Liquid Container Agitating Member for Ink Density Uniformity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Ink-jet printers using pigmented ink face challenges with non-uniform density inclination due to pigment settling, which existing ink tanks with complex structures or without air spaces in the ink-storage chambers fail to adequately address, leading to incomplete agitation of ink.
Innovation Solution
A liquid container with a simplified structure featuring a flexible-walled reservoir, negative-pressure generating member, and movable agitating members that utilize inertial forces to agitate ink within the container, ensuring uniformity without the need for air spaces or complex components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If agitating fins with shafts and weights are introduced into the ink tank to reduce density inclination non-uniformity, then the agitation effect is improved, but the device complexity increases due to the large number of parts required
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the essential agitation function from complex multi-component structures (shafts, weights, fins) and implements it through a single simple agitating member that utilizes the natural reciprocating motion of the carriage to achieve ink agitation without requiring additional driving mechanisms
Solution Approach 2:
The agitating member is designed to automatically agitate the ink by utilizing the existing reciprocating motion of the carriage during normal operation, eliminating the need for separate driving mechanisms or additional energy input systems
2Stability of the object's composition
If air spaces are introduced into the ink-storage chambers to enable ink movement and reduce density inclination, then the agitation effect is improved, but the device complexity increases due to additional structural components
Solution Approach 1:
The invention removes the air space mechanism entirely and extracts only the essential agitation function, implementing it through a simple agitating member that directly contacts and stirs the ink using the carriage's reciprocating motion
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces the mechanical air space system with a direct mechanical agitation approach, where the agitating member physically stirs the ink through the force generated by carriage reciprocation, eliminating the need for air-ink interaction mechanisms
3Stability of the object's composition
If walls forming flow channels are introduced to make pigmented ink flow upward in the ink-storage chambers, then the density inclination non-uniformity is reduced, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the agitation function from complex flow channel structures and implements it through a simple agitating member that directly stirs the ink, eliminating the need for elaborate wall-based flow guidance structures
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of using fixed walls to guide ink flow in a specific direction, the invention uses a movable agitating member that actively stirs the ink, inverting the approach from passive flow guidance to active agitation
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 solution effectively reduces non-uniformity of density inclination in the ink container by agitating both ink near and remote from the supply port, ensuring consistent ink quality without introducing air into the storage chamber.
Implementation Method 1
When carriages reciprocate in the X direction, the ink tanks on the carriages also reciprocate. In response to this reciprocation, the pigmented ink moves toward the space in the ink-storage chambers along the walls in the ink-storage chambers.
Data Source
AI summary
A liquid container includes an air-tight liquid-storage chamber or reservoir, a movable member for agitating liquid, and a protrusion portion for supporting the movable member. The movable member and the protrusion portion are disposed in the liquid-storage chamber. The movable member includes a first end that is linearly movable along the protrusion portion and a second end that is free.