Liquid Container Partition Wall for Ink Visibility
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional liquid containers, such as those in inkjet printers, face difficulties in maintaining visibility of the liquid level due to ink adherence to the visual recognition portion when refilling, making it hard to accurately assess the remaining liquid amount.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a partition wall system within the liquid container that redirects the flow of ink away from the visual recognition area, combined with a transparent wall for optical visibility and a repellent coating to prevent ink adherence, ensuring clear visibility of the liquid level during refilling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If the visual recognition portion is located near the inlet port to enable visual checking of ink amount, then the user can visually check the ink level, but ink adheres to the visual recognition portion during refilling which deteriorates visibility
Solution Approach 1:
The tank wall is segmented into a visual recognition portion and a liquid receiving portion by introducing a partition wall. The partition wall creates a physical separation that directs ink flow away from the visual recognition area, allowing the visual recognition portion to maintain its transparency function while the liquid receiving portion handles the ink flow during refilling.
Solution Approach 2:
The partition wall acts as an intermediary structure between the inlet port and the visual recognition portion. It mediates the ink flow by redirecting it along the liquid receiving portion, preventing direct contact with the visual recognition wall while still allowing the tank to be filled with ink.
2Loss of information
If the tank is made translucent to enable visual checking of ink amount, then the user can see the ink level, but ink adheres to the translucent wall portion during refilling which makes it difficult to recognize the amount of ink
Solution Approach 1:
The translucent wall is segmented into two functional zones: the visual recognition portion that remains translucent for viewing and the liquid receiving portion that handles ink flow. The partition wall ensures that ink flow is directed to the liquid receiving portion, preserving the reliability of the visual recognition portion during refilling operations.
3Ease of manufacture
If no partition wall is provided to keep the tank structure simple, then the manufacturing is easier, but ink adheres to the visual recognition wall making it hard to check the liquid level accurately
Solution Approach 1:
The partition wall divides the tank interior into distinct functional zones without significantly complicating the overall tank structure. This segmentation enables accurate liquid level measurement by preventing ink adherence to the visual recognition wall, while the partition wall itself can be integrated into the tank body through standard molding techniques.
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
This configuration effectively prevents ink from adhering to the visual recognition area, maintaining optical transparency and allowing accurate liquid level assessment, thus enhancing the user's ability to recognize the remaining liquid amount.
Implementation Method 1
only an area of a part of the visual recognition wall has liquid repellency
Data Source
AI summary
A liquid container includes a liquid container portion and a liquid inlet portion. The liquid inlet portion is connected with the liquid container portion and configured to pour liquid into the liquid container portion. The liquid container portion includes a bottom wall, a liquid inlet portion-forming wall that is located above the bottom wall and at which the liquid inlet portion is arranged, a visual recognition wall, an opposite wall opposite the visual recognition wall, and a partition wall. The visual recognition wall is a wall that extends in a direction intersecting the bottom wall and the liquid inlet portion-forming wall and through which the liquid in the liquid container portion is visible from outside. At least a part of the partition wall is located between the visual recognition wall. The opening is an intersecting part at which the liquid inlet portion intersects with the liquid inlet portion-forming wall.