Liquid Container Asymmetric Positioning for Printer Mounting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing liquid containers for liquid consuming apparatuses face challenges in smooth mounting and reliable locking due to manufacturing variations and warping, leading to positional shifts and misalignment of guiding ribs and lock grooves, which complicates the insertion and secure fixation of ink cartridges in inkjet-type printers.
Innovation Solution
A liquid container design featuring a guide rail with a guide surface and a movable lock portion, including positioning portions on intersecting surfaces to align and lock the container, along with protrusion and recession features to guide and stabilize the container during insertion, ensuring correct engagement of the groove portion with the movable lock portion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If projection portions are provided on one side of the case member to determine mounting position, then mounting position in width direction is determined, but positional shift occurs due to warping or manufacturing variations on the opposite side
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces asymmetric positioning structures: a projection portion on one side and a corresponding recess portion on the opposite side. This asymmetric design ensures that the liquid container can only be mounted in the correct orientation, preventing positional shifts caused by warping or manufacturing variations. The asymmetric features work together to provide both lateral positioning and rotational alignment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent adds positioning functionality in multiple dimensions by introducing the recess portion as a complementary feature to the projection portion. While the projection portion provides positioning in one dimension, the recess portion adds constraint in the orthogonal dimension, creating a two-dimensional positioning system that significantly reduces positional variability.
2Ease of operation
If groove portion and movable lock portion are to engage correctly, then smooth mounting is achieved, but misalignment occurs due to positional shift from case member warping or manufacturing variations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary positioning action through the projection and recess portions before the locking engagement occurs. These positioning features pre-align the liquid container with the mounting portion, ensuring that when the movable lock portion engages with the groove portion, they are already in correct alignment. This preliminary action prevents misalignment issues that would otherwise occur due to warping or manufacturing variations.
Solution Approach 2:
The projection and recess portions act as intermediary elements that mediate between the liquid container and the mounting portion. These intermediaries absorb and compensate for dimensional variations and warping, ensuring that the critical groove-lock engagement interface remains aligned regardless of manufacturing tolerances or case member deformation.
3Reliability
If positioning portions are added to both sides of the container, then positional shift is prevented, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the positioning and locking functions into an integrated system. The projection portions serve dual purposes: they provide lateral positioning and also guide the engagement of the groove portion with the movable lock portion. By combining multiple functions into these integrated features, the patent achieves reliable positioning without proportionally increasing structural complexity.
Data Source
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AI summary
A liquid container can be smoothly mounted to a mounting portion, and the liquid container is reliably locked in the mounting portion when mounting is complete. The liquid container is removably mounted by insertion into the mounting portion of a printer, and includes: a first surface that has formed therein a liquid supply opening through which ink can flow from an ink chamber to the printer, and is on a side in a direction of insertion into the mounting portion (+Y direction); a second surface that opposes the first surface; a third surface that intersects the first surface and the second surface and has formed therein a groove portion that can engage with a lever member; a fourth surface that opposes the third surface; and lower protruding wall portions that are provided on at least one of the third surface and the fourth surface, and are positioned by guide surfaces of lower guide ribs of the mounting portion when the ink cartridge is locked by engagement of the groove portion with the lever member due to the ink cartridge moving in the direction of insertion into the mounting portion.