Ink Tube Support Surface Positioning for Liquid Ejecting Apparatus
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing liquid ejecting apparatuses face challenges in maintaining a large curvature radius for ink tubes while minimizing the apparatus's size, as increasing the curvature radius leads to increased height dimensions and complexity.
Innovation Solution
The apparatus incorporates a tube support surface positioned closer to the bottom side than the carriage unit, extending along the scanning direction to support the ink tube, forming a curved portion that curves vertically upward and connects to the carriage unit, with the support surface deviated from the driven roller in the transport direction, allowing for a low tube disposition and reducing the apparatus's height.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the curvature radius of the curved portion formed in the tube is increased, then the restorative force of the tube is reduced and carriage movement is improved, but the height direction dimension of the apparatus increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent repositions the tube support surface from a vertical arrangement to a horizontal arrangement by utilizing the space between the carriage unit and the bottom of the apparatus. The tube support surface extends in the scanning direction (X-axis) rather than the vertical direction (Z-axis), allowing the tube to form a curved portion with a large curvature radius without increasing the apparatus height. This dimensional reconfiguration resolves the contradiction by achieving smooth carriage movement through a large curvature radius while maintaining a compact vertical profile.
2Reliability
If a dedicated tube support component is added to support the tube, then the tube can be properly positioned and supported, but the device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the bottom surface of the carriage unit serve a dual function: it acts as both the moving carriage structure and the tube support surface. By forming the tube support surface directly on the bottom surface of the carriage unit, the patent eliminates the need for separate dedicated tube support components. This multi-functional design provides stable tube positioning while reducing device complexity and manufacturing cost.
Data Source
AI summary
A liquid ejecting apparatus includes a carriage unit which is provided with a liquid ejecting head, a liquid storage container which is storing a liquid, a tube which is connected to the carriage unit and which supplies the liquid which is fed from the liquid storage container to the carriage unit, a first driven roller which is provided on a downstream of the liquid ejecting head and which comes into contact with a surface of the medium which faces the liquid ejecting head, and a tube support surface which is positioned closer to a bottom side than the carriage unit in a vertical direction, and supports the tube, in which the tube support surface is at a position which is deviated from the first driven roller in the transport direction of the medium and falls within a height range of the first driven roller in the vertical direction.