Liquid Cartridge Optical Detection Plate Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing liquid cartridges face challenges in reliable detection of their attached state due to issues like static electricity affecting electronic boards and optical sensor detection inaccuracies caused by displacement or damage.
Innovation Solution
A liquid cartridge design featuring a cartridge body with a liquid supply portion, an electronic board with upward-facing electrodes, a plate with an attenuating surface, and a positioning member, ensuring the detection area is immovable and easily detectable by an optical sensor even when the cartridge is displaced, and protected from ink leakage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If an electronic board is mounted on the ink cartridge for detection, then the printer can determine compatibility and attached state, but the information stored in the electronic board may be lost due to static electricity or impact, or short-circuit may occur when ink is adhered to the electronic board
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the detection function from the electronic board by providing a separate detection portion (plate with attenuating surface) that can be detected by an optical sensor. This separates the detection function from the electronic components, eliminating the risk of static electricity, impact, and ink adhesion affecting the detection reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an optical detection system as an intermediary between the ink cartridge and the printer's control system. The plate with attenuating surface acts as a mediator that transmits detection information optically, avoiding direct electrical contact and thus preventing short-circuits and static electricity issues.
2Reliability
If a plate detection portion is provided in the ink cartridge for optical sensor detection, then the printer can detect the attached state, but the detection may fail if the plate is displaced due to looseness in the attached state
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary positioning by providing a positioning member that contacts the case to determine the attached state. This preliminary mechanical positioning ensures the plate is correctly positioned before optical detection occurs, preventing detection failures due to displacement.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different functional qualities to different parts: the plate with attenuating surface provides optical detection capability, while the positioning member provides mechanical positioning. This local differentiation ensures both accurate positioning and reliable detection.
3Measurement precision
If the detection area is positioned closer to the liquid supply portion than the positioning surface, then the detection area can be certainly detected by the optical sensor even if the cartridge body is displaced, but the electrodes and attenuating surface may be affected by ink leakage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the detection function from the liquid supply area by positioning the detection area on the plate separately from the electrodes and liquid supply portion. This spatial separation allows the detection area to be positioned optimally for optical sensor detection while preventing ink leakage from affecting the detection components.
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 ensures accurate and reliable detection of the liquid cartridge's attached state by the optical sensor, preventing ink attachment on electrodes and maintaining detection accuracy despite displacement, thus enhancing operational reliability.
Implementation Method 1
The plate has an attenuating surface configured to attenuate incident light traveling in a left-right direction perpendicular to a front-rear direction
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3A~3B
AI summary
A liquid cartridge (30) attachable to a case (101) includes: a cartridge body (31); a liquid supply portion (34); an electronic board (64) including an electrode group (65); a plate (62) having an attenuating surface (62L, 62R) configured to attenuate incident light; and a positioning member (43) having a positioning surface (151) for positioning the liquid cartridge (30) attached to the case (101). When the liquid cartridge is attached to the case, the plate is configured to be detected by an optical sensor (103) configured to emit light traveling in the left-right direction. The attenuating surface (62L, 62R) has a detection area (63) immovable relative to the cartridge body (31, 32). The light emitted from the optical sensor (103) is configured to be incident on the detection area (63) when the liquid cartridge is attached to the case. The detection area (63) is positioned further rearward and upward than the electrode group (65) and positioned further frontward and downward than the positioning surface (151).