Detachable Display Board on Liquid Containers for Easier Recycling

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing liquid containers, such as ink cartridges, pose environmental challenges due to the need for peeling off labels or erasing identification information during recycling, increasing the workload and reducing the recyclable plastic component proportion.

Innovation Solution

A liquid container design with a detachable display board portion on a surface region different from the mounting surface, allowing easy removal and reuse of components without the need to peel off labels or erase recorded information.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If a label displaying identification information is pasted to the case of the liquid container, then the identification information can be displayed, but the workload of peeling off the label increases during recycling

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveidentification informationVSAvoidworkload of peeling off label

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The identification information display is segmented from the case structure. The display board portion is made as a separate detachable component that can be easily removed from the case, allowing identification information to be displayed during use while enabling simple removal during recycling without peeling labels from the case itself.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Loss of information

If identification information is directly recorded on the case, then the identification information can be displayed, but the workload of erasing the recorded information increases during recycling

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveidentification informationVSAvoidworkload of erasing recorded information

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The display board portion is segmented as a separate detachable component from the case. Identification information can be recorded on this separate board, which is then easily removed during recycling, eliminating the need to erase information directly from the case.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The display board portion containing identification information is extracted as a separate removable component. This allows the identification information to be taken out with the display board during recycling, rather than remaining on the case and requiring erasure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Ease of operation

If the display board portion is detachably provided on the case, then the workload during recycling is reduced, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveworkload during recyclingVSAvoidstructure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The display board portion is segmented as a separate component that can be detachably attached to the case using simple attachment means. This segmentation reduces recycling workload while maintaining relatively simple overall structure through the use of straightforward attachment mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS12508814B2Liquid container and method for reusing liquid container

Publication Date: 2025.12.30 SEIKO EPSON CORP

AI summary

A liquid container includes a liquid containing body that contains liquid, a case that houses the liquid containing body, and a display board portion on which identification information regarding the liquid container is gathered and displayed. The case has a mounting surface from which a supply portion through which the liquid in the liquid containing body is supplied is exposed. The display board portion is detachably provided on a surface region of the case that is different from the mounting surface.