Inkjet Printer Tank Covers for Accessible Refill and Compact Footprint
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional inkjet printers face issues with usability due to difficulty in accessing the ink injection port, visual confirmation of ink levels, and uneven appearance, which affects transportation and maintenance.
Innovation Solution
A liquid jet apparatus design with independently openable/closable covers for the liquid containers, light-transmissive regions for visual confirmation of ink levels, and a compact housing that collectively covers the jet head and container, reducing unevenness and improving handling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Shape
If the tank is stored inside the housing of the inkjet printer, then the appearance is compact and neat, but it is difficult to access the ink injection port and visually confirm the amount of ink stored
Solution Approach 1:
The housing is segmented into a fixed portion and a movable cover portion. The cover can be opened to expose the ink injection port, allowing users to access and refill ink while maintaining a compact appearance when closed. This segmentation resolves the contradiction by providing both compactness during operation and accessibility during maintenance.
2Quantity of substance
If the tank unit is expanded in the width direction to increase ink storage capacity, then more ink can be stored, but the unevenness in appearance increases and the printer is more likely to collide with the surrounding environment during transportation
Solution Approach 1:
The tank is nested within the housing structure, with the housing providing a protective outer shell. This nesting arrangement allows the tank to have sufficient capacity while being contained within a compact overall footprint, reducing the risk of collision during transportation while maintaining adequate ink storage.
3Ease of operation
If the cover of the tank unit is made rotatable to improve accessibility, then the ink injection port becomes easier to access, but the cover may collide with the printer body and block the injection portion
Solution Approach 1:
The cover is designed with predetermined stop positions and guidance features that prevent over-rotation. The structure includes built-in limits that stop the cover before it can collide with the printer body, ensuring the ink injection port remains accessible without risk of blocking during the opening operation.
Data Source
AI summary
In conventional liquid jet apparatuses, improvement in usability is desired. A liquid jet apparatus including a liquid jet head, a liquid container that can store liquid, a housing that covers the liquid jet head and the liquid container, and an operation unit can be operated by a user, a liquid injection port that enables liquid to be injected is formed in the liquid container, when the operation unit is viewed from the front, the first liquid container is arranged between the operation unit and one side wall of the housing, and the second liquid container is arranged between the other side wall opposite to the one side wall of the housing and the operation unit, the housing includes a first cover that covers at least a portion of the first liquid container, and a second cover that covers at least a portion of the second liquid container, and the first cover and the second cover are independently configured to be openable/closable relative to the housing.