Liquid Container Bag Refilling via Communication Port Gap
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing liquid containers for printers face issues such as reduced capacity due to processing for refilling, increased waste, risk of foreign object entry, and quality degradation due to exposure during refilling, as they require cutting or boring to create communication ports for fluid exchange.
Innovation Solution
A liquid container design featuring a bag with a liquid supplying port member that includes a liquid supply flow passage and a filling flow passage, where the bag contacts a communication port to form a gap, allowing refilling without pre-processing, reducing waste and maintaining liquid quality by preventing foreign object entry and air bubbles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the communication portion is formed by cutting away an end portion of the bag or boring a hole in the bag, then refilling can be achieved, but the size of the bag decreases resulting in a decrease in the amount of liquid that can be contained
Solution Approach 1:
The communication portion is divided into two separate components: a communication cap that forms the opening and a communication tube that provides the fluid passage. This segmentation allows the bag to remain intact without cutting or boring, preserving its full capacity while enabling refilling through the separate cap and tube assembly
Solution Approach 2:
The communication tube acts as an intermediary element that connects the communication cap to the liquid supply flow passage. This intermediary structure enables fluid communication without requiring direct modification of the bag, thus maintaining bag integrity and capacity while facilitating refilling operation
2Ease of operation
If the communication portion is formed by cutting or boring the bag, then refilling is enabled, but wastes increase because the cut-off end portion of the bag cannot be reused
Solution Approach 1:
The communication portion is segmented into a reusable communication cap and communication tube assembly that attaches to the bag without cutting or boring. This allows the entire bag to be preserved and reused, eliminating waste of bag material while maintaining refilling capability through the detachable cap-tube assembly
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of discarding the bag after cutting or boring, the invention allows the bag to be fully recovered and reused. The communication cap and tube are detached and stored for future use, while the bag itself remains intact and can be refilled and reused multiple times without permanent modification
3Reliability
If a member for sealing the communication portion is needed and a sealing step is needed, then liquid leakage can be prevented, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing function is merged into the communication cap itself through an elastic member that forms an elastic seal. This integration eliminates the need for separate sealing members or additional sealing steps, reducing device complexity while maintaining reliable liquid leakage prevention through the built-in elastic sealing mechanism
4Ease of operation
If the bag is exposed to ambient conditions during cutting or hole-boring, then refilling can be achieved, but liquid quality decreases due to entry of foreign objects
Solution Approach 1:
The communication cap and communication tube are pre-assembled into a sterile or clean configuration before attachment to the bag. This preliminary preparation ensures that the refilling pathway is already protected from foreign objects, allowing refilling to proceed without exposing the bag to contamination risks associated with cutting or hole-boring operations
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 enables easy refilling without reducing container capacity, maintains liquid quality, and prevents air bubbles from entering the printer, thus ensuring consistent print quality.
Implementation Method 1
a gap is formed between the bag and the peripheral portion due to a flow of the liquid from the liquid supply flow passage to the liquid filling flow passage
Data Source
AI summary
A liquid container refillable with liquid to be supplied to a printer includes a bag; a liquid supplying port member having a liquid supplying port; a liquid supply flow passage provided inside the liquid supplying port member; a liquid filling flow passage branching off from the liquid supply flow passage; and a communication port provided inside the liquid supplying port member and being in communication with the liquid filling flow passage and facing an internal surface of the bag. The bag is fixed to the liquid supplying port member such that a gap is formed between the bag and the peripheral portion of the communication port due to a flow of the liquid from the liquid supply flow passage to the liquid filling flow passage, the gap being in communication with the liquid containing portion through the communication port.