Liquid Cartridge Pivot Mechanism for Mounting Reliability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing liquid cartridges face challenges in smooth pivoting and easy release due to design limitations, such as contact hindrances and increased force requirements, which affect their mounting and removal processes in liquid consuming apparatuses.
Innovation Solution
A liquid cartridge design featuring a pivot mechanism with a lock surface and operation surface configuration that allows for smooth insertion and release, where the lock surface contacts a lock portion to restrict movement and the operation surface facilitates easy pivoting by directing force effectively, reducing the required force and preventing damage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the liquid cartridge is designed with a lock surface to contact the lock portion for secure mounting, then the reliability of mounting is improved, but the ease of operation for removal deteriorates due to increased contact hindrances
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamic pivot mechanism that allows the liquid cartridge to rotate between a mounted position (where the lock surface contacts the lock portion) and a removed position. This dynamic movement enables the cartridge to transition from a locked state with high mounting reliability to an unlocked state for easy removal, resolving the contradiction between secure mounting and easy operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces a rotational dimension to the mounting/removal mechanism. Instead of linear insertion and extraction, the cartridge pivots around a pivot axis, adding a rotational degree of freedom. This dimensional change allows the lock surface to engage/disengage from the lock portion through rotation, simultaneously achieving secure mounting during rotation and easy removal by simply reversing the rotational motion.
2Manufacturing precision
If the liquid cartridge pivots about a pivot center at the center of the liquid supply opening, then the manufacturing precision is improved by simplifying the pivot mechanism, but the contact hindrance increases causing rough pivoting
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by providing a guide surface at a specific location on the cartridge body that interacts with the pivot mechanism. This localized guide surface ensures smooth pivoting motion at the critical pivot region without complicating the overall pivot mechanism design, thus maintaining manufacturing simplicity while improving pivoting smoothness.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide surface acts as an intermediary element between the pivot mechanism and the cartridge body. It mediates the pivoting motion by providing a smooth contact surface that guides the rotation, reducing friction and contact hindrance while keeping the pivot center location simple and easy to manufacture.
3Ease of operation
If the lower face is designed with multiple portions at different positions, then the ease of operation for removal is improved by reducing contact hindrances, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The lower face is segmented into multiple portions (first portion and second portion) with different characteristics. The first portion provides a smooth surface for pivoting, while the second portion extends further in the removal direction to reduce contact hindrance during removal. This segmentation allows each portion to fulfill a specific function, improving removal ease without requiring a completely complex redesign.
Solution Approach 2:
The lower face employs asymmetric design where the first and second portions have different geometries and positions relative to the pivot center. This asymmetry is optimized to reduce contact hindrance during the removal operation while maintaining simplicity in the overall structure, balancing ease of operation with device complexity.
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 smooth and effortless mounting and removal of the liquid cartridge, reducing the likelihood of contact hindrances and enhancing user experience by minimizing the force needed for operation.
Implementation Method 1
a seal member positioned at the liquid supply portion and having a liquid supply opening formed therethrough, wherein the seal member is configured to contact an outer surface of the liquid supply tube while being elastically deformed when the liquid supply tube is inserted through the liquid supply opening
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3A~3B
AI summary
A liquid cartridge comprises a front face (140), a rear face (41), an upper face (39, 141) and a lower face (42, 142), wherein a liquid chamber is positioned between the front face and the rear face and between the upper face and the lower face, and the rear face has comprises an upper portion and a lower portion while the lower face comprises a first portion and a second portion. A liquid supply portion (34) positioned at the front face. The liquid cartridge further has a lock surface (151) positioned at the upper face and an operation surface (92) positioned at the upper face. In the liquid cartridge, a distance from the first portion of the lower face to the rear face is greater than a distance from its second portion to the rear face. Still further, a distance from the upper portion of the rear face to the lower face is greater than a distance from its lower portion to the lower face. Also, a distance from the upper portion of the rear face to the front face is greater than a distance from its lower portion to the front face, and a distance from the first portion of the lower face to the upper face is greater than a distance from its second portion to the upper face. The lower portion comprises a portion positioned between a central axis of the liquid supply opening and the lower face.