Ink Tank Partition Wall Step Structure Residual Ink
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional complex-type ink tanks suffer from reduced ink utilization ratios due to residual ink remaining near the bottom surface after depletion, with insufficient examination of residual ink amounts.
Innovation Solution
The ink tank design features a partition wall with a step structure on its side surfaces, reducing the bottom surface area while maintaining sufficient volume, allowing for efficient ink flow to the supply port and minimizing residual ink, thereby enhancing the ink utilization ratio.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of substance
If the absorber storage chamber has a uniform cross-section from top to bottom, then the manufacturing is simple and the structure is straightforward, but residual ink accumulates near the bottom surface reducing ink utilization ratio
Solution Approach 1:
The absorber storage chamber is segmented into an upper portion and a lower portion with different cross-sectional areas. The lower portion has a smaller cross-sectional area than the upper portion, creating distinct functional zones that prevent residual ink accumulation while maintaining manufacturing feasibility through standardized molding processes.
Solution Approach 2:
Different portions of the absorber storage chamber are designed with different local qualities - the upper portion has a larger cross-sectional area for bulk ink storage, while the lower portion has a smaller cross-sectional area optimized for complete ink drainage. This local differentiation eliminates residual ink without requiring complex overall restructuring.
2Loss of substance
If the bottom surface area of the absorber storage chamber is reduced, then residual ink amount decreases and ink utilization improves, but the total ink storage volume may be insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The chamber geometry transitions from a uniform cross-section to a variable cross-section along the vertical dimension. By reducing the cross-sectional area only in the lower portion while maintaining a larger upper portion, the design achieves complete drainage without compromising total storage capacity, as the bulk storage function is maintained in the upper region.
Solution Approach 2:
The lower portion with smaller cross-sectional area is essentially nested within the volume envelope of the upper portion. This nested configuration allows the chamber to achieve both small bottom area for drainage and large overall volume for storage by stacking different cross-sectional areas vertically.
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 design effectively reduces residual ink near the bottom surface, improving the ink utilization ratio by ensuring that ink is fully utilized without leaving unused amounts.
Implementation Method 1
an absorber storage chamber for storing an absorber capable of retaining ink
Data Source
AI summary
A ink tank includes a casing having a partition wall configured to divide from each other an absorber storage chamber for storing an absorber capable of retaining ink and an ink storage chamber for storing ink to be supplied to the absorber storage chamber, and an ink supply port provided at the bottom surface of the absorber storage chamber and configured to supply the ink in the absorber storage chamber to an outside, wherein the sectional configuration when the absorber storage chamber is cut by a plane parallel to the partition wall and passing through the ink supply port is substantially T-shaped.