Liquid Ejection Apparatus with Movable Circuit Board Connections
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Solution Overview
Problem
In liquid ejection apparatuses, the movement of ink tanks due to external impacts can cause the circuit unit to disconnect from the ink tank, leading to reliability issues.
Innovation Solution
A configuration where a circuit board is connected to terminal members of multiple ink tanks via compression springs or plate springs, allowing relative movement and absorption of displacement, ensuring stable connection despite external forces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a circuit unit is commonly provided on an upper surface of multiple ink tanks and connected to electrode pins in each ink tank, then the structure is simplified and ease of manufacture is improved, but the reliability deteriorates because the circuit unit cannot follow the movement of all ink tanks when they move due to external impacts
Solution Approach 1:
The circuit board is designed to be movable relative to the ink tanks rather than fixed. The circuit board can move in the first direction (width direction of the apparatus) to follow the movement of the ink tanks, maintaining continuous electrical connection. This dynamic design allows the circuit board to adapt to position changes of multiple ink tanks, resolving the contradiction between simplified structure and reliability.
2Reliability
If the circuit unit follows the movement of one ink tank, then the connection to that ink tank is maintained, but the connection to other ink tanks that do not follow the movement is impaired
Solution Approach 1:
The movable circuit board serves multiple ink tanks simultaneously by being able to move in the first direction to follow any of the ink tanks' movements. This universal design allows a single circuit board to maintain connections with multiple ink tanks without requiring separate connection mechanisms for each tank, reducing device complexity while maintaining reliability.
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
The solution maintains a stable and continuous operation of the liquid ejection apparatus by absorbing displacement of ink tanks, preventing damage to the circuit board and ensuring reliable ink supply.
Implementation Method 1
A configuration where a circuit board is connected to terminal members of multiple ink tanks via compression springs or plate springs, allowing relative movement and absorption of displacement
Data Source
AI summary
A liquid ejection apparatus includes a first liquid storage container, a second liquid storage container, a first terminal member, a second terminal member, and a circuit board. The first liquid storage container stores liquid to be supplied to a liquid ejection head that ejects the liquid to an ejection medium. The second liquid storage container is arranged side by side in a first direction with respect to the first liquid storage container. The first terminal member comes into contact with the liquid stored within the first liquid storage container. The second terminal member comes into contact with liquid stored within the second liquid storage container. The circuit board comes into contact with the first terminal member and the second terminal member and relatively moves in the first direction with respect to the first liquid storage container.