Plug Closure System for Collapsible Ink Supply Containers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Large off-axis ink supplies in high production inkjet printers pose challenges in developing closure and connection systems that ensure secure closure while maintaining ease and reliability during installation at the printer supply station.
Innovation Solution
A collapsible ink container with a plug closure system, featuring a cylindrical plug with a ridge and lip design for secure sealing, and a receptacle with keying features to prevent incorrect installation, along with a septum for ink flow control and electrical connectivity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a large fill port is provided in the supply container to facilitate filling, then the filling operation becomes easier and faster, but the closure security and reliability are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The closure system is divided into separate functional components: a closure member with sealing elements, a plug member with engagement features, and a receptacle with keying mechanisms. This segmentation allows the large fill port to maintain ease of filling while the distributed closure components provide secure sealing and reliable connection.
Solution Approach 2:
A plug member acts as an intermediary between the closure member and the receptacle. The plug provides engagement features that connect the closure to the receptacle, ensuring secure closure while allowing the large fill port to remain accessible for filling operations.
2Reliability
If a secure closure system is implemented to prevent leakage, then ink leakage is prevented, but the installation complexity and difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
Keying features with asymmetric geometry are provided on both the receptacle and plug member. These asymmetric features guide correct alignment during installation and prevent incorrect installation, ensuring secure closure and leakage prevention while actually simplifying the installation process through built-in alignment guidance.
Solution Approach 2:
The closure member includes pre-positioned sealing elements and the plug member includes pre-formed engagement features. These preliminary configurations ensure that when the components are assembled, the secure closure and leakage prevention are achieved automatically without requiring complex installation procedures.
3Reliability
If keying features are added to prevent incorrect installation, then ink type alignment is ensured, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The keying features serve multiple functions simultaneously: they provide mechanical guidance for correct alignment, prevent incorrect installation, and ensure proper ink type matching. By integrating these multiple functions into a single feature set, the overall device complexity is minimized while maintaining high reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The keying features are merged with the engagement features of the plug member and receptacle. This combination ensures that the same structural elements that provide mechanical connection also provide alignment guidance and ink type verification, reducing the need for separate complexity-inducing components.
Data Source
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AI summary
In one embodiment a closure for a collapsible ink supply container (60) having a spout (72) affixed thereto includes: a plug (70) having an outside surface (80) conforming generally to an inside surface (86) of the spout (72), the plug (70) configured to plug the spout (72) in a partially inserted position from which the plug (70) may be easily removed from the spout (72) and to plug the spout (72) in a fully inserted position from which the plug (70) may not be easily removed from the spout (72); a conduit (106) extending lengthwise through the plug (70), the conduit (106) having an inlet (108) through which ink in the container (60) may flow into the conduit (106) when the plug (70) is inserted in the spout (72) and an outlet (114) from which ink may flow out of the conduit (106); protrusions (116) around the inlet (108) configured to prevent the container (60) from collapsing on to and closing the inlet (108); and a septum (112) sealing the outlet (114).