Negative Pressure Forming Device for Liquid Supply Apparatus
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing liquid supply apparatuses for liquid discharge systems face challenges in maintaining negative pressure within liquid containers, particularly during power failures or maintenance, leading to potential liquid leakage from nozzles.
Innovation Solution
Incorporation of a negative pressure forming device with a gas chamber, flexible member, and elastic members that move between connection and cutoff positions to maintain negative pressure within the liquid container, even when the vacuum device is not operational.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a vacuum device is used to maintain negative pressure in the liquid container, then liquid leakage from nozzles is prevented during normal operation, but the system fails to maintain negative pressure during power failures or maintenance
Solution Approach 1:
The gas chamber is pre-filled with gas and positioned to automatically expand and close the connection between the liquid container and vacuum device when power is lost or during maintenance. This preliminary preparation ensures immediate negative pressure maintenance without requiring active control during emergency conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The gas chamber acts as an intermediary element between the liquid container and vacuum device. When expanded, it serves as a physical barrier that maintains negative pressure isolation even when the vacuum device is non-operational, bridging the gap between active and passive pressure maintenance states.
2Reliability
If the vacuum device continuously operates to maintain negative pressure, then liquid leakage is suppressed, but energy consumption increases and the system is vulnerable to power failures
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of continuous vacuum device operation, the system uses periodic action where the vacuum device operates only when needed to recharge the gas chamber. The gas chamber then maintains negative pressure passively during intervals, reducing overall energy consumption while ensuring continuous liquid leakage suppression.
Solution Approach 2:
The gas chamber provides self-service pressure maintenance by automatically expanding to seal the connection when power is lost. This eliminates the need for continuous external energy input from the vacuum device, as the system serves itself during critical periods without additional energy consumption.
3Ease of operation
If the connection between liquid container and vacuum device is always open, then negative pressure is easily maintained, but the system cannot isolate the vacuum device during maintenance or power failures
Solution Approach 1:
The connection state between liquid container and vacuum device is made dynamic rather than fixed. The gas chamber can transition between compressed (connected) and expanded (isolated) states, allowing the system to adapt between open and closed configurations based on operational needs, maintaining ease of operation during normal use while enabling isolation during maintenance.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the physical parameter of the gas chamber volume to control connection state. When compressed, the chamber allows connection for easy negative pressure establishment; when expanded, it isolates the system for maintenance or power failure scenarios, providing adaptability through parameter change rather than structural modification.
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
Effectively suppresses liquid leakage from nozzles by maintaining negative pressure in the liquid container, even during power outages or maintenance, ensuring continuous operation of the liquid discharge system.
Implementation Method 1
The vacuum device includes an air pump to decompress the air chamber and maintains the sub tank at negative pressure
Implementation Method 2
a first elastic member to push the flexible member in a first direction to expand the gas chamber
Implementation Method 3
a pressing member to push the flexible member in a second direction opposite the first direction to compress the gas chamber
Data Source
AI summary
A liquid supply apparatus includes a liquid container to temporarily store liquid, a vacuum device connected to the liquid container to decompress the liquid container to form a negative pressure in the liquid container and a negative pressure forming device disposed between the liquid container and the vacuum device. The vacuum device includes a gas chamber connected to the liquid container, a flexible member forming a part of wall surface of the gas chamber, a first elastic member to push the flexible member in a first direction to expand the gas chamber, a pressing member to push the flexible member in a second direction opposite the first direction to compress the gas chamber. The gas chamber moves between a connection position and a cutoff position.