Inkjet Waste Ink Management via Weight Threshold Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing liquid discharge apparatuses face errors in waste liquid management due to evaporation and difficulty in accurately detecting the accumulated waste ink amount, leading to potential overflow and inefficiencies in inkjet recording systems.
Innovation Solution
A liquid discharge apparatus with a holding mechanism that includes a sensor to detect the weight of a waste liquid container, triggering a calculation method that switches from software summation to mechanical threshold detection when the container reaches a certain capacity, ensuring accurate waste liquid management and preventing overflow.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If waste liquid amount is calculated by software summation, then calculation is simple, but measurement precision deteriorates due to evaporation errors
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the software calculation system with a mechanical detection system (sensor) that directly measures the waste liquid amount or container weight, eliminating accumulation errors from evaporation and other factors. The sensor provides real-time physical measurement rather than relying on theoretical summation.
2Measurement precision
If hardware detection means is used, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the detection function into a separate, dedicated sensor component that can be independently selected and optimized. This allows the main liquid discharge apparatus to remain simple while adding only the necessary minimal detection capability through a standalone sensor module.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the detection parameter from measuring waste liquid volume or level to measuring the weight of the waste liquid container. This parameter change enables the use of simple weight sensors instead of complex volume measurement systems, reducing overall device complexity while maintaining measurement precision.
3Ease of operation
If software summation is used for waste liquid management, then ease of operation is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to overflow risks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a feedback mechanism where the sensor continuously monitors the waste liquid amount or container weight and provides real-time data to the control unit. This feedback loop enables automatic warning or shutdown before overflow occurs, maintaining reliability while keeping operation simple through automated monitoring.
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 enables precise management of waste liquid levels, reducing errors and overflow risks by using a sensor to detect the container's weight and adjusting calculations accordingly, allowing for timely disposal and maintaining efficient operation.
Implementation Method 1
a sensor that detects a state in which a containing amount of the waste liquid having been contained in the waste liquid container has reached a threshold value
Data Source
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AI summary
A liquid discharge apparatus includes a liquid discharge section configured to discharge liquid onto a medium, a holding section capable of holding a waste liquid container capable of containing waste liquid exhausted from the liquid discharge section, a sensor capable of detecting a state in which a containing amount of the waste liquid container has reached a threshold value, and a calculation section configured to calculate a waste liquid amount based on an exhaust amount of the waste liquid exhausted by the liquid discharge section. In the case where the sensor has detected the state in which the containing amount has reached the threshold value, the calculation section calculates the waste liquid amount by adding the exhaust amount of the waste liquid exhausted after the detection of the state by the sensor to the threshold value.