Ink Tank Electrode Recess Design for Leakage Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Ink tanks with electrodes for residual detection may experience ink leakage due to the structure of the conductive path, particularly through holes in the ink container, which can lead to malfunction and maintenance issues.
Innovation Solution
A tank design with a recessed electrode part and a sealing member to prevent ink intrusion, combined with strategic placement of the liquid injection and atmospheric air introduction ports to retain atmospheric air and prevent ink from reaching the electrode area, ensuring airtightness and minimizing ink leakage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a through hole is formed in the ink container wall for arranging the electrode, then the electrode can be properly positioned and conductive path established, but ink leakage occurs through the through hole structure
Solution Approach 1:
A sealing member is introduced as an intermediary element between the through hole and the electrode. The sealing member fits around the electrode in the through hole, creating a barrier that prevents ink from leaking through the conductive path structure while still allowing the electrode to function properly for ink level detection.
2Measurement precision
If the electrode is placed directly in the ink container, then detection function is achieved, but ink adhesion to the electrode and sealing member causes deterioration and leakage
Solution Approach 1:
The electrode is extracted from direct contact with the ink by positioning it within a recessed region. The recess creates a barrier that prevents ink from reaching the electrode and sealing member, thereby preventing ink adhesion, deterioration, and leakage while maintaining the electrode's detection functionality through the container wall.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If a recess structure is created to prevent ink intrusion, then ink leakage is prevented, but the tank structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The ink container wall is segmented into functional regions: a recessed region that houses the electrode and prevents ink intrusion, and a non-recessed region for other openings. This segmentation allows the structure to serve multiple purposes - the recess both houses the electrode and acts as a protective barrier against ink leakage.
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 effectively prevents ink leakage and adhesion on sealing members, maintaining the integrity of the tank and enhancing detection accuracy by retaining atmospheric air and isolating the electrode area from ink intrusion.
Implementation Method 1
When the tank is in the liquid supply posture, it is possible to retain atmospheric air in the recess and restrain intrusion of the liquid into the recess
Implementation Method 2
because a liquid is restrained from reaching the recess, adhesion of ink to the sealing member is restrained, and deterioration of the sealing member is restrained
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a technique for restraining leakage of a liquid from a tank. An ink tank 25 is provided with an ink injecting part 113, an ink container 120, an atmospheric air introduction part 121, and electrode pins 140a and 140b. A recess 125 that is open downward in the gravity direction when the ink tank 25 is in a posture when ink is supplied to a printing head part 32 is formed in the ink container 120. The electrode pins 140a and 140b are provided in a first upper wall part 131 constituting an upper end wall part of the recess 125. In addition, an ink injection port 135 of the ink injecting part 113 and an atmospheric air introduction port 136 of the atmospheric air introduction part 121 are provided outside the recess 125, in the ink container 120.