Ink Supply Unit Lever Mechanism for Replenishment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional ink supply devices for inkjet printers face challenges in workability and versatility, particularly during ink replenishment, and are not compatible with a broad range of printers.
Innovation Solution
An ink supply unit with a cap that allows ink flow, a valve body for opening and closing, and an elastic biasing mechanism, combined with a pivotable lever and anti-rotation mechanism to convert pivoting motion into linear motion for ink container and cap movement, ensuring efficient ink replenishment and preventing leakage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional ink supply device uses separate ink tanks and nozzle units with complex tube systems, then ink replenishment functionality is achieved, but workability and ease of operation deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the ink container, cap, and valve body into an integrated ink supply unit that can be directly attached to the inkjet head. This eliminates the need for separate tanks and complex tube systems, making ink replenishment as simple as detaching and reattaching the unit, thereby improving workability while maintaining replenishment functionality
Solution Approach 2:
The ink supply unit is designed with a universal structure that can be attached to various types of inkjet heads. The unit performs multiple functions including ink storage, sealing, and valve control within a single component, making it compatible with a broader range of printers and improving ease of operation
2Ease of operation
If the ink supply unit uses a pivotable lever with conversion mechanism, then ease of operation is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a pivotable lever that converts rotational motion into linear motion to open and close the valve body. This dynamic mechanism allows simple manual operation while maintaining a relatively compact structure, balancing ease of operation with acceptable device complexity
3Reliability
If the ink supply unit uses an anti-rotation mechanism, then reliability is improved by preventing leakage, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The anti-rotation mechanism uses asymmetric features such as a flat surface on the ink container that fits into a corresponding slot on the inkjet head, or a protrusion that fits into a recess. This simple asymmetric design prevents rotational misalignment and potential leakage without adding significant complexity to the overall structure
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 solution enhances the workability of ink replenishment and improves the versatility of the ink supply unit, allowing it to be used with various types of ink containers and printers, while preventing ink leakage and ensuring safe operation.
Implementation Method 1
an elastic body that biases the valve body from an inner side of the ink container toward a closing position
Implementation Method 2
a conversion mechanism configured to convert the pivoting motion of the pivotable lever into linear motions of the ink container and of the cap in a direction along the pivot axis
Implementation Method 3
a valve-opening projection disposed inside of the ink tank, the valve-opening projection serving to press the valve body toward an opening position when the cap is drawn nearer to the ink tank by the linear motions
Data Source
AI summary
An ink supply unit is provided and includes an ink container, and a cap fittable to the ink container and having an opening, a valve body, and an elastic body, an ink tank that holds the ink container fitted with the cap at a cap-side part of the container, a pivotable lever disposed on the ink tank pivotably around a pivot axis that is a pivoting center; an anti-rotation mechanism configured to restrict relative rotations of the ink container and of the cap to the ink tank, a conversion mechanism configured to convert the pivoting motion of the pivotable lever into linear motions of the ink container and of the cap in a direction along the pivot axis, and a valve-opening projection that presses the valve body toward an opening position when the cap is drawn nearer to the ink tank by the linear motion of the cap.