Liquid Container Bubble Trap Flow Path for Ink Refill
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing liquid refill techniques for containers, such as ink cartridges, often damage the container's internal structure and functions due to air displacement and shaving contamination, leading to inefficient refilling and potential blockages in the bubble trap flow path.
Innovation Solution
A liquid filling method that creates an inlet away from the bubble trap flow path, allowing for effective bubble trapping and preventing shavings from contaminating the refill area, ensuring efficient refilling without damaging the container's functions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a through hole is drilled in the outer wall surface for ink refill, then the ink can be refilled into the ink cartridge, but shavings are produced that may contaminate the ink and damage the ink cartridge functions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a bubble trap flow path as an intermediary component between the through hole and the ink reservoir. This mediator captures shavings produced during drilling before they can contaminate the ink, while still allowing air to escape during refilling. The bubble trap chamber collects air bubbles and shavings, preventing them from reaching the ink and sensor unit.
2Productivity
If the ink outlet is sealed with a plug during refill, then ink can be refilled via the through hole, but air discharge is interfered with and ink flow efficiency is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the air discharge function from the ink refill function by creating a separate bubble trap flow path. The through hole is used exclusively for ink refilling, while the bubble trap flow path handles air discharge. This segmentation allows both functions to operate independently and efficiently without interfering with each other.
3Reliability
If air is discharged via the through hole during refill, then air removal is achieved, but the structure interferes with ink flow into the pathway and reduces refill efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The bubble trap flow path serves as an intermediary channel that handles air discharge separately from the main ink refill pathway. This allows air to be discharged efficiently through the dedicated flow path while the through hole remains optimized for ink refilling, eliminating the interference between air discharge and ink flow.
4Ease of manufacture
If shavings are produced during through hole formation, then the inlet can be created for refill, but the shavings may block the bubble trap flow path and damage sensor unit functions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful effect of shavings into a beneficial filtering mechanism. The bubble trap chamber is designed to collect and trap shavings that enter through the bubble trap flow path, preventing them from blocking the path or reaching the sensor unit. The flow path's upward turn and chamber design cause shavings to settle and be trapped, transforming the contamination problem into a self-cleaning feature.
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 method ensures efficient refilling by preventing blockages and maintaining the integrity of the bubble trap flow path, allowing for multiple refills without compromising the container's functionality.
Implementation Method 1
a bubble trap flow path located in the upstream of the sensor unit and in the downstream of the second chamber, formed to have cylindrical flow paths turned down upward in a certain attitude of the liquid container attached to the liquid consuming device, and designed to trap bubbles
Implementation Method 2
Formation of the through hole naturally produces some shavings of the cartridge casing, which may be mixed into the ink stored in the ink cartridge
Data Source
AI summary
According to one aspect of the invention, a remanufacturing method of a liquid container forms an inlet in a certain area, for example, a buffer chamber, other than a specific section including liquid reservoirs and flow paths adjoining to and directly communicating with a bubble trap flow path in the liquid container. In the state of closing a liquid feeder and opening an air open structure, the remanufacturing method injects a liquid through the inlet to fill a space in the upstream of the inlet with the liquid. In the state of opening the liquid feeder and closing the air open structure, the remanufacturing method injects the liquid through the inlet to fill a space in the downstream of the inlet with the liquid. The remanufacturing process seals the inlet after completion of the injection of the liquid. This arrangement enables the liquid to be refilled into the liquid container without damaging the functions of the liquid container.