Printer Ink Tank Integrated with Paper Cassette
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing recording apparatuses face challenges in efficiently managing the installation area for liquid accommodation portions, leading to increased space requirements and cumbersome operations for refilling ink tanks, especially when they are positioned away from the printer's front surface.
Innovation Solution
Integrating a liquid accommodation portion within a supply cassette that is insertable and extractable from the apparatus main body, allowing for easy access and refilling without moving the printer, and using a partitioning member to optimize the accommodation and installation areas without overlap, thus reducing the overall installation area and enhancing accessibility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the ink tank is installed on the lateral side or rear side of the printer main body, then the printer can operate normally, but the installation area increases and access for refilling becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the ink tank with the paper sheet supply cassette, creating an integrated assembly where both components share the same space. This merging allows the ink tank to be positioned within the cassette structure, utilizing vertical space rather than requiring additional lateral or rear installation area.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a two-dimensional lateral arrangement to a three-dimensional vertical arrangement by positioning the ink tank above the paper sheet supply area within the cassette. This dimensional change enables easy front-side access for refilling while maintaining compact overall dimensions.
2Ease of operation
If the ink tank is positioned at the front surface side for easy access, then refilling becomes easier, but the printer main body must be moved and the operation becomes cumbersome
Solution Approach 1:
By integrating the ink tank into the paper sheet supply cassette, the patent creates a unified component that is already designed for easy front-side insertion and extraction. This eliminates the need for separate handling of the ink tank and printer repositioning operations.
3Device complexity
If the ink tank is installed on the lateral side, then the printer structure is simple, but the installation area in the lateral direction increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent resolves the lateral area issue by moving the ink tank from a lateral position to a vertical position within the cassette. The ink tank is arranged in the up-down direction above the paper sheet supply area, transforming the space requirement from lateral to vertical dimensions while maintaining structural simplicity.
4Quantity of substance
If the ink tank has large accommodation capacity, then continuous printing is supported, but the installation area and access difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent accommodates large ink capacity by utilizing the vertical dimension within the cassette structure. The ink tank is positioned in the up-down direction, allowing substantial ink storage without increasing the lateral footprint of the printer.
Solution Approach 2:
The ink tank is nested within the paper sheet supply cassette structure, with the two components arranged in overlapping vertical spaces. This nesting arrangement allows the ink tank to occupy the upper portion while the paper sheets are stored in the lower portion, maximizing space utilization.
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided a recording apparatus including: a printer main body which has a liquid ejecting head that ejects ink to a paper sheet and performs recording; a supply cassette which is insertable into and extractable from the printer main body and can accommodate the paper sheet; and a liquid accommodation portion which can accommodate the ink that is supplied to the liquid ejecting head. The liquid accommodation portion is installed in the supply cassette.