Liquid Ejection Waste Reservoir Perpendicular Movement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing liquid ejection apparatuses face challenges in ensuring smooth and reliable conveyance of waste liquid between fixed and movable waste liquid retainers, leading to potential ink leakage and operational inefficiencies.
Innovation Solution
A liquid ejection apparatus design featuring a housing with a first waste liquid reservoir and a second waste liquid reservoir, where the first reservoir includes a first container and a first retainer with a contact portion, and the second reservoir includes a second container and a second retainer with a corresponding contact portion, allowing for reliable contact and smooth ink conveyance between the two retainers, even when the second reservoir is moved in a direction perpendicular to the first.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the second waste liquid reservoir is made movable to improve ease of operation and maintenance, then the reliability of waste liquid conveyance between retainers deteriorates due to potential misalignment and contact instability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the second waste liquid reservoir movable in the perpendicular direction to enable easy removal and installation for maintenance purposes. This dynamic design allows users to access and replace the reservoir without disassembling the entire apparatus, significantly improving ease of operation and maintenance while maintaining reliable liquid conveyance through the protruding contact portions.
2Reliability
If the contact portions between retainers are made fixed to ensure stable waste liquid conveyance, then the adaptability of the waste liquid reservoir system deteriorates due to inability to remove and replace the movable reservoir
Solution Approach 1:
The patent resolves this contradiction by making the second waste liquid reservoir movable while maintaining stable contact portions that protrude from both retainers. The contact portions are designed to reliably engage and convey waste liquid even when the reservoir is removed and reinstalled, thus maintaining both reliability of conveyance and adaptability for maintenance operations.
3Device complexity
If the waste liquid reservoir is designed as a single fixed unit to simplify structure, then the ease of maintenance deteriorates due to inability to easily remove and replace the reservoir
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the waste liquid reservoir system into two separate reservoirs: a first fixed waste liquid reservoir and a second movable waste liquid reservoir. This segmentation allows the second reservoir to be easily removed and replaced for maintenance while the first reservoir remains fixed, thus improving ease of maintenance without significantly increasing overall structural complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A first waste liquid reservoir disposed in a housing of a liquid ejection apparatus includes a first container, and a first retainer disposed in the first container to retain the liquid conveyed through a passage member. A second waste liquid reservoir disposed in the housing includes a second container, and a second retainer disposed in the second container so as to be in contact with the first retainer. The second retainer retains the liquid conveyed through the passage member. The second waste liquid reservoir is movable in a first direction, and one of the first waste liquid reservoir and the second waste liquid reservoir is movable in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. At least one of the first retainer and the second retainer protrudes in the second direction from corresponding at least one of the first container and the second container.