Liquid Ejecting Apparatus Parallel Tube Routing Guide
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Solution Overview
Problem
The complexity of routing separate supply and waste liquid flow paths in liquid ejecting apparatuses increases the size of the device, making it less compact and efficient.
Innovation Solution
The apparatus integrates supply and waste liquid tubes routed in parallel within a guide, positioning the maintenance device closer to the rear, the liquid ejecting head movable left-right, and the waste liquid container closer to the front, with the guide located between the maintenance device and liquid containers, simplifying the routing structure and reducing the device's size.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If supply flow path and waste liquid flow path are separately routed, then functional independence is maintained, but device size increases and routing structure becomes complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the supply tube and waste liquid tube into a single integrated guide structure. Both tubes are routed together through the guide from their respective components (liquid container and maintenance device) to the liquid ejecting head, merging two previously separate routing paths into one unified structure. This reduces the overall device size while maintaining functional independence of the flow paths.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide structure serves multiple functions simultaneously: it guides both the supply tube and waste liquid tube, provides structural support, and organizes the routing of multiple fluid paths. This multi-functional design eliminates the need for separate guiding structures for each tube, thereby reducing device complexity and size.
2Reliability
If supply flow path and waste liquid flow path are separately routed, then functional independence is maintained, but routing structure complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the routing of supply and waste liquid tubes into a single guide structure, reducing the number of separate routing paths and associated components. This integration simplifies the overall routing structure while maintaining the functional independence of each flow path through internal separation within the guide.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide is designed as a universal structure that handles multiple functions: guiding supply tubes, guiding waste liquid tubes, providing structural support, and organizing fluid routing. This multi-functionality reduces the need for multiple specialized components, thereby simplifying the routing structure.
Data Source
AI summary
A liquid ejecting apparatus has a housing constituting the exterior and includes: a liquid ejecting head; a liquid container; a maintenance device; a waste liquid container; a supply tube; a waste liquid tube; and a guide along which the supply tube and the waste liquid tube are routed in parallel. Assuming that one side of the housing is a rear side and another side facing the one side is a front side in plan view, the maintenance device is disposed closer to a rear side than the liquid container is, the liquid ejecting head is disposed at a side of the maintenance device so as to be movable in the left-right direction, and the guide is disposed in an area between the maintenance device and the front side of the liquid container.