Tank-to-Printer Liquid Supply Control for Consistent Delivery
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Solution Overview
Problem
The variation in inner diameter of tubes due to liquid attachment leads to fluctuations in the liquid delivery amount between a tank and a printer, affecting the consistency of the supply.
Innovation Solution
A liquid supply system with a delivery mechanism that switches between delivery and stopped states based on liquid levels detected by sensors, controlling the flow to maintain consistent delivery.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the liquid flows continuously through the tube from the tank to the printer, then the liquid supply is maintained, but the liquid delivery amount fluctuates due to variations in tube inner diameter caused by liquid attachment
Solution Approach 1:
The delivery mechanism operates periodically by alternating between delivery and stopped states. The controller switches the delivery mechanism on and off based on remaining liquid amount, creating periodic action that prevents continuous flow and the associated inner diameter variations, thereby maintaining consistent liquid delivery amount.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses a sensor to detect the remaining liquid amount in the tank and feeds this information back to the controller. The controller adjusts the delivery mechanism's operation based on this feedback, switching between delivery and stopped states to maintain consistent liquid delivery despite changes in liquid level and tube conditions.
2Ease of operation
If the delivery mechanism is driven by a predetermined amount, then the supply process is simple, but the liquid delivery amount may fluctuate due to flow path resistance changes
Solution Approach 1:
The controller receives feedback from the sensor about the remaining liquid amount and automatically adjusts the delivery mechanism's operation. This feedback loop maintains simple operation for the user while ensuring consistent liquid delivery by compensating for flow path resistance changes caused by liquid attachment in the tube.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs self-adjustment through the controller and sensor combination. The controller automatically monitors the remaining liquid amount and adjusts the delivery mechanism without requiring manual intervention, maintaining both operational simplicity and delivery consistency through automated self-service control.
Data Source
AI summary
A liquid supply system includes one or a plurality of tubes, a liquid delivery mechanism, and a processor. The one or plurality of tubes is connected to a tank. The tank is configured to store the liquid and is provided further upstream than the printer. The liquid delivery mechanism is provided in the one or plurality of tubes and configured to switch between a liquid delivery state and a stopped state. The processor performs liquid delivery processing of controlling the liquid delivery mechanism to be in the liquid delivery state and the stopped state based on a remaining amount indicated by a signal from a sensor. The sensor is configured to detect the remaining amount of the liquid inside the tank or inside the printer.