Liquid Container Spacer Design for Flexible Bag Blockage Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Flexible liquid storage bags used in liquid ejection apparatuses can lead to channel blockages and uneven liquid concentration due to shrinkage, potentially disrupting the supply of liquid to the apparatus.
Innovation Solution
A liquid container design featuring a flexible bag with a spacer member and liquid outlet tube configuration that secures the channel, stabilizes the liquid outlet, and maintains even concentration by positioning the spacer member to prevent blockages and ensure consistent liquid supply.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If a flexible bag is used to store liquid, then the liquid storage capacity is improved and the bag can shrink as liquid is consumed, but the channel in the bag may be blocked due to shrinkage and liquid supply becomes insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
A liquid outlet tube is introduced as an intermediary component between the flexible bag and the liquid outlet member. The tube extends from the liquid outlet member through the liquid storage portion toward the other edge portion of the bag, providing a protected channel that prevents blockage while the bag shrinks. This intermediary structure ensures reliable liquid supply even as the bag volume changes.
Solution Approach 2:
The liquid outlet tube is positioned to extend in a direction from the liquid outlet member toward the other edge portion of the bag, creating a three-dimensional pathway through the liquid storage portion. This spatial arrangement ensures that the tube remains above the liquid level during shrinkage, preventing blockage while maintaining liquid supply capability.
2Productivity
If the bag shrinks further after initial consumption, then more liquid is supplied, but liquid with high concentration of sedimentary component is supplied and concentration becomes uneven
Solution Approach 1:
The liquid outlet tube acts as a mediator that maintains a consistent outlet position relative to the liquid storage portion. By extending the tube toward the other edge portion of the bag, it ensures that liquid is drawn from a consistent region, preventing concentration variations even as the bag shrinks and liquid level changes.
3Ease of operation
If the liquid outlet tube extends far into the liquid storage portion, then liquid supply is improved, but the end portion and channel may be blocked by bag shrinkage
Solution Approach 1:
The liquid outlet tube is positioned to extend from the liquid outlet member toward the other edge portion of the bag in a direction that keeps it above the liquid level during shrinkage. This spatial positioning in three-dimensional space prevents the tube end and channel from being blocked while maintaining effective liquid supply.
Data Source
AI summary
The liquid container has a spacer member provided in the liquid storage portion. When three directions orthogonal to each other are assumed to be a D direction, a T direction, and a W direction, in the D direction, a direction from a liquid outlet portion toward the other edge portion of the bag is assumed to be a +D direction, and the opposite direction to the +D direction is assumed to be a −D direction, and a direction in which the dimension of the outer shape of the liquid container is smallest is assumed to be the T direction, and the spacer member has, on the +D direction side, a face inclined such that the dimension in the T direction of the spacer member increases from the +D direction side toward the −D direction side.