Liquid Ejecting Apparatus Film Seal Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing liquid ejecting apparatuses face challenges in suppressing liquid leakage while maintaining a compact size, as they require sufficient spacing between ink tanks to prevent damage and leakage.
Innovation Solution
The apparatus incorporates a tank with a film-sealed chamber and a wall with a protruding portion that faces a rib on the tank container, allowing for secure containment of liquid without increasing the apparatus size.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If sufficient spacing is left between ink tanks to prevent film damage, then reliability is improved, but apparatus size increases
Solution Approach 1:
A protruding portion is introduced as an intermediary protective element between the ink tank film and adjacent structures. This protruding portion absorbs potential contact forces and prevents direct damage to the film, allowing tanks to be positioned closer together without compromising reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The protective protruding portion extends in a direction perpendicular to the film surface, creating a three-dimensional protective barrier. This dimensional approach allows compact horizontal spacing while maintaining vertical protection, effectively decoupling spacing requirements from apparatus footprint.
2Productivity
If ink tanks are arranged compactly to reduce apparatus size, then productivity is improved, but liquid leakage risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The protruding portion serves as a pre-positioned protective cushion that prevents harmful contact between adjacent ink tanks. By providing this protective element in advance, the design enables compact tank arrangement without increasing liquid leakage risk, as the protruding portion absorbs potential impacts before they can compromise the film seal.
3Strength
If clear spacing is maintained between tanks to protect the film, then film strength is preserved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The protruding portion is integrated directly into the tank container structure, merging the protective function with the existing tank design. This consolidation maintains film integrity through the protruding protection while avoiding the need for separate protective components, thereby reducing overall device complexity despite compact tank arrangement.
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 design effectively suppresses liquid leakage and maintains a compact size by ensuring the film securely seals the tank openings and the wall's protruding portion supports the tank structure without unnecessary spacing.
Implementation Method 1
The film seals the opening
Implementation Method 2
the wall's protruding portion supports the tank structure
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus includes a tank and a wall. The tank includes a tank container and a film. The tank container includes a chamber. The chamber is capable of containing a liquid to be supplied to an ejection head configured to eject the liquid. The chamber has an opening at a side face of the tank container. An outline of the opening is enclosed by a first rib. The film seals the opening. The wall is disposed at a position of facing the film, and includes a protruding portion protruding toward the film. The protruding portion faces a second rib provided on the tank container, apart from the first rib. The protruding portion does not face the first rib.