Liquid Cartridge Substrate Vertical Component Placement
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Solution Overview
Problem
The increased size and complexity of circuit boards in ink cartridges, due to the addition of components like batteries, make them susceptible to damage during mounting in inkjet recording devices, as they can contact and interfere with the attachment section.
Innovation Solution
The liquid cartridge design positions the memory and electronic components lower than the contact region on the substrate, and in some configurations, includes a flexible substrate to deflect during insertion, reducing the likelihood of damage by keeping these components away from the attachment portion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the circuit board includes additional components such as batteries and memory to improve functionality, then the functionality of the circuit board is enhanced, but the size of the circuit board increases and susceptibility to damage during mounting increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent positions components on the circuit board at different heights (vertical dimension) rather than only in planar positions. Specifically, the memory is mounted at a lower position than the contact, and the battery is positioned at a different height level. This vertical arrangement allows components to be distributed in three-dimensional space, reducing the likelihood that enlarged circuit board components will contact and damage the attachment section during mounting.
Solution Approach 2:
The circuit board is divided into multiple regions at different heights, with specific components (memory, battery, contact) assigned to different vertical zones. This segmentation of the circuit board into height-based regions allows the enlarged components to be strategically positioned away from the attachment interface, reducing damage risk while maintaining enhanced functionality.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the circuit board is enlarged to accommodate more components, then the functionality improves, but the likelihood of contacting the attachment section during insertion increases
Solution Approach 1:
By utilizing the vertical dimension for component placement, the patent enables a larger number of components to be accommodated on the circuit board without increasing the horizontal footprint that would cause contact with the attachment section during insertion. The memory, battery, and other components are arranged at different heights, allowing the enlarged component count to be achieved while avoiding harmful contact during the insertion process.
3Ease of operation
If components are positioned higher on the circuit board for easier access, then the ease of operation improves, but the likelihood of interference with the attachment portion during insertion increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent resolves the conflict between component accessibility and attachment interference by using vertical positioning rather than horizontal positioning. Components are arranged at different heights on the circuit board, allowing them to be accessible while being positioned away from the attachment section in the horizontal plane during insertion. This vertical arrangement enables both ease of operation and prevention of harmful contact.
Data Source
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Figure 3A~3B
AI summary
There is provided a liquid cartridge configured to be inserted into an attachment portion of a printing device in an insertion direction crossing a gravitational direction and attached to the attachment portion in an upright posture. The liquid cartridge includes a liquid chamber storing liquid therein, a liquid passage extending forward in the insertion direction from the liquid chamber, a substrate, a contact and a memory electrically connected to the contact. The substrate has a first surface and a second surface opposite to each other. The first surface includes: a first region facing upward; and a second region lower than the first region in the upright posture. The contact is formed on the first region and is electrically connectable to a contact of the printing device. The memory is mounted on the substrate at a position lower than the contact of the cartridge in the upright posture.