Ink Supply Tank With Chamber Separator For Bubble-Free Flow
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional ink supply systems for printers often face challenges in efficiently managing air and ink flow, leading to issues such as ink depletion and air bubble formation, which can disrupt printing quality and capacity, especially in refillable systems where multiple chambers are not effectively separated.
Innovation Solution
The introduction of a chamber separator device within the ink supply tank, which separates the main chamber, feeder chamber, and overflow system, allowing air to vent and ink to flow between these chambers through a passageway that includes a vent port, a fill surface to control ink levels, and a screen to filter ink before reaching the print head, thereby maintaining pressure and preventing ink loss during physical disruptions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If multiple chambers are not effectively separated, then the device complexity is reduced, but ink flow management becomes inefficient leading to ink depletion and air bubble formation
Solution Approach 1:
The ink supply tank is divided into multiple functionally independent chambers (main chamber, feeder chamber, overflow chamber) separated by chamber separators. This segmentation allows independent management of ink storage, ink delivery, and overflow control, resolving the contradiction by providing effective separation without excessive complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
Chamber separators act as intermediary structures between different chambers, providing controlled pathways for ink and air flow. These intermediaries manage the interaction between chambers, preventing direct mixing while enabling controlled exchange, thus improving ink flow management reliability.
2Device complexity
If air and ink flow is not properly managed, then the device complexity is reduced, but air bubble formation disrupts printing quality
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments air and ink flow paths through separate chambers and controlled passageways. Air can vent through dedicated pathways while ink flows through separate channels, preventing air bubbles from mixing with ink and disrupting printing quality.
Solution Approach 2:
Air is extracted from the ink flow path through dedicated vent passages and overflow chambers. Air bubbles are removed separately from the ink stream, preventing them from reaching the print head and compromising printing quality.
3Ease of operation
If ink levels are not controlled, then the ease of operation is improved, but ink loss occurs during physical disruptions
Solution Approach 1:
The overflow chamber and vent port system provide self-regulating ink level control. When ink levels rise during physical disruptions, the overflow pathway automatically releases excess ink while maintaining proper pressure balance, eliminating the need for manual intervention and preventing ink loss.
Solution Approach 2:
The overflow chamber acts as a pre-prepared safety mechanism that activates during physical disruptions. It provides a controlled pathway for excess ink to escape before pressure builds up to dangerous levels, cushioning against potential ink loss and system damage.
4Device complexity
If pressure is not maintained, then the device complexity is reduced, but ink flow consistency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The vent port and overflow chamber are merged into a single integrated pressure control system. This combined structure simultaneously manages air venting and overflow control, maintaining pressure consistency without requiring separate complex pressure regulation mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The chamber separator and vent port system serve multiple functions: air venting, overflow control, and pressure maintenance. This multi-functionality maintains ink flow consistency through a single integrated system rather than requiring multiple separate pressure control devices.
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 solution enhances the printing system's efficiency by ensuring consistent ink flow and pressure, preventing ink loss during orientation changes, and maintaining printing capacity by allowing air to replenish ink levels, thus improving the overall performance and reliability of refillable ink supply systems.
Implementation Method 1
The overflow system can allow air from the atmosphere to pass to the feeder chamber through the vent port in the chamber separator device
Implementation Method 2
a chamber separator device that can be pressed into an ink supply tank to separate a main chamber, a feeder chamber, and an overflow system
Implementation Method 3
The chamber separator device can also have a fill surface that sets a fluid level for ink in the feeder chamber such that ink that passes to the feeder chamber from the main chamber via the exchange port will stop flowing once the ink level in the feeder chamber reaches the fill surface
Implementation Method 4
The ink supply tank can further include a screen positioned at the feeder chamber to pass the second portion of ink from the feeder chamber to feed the print head
Implementation Method 5
The first portion of ink can fill the feeder chamber until a fluid level of the first portion of ink contacts the fill surface of the chamber separator device
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure is drawn to an ink supply tank for a printer. The ink supply tank includes a main chamber to supply a printer with ink. The main chamber includes a fill port to receive ink during filling and an exchange port to release the ink. A chamber separator device is configured with a fill surface and a vent port. An overflow chamber can be configured with a vent to pass air into the overflow chamber, a first portion of air in the overflow chamber passes through the vent port of the chamber separator device to a feeder chamber to replace a second portion of ink leaving the ink supply tank to feed a print head and the vent port of the chamber separator device to pass a third portion of ink and a second portion of air from the feeder chamber to the overflow chamber.