Printer Ink Circulation Control to Prevent Tank Overflow

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing liquid supply systems for printers face the risk of ink overflow due to uneven ink distribution and circulation, leading to potential overfilling of tanks.

Innovation Solution

A liquid supply system with a tube and delivery mechanism that performs supply and return operations based on a circulation setting, adjusting the circulation setting from a first to a second setting based on consumption data to control ink increase, thereby reducing the unit increase amount and preventing overflow.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Stability of the object's composition

If the circulation operation is repeatedly performed to uniform the ink distribution, then the uniformity of ink state is improved, but the remaining amount of ink in the tanks increases leading to overflow

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveuniformity of ink stateVSAvoidremaining amount of ink

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The circulation setting is made dynamic by switching between first setting (for uniforming ink distribution) and second setting (for preventing overflow). The system adapts the circulation parameters based on the current state of ink consumption and tank levels, rather than maintaining a fixed circulation regime.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The circulation parameters (such as circulation amount, frequency, or duration) are changed between two distinct settings. The first setting uses parameters that promote thorough mixing and uniform distribution, while the second setting uses parameters that limit the net ink accumulation in tanks, thus preventing overflow while still maintaining circulation benefits.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Quantity of substance

If the circulation setting is changed from first setting to second setting based on consumption data, then the ink overflow is suppressed, but the circulation control complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveink overflow suppressionVSAvoidcirculation control complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements feedback control by monitoring ink consumption data and using this information to automatically switch between circulation settings. The circulation setting change is triggered by predetermined conditions related to ink consumption patterns, creating a closed-loop control system that responds to actual system state.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary analysis of ink consumption data to determine when to switch circulation settings, before overflow actually occurs. By predicting potential overflow conditions based on consumption patterns, the system can proactively adjust circulation parameters to prevent the harmful effect.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS12552175B2Liquid supply system, control method, non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer-readable instructions, and liquid supply device

Publication Date: 2026.02.17 BROTHER KOGYO KK

AI summary

A processor of a liquid supply system performs circulation processing based on a circulation setting relating to a unit increase amount that is an amount by which a remaining amount of a liquid in a server or printer tank increases as a result of second circulation processing, per unit time from an end of first circulation processing to an end of the second circulation processing. The processor changes the circulation setting from a first setting to a second setting based on information relating to consumption of the liquid inside the server or printer tank in a predetermined time period. A specific tank is a tank in which the remaining amount increases when the circulation processing is performed based on the first setting. The unit increase amount of the specific tank in the second setting is less than the unit increase amount of the specific tank in the first setting.