Liquid Tank Channel Design for Ink Agitation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Inkjet printing systems face issues with pigment ink sedimentation leading to ejection failures and concentration variations due to inefficient agitation in tanks, and inaccurate liquid level detection causing unnecessary ink wastage.
Innovation Solution
A tank design with a liquid container, inlet and outlet openings, and a channel formation member that forms channels with varying widths to prevent stagnation and improve agitation efficiency, along with a recessed bottom surface and a detector system to accurately monitor liquid levels.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If ink is agitated by causing it to flow out and into the tank, then pigment particle sedimentation is prevented, but ink stagnation occurs in certain regions and agitation efficiency is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The tank interior is divided into multiple channels by the channel formation member, creating multiple flow paths for the ink. This segmentation prevents stagnant regions by ensuring that ink flows through all areas of the tank, thereby maintaining agitation efficiency while preventing pigment particle sedimentation.
Solution Approach 2:
The channel formation member creates regions with different flow characteristics within the tank. By designing channels with varying widths and configurations, the invention ensures that ink flows through all regions with appropriate flow velocities, preventing stagnation in any particular area while maintaining overall agitation effectiveness.
2Productivity
If ink flows into the tank and drops onto the ink surface, then ink is agitated, but ink splashing occurs and air bubbles are mixed into the ink causing ejection failure
Solution Approach 1:
The channel formation member acts as an intermediary structure that guides the incoming ink through controlled flow paths before it mixes with the bulk ink. This intermediary structure prevents direct impact of incoming ink on the ink surface, thereby avoiding splashing and air bubble formation while still achieving effective agitation through the channel flow.
3Measurement precision
If sensor detects liquid level at lower limit level, then liquid depletion is detected, but detection error leads to premature determination of liquid exhaustion and wasted liquid volume
Solution Approach 1:
The channel formation member is designed to maintain liquid flow and agitation down to lower liquid levels. This preliminary action ensures that the liquid level detection system can accurately measure the true liquid level without the interference of sedimentation or stagnant regions, allowing for more precise determination of when the tank is actually empty and reducing premature liquid wastage.
Data Source
AI summary
A tank includes: a liquid container configured to store a liquid; an inlet opening through which the liquid flows into the liquid container; an outlet opening through which the liquid flows out from the liquid container; and a channel formation member arranged between the inlet opening and the outlet opening and configured to form channels. Widths of the channels are such that a channel at a position where stagnation of the liquid is more likely to occur has a larger width.