Printer Tank Cover Triggered by Body Cover for Ink Refilling

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing inkjet printers face difficulties in refilling ink due to the image reading portion extending over the refilling port, making it hard to inject ink into the tank.

Innovation Solution

The design includes a printer with a tank cover that changes from a closed to an open state triggered by the body cover, ensuring the ink inlet port is outside the body cover's region, allowing easy access and avoiding blockage, with a cap member for independent opening and closing to prevent unintentional opening during maintenance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Volume of moving object

If the image reading portion is positioned to cover the tank area, then the printer structure is compact and integrated, but the ink inlet port becomes blocked and inaccessible for refilling

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprinter structure compactnessVSAvoidink refilling accessibility

Core Design Contradiction:

Volume of moving objectVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The cover structure is segmented into two independent parts: the body cover that opens for maintenance access and the tank cover that opens for ink refilling. This segmentation allows each cover to serve its specific function independently, resolving the conflict between compact structure and refilling accessibility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The tank cover acts as an intermediary element between the body cover and the ink inlet port. It provides a dedicated access path to the ink inlet port that is independent of the body cover position, enabling refilling even when the body cover remains closed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of operation

If the tank cover is always open to allow easy refilling, then ink injection is convenient, but contaminants can intrude and ink can leak during maintenance operations

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveink refilling convenienceVSAvoidink inlet port protection

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The cap member is pre-positioned on the ink inlet port to provide protection before refilling begins. This preliminary protective action prevents contaminants from intruding and ink from leaking during maintenance operations, while still allowing easy removal when refilling is needed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The cap member is designed to be dynamically removable and reattachable, allowing the system to switch between protected and open states as needed. This dynamic capability enables easy refilling when the cap is removed while maintaining protection during maintenance when the cap is attached.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS10300703B2Printer with a printing head for ejecting ink

Publication Date: 2019.05.28 SEIKO EPSON CORP

AI summary

Provided is a printer wherein ink can be easily injected and filled into a tank. A printer including: a printing head; a housing; a body cover shiftable between a closed state of closing an opening of the housing and an open state of exposing the opening; a tank including an ink container and an ink inlet port receiving the ink injection into the ink container; and a tank cover shiftable between a closed state of closing the ink inlet port and an open state of exposing the ink inlet port. The body cover in the closed state covers a portion of the tank cover, and the ink inlet port is located outside a region of the body cover. The tank cover changes from the closed state to the open state, triggered by the body cover changing from the closed state to the open state.