintains seal integrity, and ensures a consistent ink supply without the need for breaking seals, thereby enhancing the reliability and efficiency of ink distribution to the recording head.
Implementation Method 1
a first biasing member... which biases the main body opening/closing valve to a side of the ink container
Implementation Method 2
the main body opening/closing valve... is pushed in against a biasing force of the first biasing member to open the inflow port
Implementation Method 3
the main body opening/closing valve pushes the container opening/closing valve in to open the supply port
Data Source
AI summary
A coupling structure which couples an ink container to a supply target includes a cap and a joint. The cap includes a container side communication path and a container opening/closing valve. The container side communication path is communicated with a supply port. The container opening/closing valve opens and closes the supply port. The joint includes a main body side communication path, a main body opening/closing valve and a first biasing member. The main body side communication path is communicated to an inflow port. The main body opening/closing valve opens and closes the inflow port. The first biasing member biases the main body opening/closing valve to a side of the ink container. The main body opening/closing valve is protruded to a side of the ink container closer than the inflow port even if the first biasing member is mostly contracted.