Printer Holding Portion Liquid Drainage Path

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Solution Overview

Problem

Liquid ejection apparatuses face issues with liquid spilling onto the holding portion's wall surface, leading to potential entry into the apparatus through openings, which can cause adhesion and operational problems.

Innovation Solution

The apparatus includes a holding portion with a wall surface featuring an opening that guides liquid to a receiving device, such as a vessel, via a path, ensuring that any spilled liquid is directed and collected, reducing adhesion to other components and maintaining the printer's operational integrity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If an opening is formed in the holding portion's wall surface, then liquid can be drained from the holding portion, but liquid may enter the apparatus through the opening and cause adhesion problems

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveliquid drainage capabilityVSAvoidliquid adhesion to components

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

A receiving device is introduced as an intermediary component between the holding portion and the apparatus interior. This receiving device captures liquid draining from the holding portion through the opening, preventing it from entering and adhering to internal components. The intermediary structure solves the contradiction by providing a controlled transition path for liquid flow.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The opening that could potentially allow harmful liquid entry is converted into a beneficial drainage feature. By positioning the opening to drain onto the receiving device rather than into the apparatus interior, the potential harm of liquid flow is transformed into a useful liquid collection and removal function.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If the holding portion has a closed wall surface, then liquid cannot enter the apparatus, but spilled liquid adheres to the wall surface and causes operational problems

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveliquid adhesion preventionVSAvoidholding portion structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The holding portion structure is segmented by introducing an opening in the wall surface. This segmentation allows the wall to transition from a completely closed structure to one with a controlled opening, enabling liquid to pass through to the receiving device below rather than adhering to the wall surface.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The solution moves the liquid management function from a two-dimensional wall surface to a three-dimensional space by creating an opening that leads to a receiving device in the vertical dimension below the holding portion. This dimensional transition allows liquid to drain away rather than spread on the wall surface.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Loss of substance

If liquid is allowed to drain through the opening, then the receiving device can collect it, but the path for liquid flow increases the device complexity

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveliquid collection efficiencyVSAvoidliquid path structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of substanceVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The receiving device is merged with the existing apparatus structure, positioned to directly receive liquid from the holding portion opening. This merging approach collects liquid efficiently without requiring a separate, complex liquid transport system, thus minimizing additional device complexity while maximizing liquid collection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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

This configuration effectively prevents liquid from adhering to non-designated areas, ensuring efficient operation by directing spills into absorbers, thus minimizing malfunctions and maintaining the printer's functionality.

Implementation Method 1

The substantially vertical alignment may be substantially parallel to a direction of gravity

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectGravity: Gravitation

Data Source

PatentUS8992002B2Liquid ejection apparatus having liquid-receiving devices therein

Publication Date: 2015.03.31 BROTHER KOGYO KK

AI summary

A liquid ejection apparatus includes a head, a receiving device, a holding portion, and a path. The head includes ejection ports that eject a recording liquid onto a recording medium. The receiving device is disposed below the head along a substantially vertical direction and receives recording liquid ejected from the ejection ports. The holding portion is disposed above the receiving device along the substantially vertical direction and holds a recording medium on which the head ejected recording liquid from the ejection ports. The holding portion includes a wall surface. The wall surface includes an opening formed therein. The path guides liquid on the wall surface of the holding portion from the opening in the wall surface of the holding portion to the receiving device. The substantially vertical direction is substantially opposite to a direction of gravity.