Inkjet Recording Apparatus Cap Biasing Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
In inkjet recording apparatuses, users face difficulties injecting ink due to the closure member covering the filling port if not properly placed, making it hard to refill the ink tank.
Innovation Solution
An inkjet recording apparatus design featuring a cap with a rib adjacent to the filling port, which biases the cap to separate from the port, allowing easy access and preventing ink leakage by connecting to a main body, facilitating ink injection and maintaining the meniscus.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the closure member is provided to close the filling port, then ink leakage is prevented, but the filling port becomes difficult to access when the closure member covers it
Solution Approach 1:
The closure member is designed to be movable between a closed position (covering the filling port) and an open position (retracted to expose the filling port). The connection portion with elastic biasing force enables the closure member to dynamically transition between these positions, allowing it to automatically open when a predetermined force is applied during ink filling, and automatically close when the force is removed.
Solution Approach 2:
The closure member automatically opens and closes the filling port based on the applied force without requiring manual intervention. When the user applies force to insert the ink container, the closure member self-opens; when the force is removed, the elastic connection portion self-closes the filling port, preventing ink leakage without user action.
2Ease of operation
If the closure member is removed from the filling port for ink injection, then the filling port is accessible, but the closure member may cover the filling port again making injection difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The closure member transitions from a static cover to a dynamic component that responds to applied force. During ink filling, when the user applies predetermined force to insert the ink container, the closure member automatically moves to the open position, ensuring the filling port remains accessible throughout the injection process without accidentally covering it.
3Reliability
If the cap is connected to the ink tank or main body, then the cap is retained in place, but the cap may interfere with filling port access
Solution Approach 1:
The cap is designed as a movable component connected to the ink tank or main body through a connection portion with elastic biasing force. This allows the cap to dynamically adjust its position: remaining connected and retained in place during normal operation, but moving to an open position away from the filling port when force is applied during ink filling, thus not interfering with access.
Solution Approach 2:
The cap automatically positions itself to avoid interfering with filling port access. When the user applies force to fill ink, the cap self-opens to expose the filling port; when the force is removed, the elastic connection portion returns the cap to its closed position, maintaining retention without manual intervention.
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
Enables easy and efficient ink injection by ensuring the cap automatically retracts from the filling port, simplifying the refilling process and reducing ink leakage, while maintaining the ink meniscus and preventing color mixing.
Implementation Method 1
the connection portion biases the cap in a direction separating from the filling port, and the cap removed from the filling port releases the filling port while being in contact with the rib by biasing of the connection portion
Data Source
AI summary
An inkjet recording apparatus includes a recording head configured to eject ink to record an image, an ink tank including an filling port for injection of the ink and configured to contain the ink to be supplied to the recording head, a cap configured to close the filling port, and a connection portion configured to connect the cap to the ink tank or a main body of the apparatus. The inkjet recording apparatus includes a rib provided adjacently to the filling port, the connection portion biases the cap in a direction separating from the filling port, and the cap removed from the filling port releases the filling port while being in contact with the rib by biasing of the connection portion.