Liquid Storage Bottle Slit Valve Pressure Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing liquid storage bottles for inkjet recording apparatuses face issues with liquid leakage when the bottle is tilted for injection due to internal pressure exceeding the required pressure to open the slit valve, leading to unintended opening and closing of the valve.
Innovation Solution
A liquid storage bottle design featuring a cylindrical cap with a protrusion that faces the slit valve at a radial position separated from the slit intersections, allowing the protrusion to be inserted into the slit to manage internal pressure and prevent leakage by releasing pressure when the cap is opened or closed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the cap is opened to allow liquid injection, then the inlet is unsealed and liquid can flow out, but the internal pressure causes the slit valve to open unintentionally leading to liquid leakage
Solution Approach 1:
The protrusion is pre-positioned on the cap to automatically interact with the slit valve when the cap is mounted or removed. This preliminary positioning ensures that the valve state is controlled in advance based on cap position, preventing unintended opening during tilting while allowing intentional opening during injection.
Solution Approach 2:
The protrusion acts as an intermediary element between the cap and the slit valve. It transfers the mechanical state of the cap (mounted/removed) to the valve state (closed/open), providing reliable control without direct complex mechanical linkage. The protrusion mediates the pressure control function by its position relative to the slit intersections.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the slit valve is kept open to prevent liquid solidification during storage, then liquid can flow freely, but liquid leakage occurs when the bottle is tilted due to head pressure exceeding valve opening pressure
Solution Approach 1:
The slit valve transitions from a static open/closed state to a dynamic state controlled by the protrusion's position. When the cap is mounted, the protrusion keeps the valve closed dynamically. When the cap is removed, the protrusion allows the valve to open dynamically for injection. This dynamic control prevents leakage during tilting while maintaining flowability during intended use.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the pressure parameter control by using the protrusion's mechanical position to modulate the valve opening pressure threshold. The protrusion effectively adjusts the pressure required to open the slit based on cap state, preventing unintended opening at low pressures during tilting while allowing opening at higher pressures during injection.
3Reliability
If the inlet is sealed by the cap to prevent contamination, then the bottle is protected, but the slit valve closes and prevents liquid injection when needed
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing function and valve control function are merged into a single cap component. The cap simultaneously provides inlet sealing through its seal structure and slit valve control through the protrusion. This integration ensures that when the cap is mounted for sealing, the valve is automatically closed, and when removed for injection, the valve opens, coordinating both functions seamlessly.
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 design effectively suppresses liquid leakage by ensuring the slit valve remains closed during tilting of the bottle, maintaining internal pressure control and preventing unwanted opening, thus ensuring reliable liquid injection.
Implementation Method 1
the protrusion is inserted into the slit to open the slit during a period from a state where the inlet is sealed by the sealing unit to a state where sealing of the inlet is released by the sealing unit
Data Source
AI summary
A liquid storage bottle includes a nozzle which has an inlet through which a liquid is injected, a cylindrical cap which is mountable on the nozzle to open or close the inlet, a slit valve which is provided in the inlet and includes a plurality of slits intersecting each other, and a sealing unit which seals the inlet when the cap is mounted on the nozzle. The cap includes a protrusion which protrudes from a surface facing the inlet toward the slit valve when the cap is mounted on the nozzle, and a tip portion of the protrusion faces the slit valve at a position separated in a radial direction of the nozzle from an intersection of the plurality of slits in a state where the inlet is sealed by the sealing unit.