Printer Waste Pack Sealing Mechanism for Leakage Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ink-jet printers face challenges in preventing waste liquid leakage during detachment of the waste pack, due to complex mechanisms and exposure risks, which hinder size reduction and user safety.
Innovation Solution
A simple configuration using a waste pack with a sealing member and urging member to seal the discharge port when detached, ensuring an airtight seal and preventing leakage, while allowing efficient evaporation to extend the waste pack's usage period.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a large-scale mechanism including driving source and gear train is used to drive automatic shutter, then the shutter can prevent liquid leakage, but the printer size cannot be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the complex driving mechanism (driving source and gear train) from the system and replaces it with a simple elastic member (spring) that provides the necessary shutter movement through elastic deformation only, eliminating the need for motors and gear trains while maintaining leakage prevention functionality
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical driving system (motors and gear trains) with an elastic mechanical element (spring) that uses elastic deformation to achieve shutter movement, substituting complex mechanical transmission with simple elastic energy storage and release
2Ease of operation
If shutter is exposed from head of container by large amount, then shutter can be operated easily, but user can touch shutter by mistake when detaching container
Solution Approach 1:
The patent nests the shutter within the container structure, where the shutter is positioned inside or integrated with the container head rather than protruding outward, allowing the shutter to be operated through the container opening while preventing external contact when the container is detached
3Reliability
If complex mechanism is used for automatic shutter, then leakage prevention is reliable, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the complex driving mechanism (motors, gear trains, and control systems) from the shutter assembly, retaining only the essential elastic member (spring) and shutter components needed for leakage prevention, thereby dramatically simplifying the overall device structure
Solution Approach 2:
The elastic member (spring) serves itself by automatically returning to its original state after deformation, providing continuous shutter control without external power sources or control systems, making the system self-regulating and eliminating the need for complex driving mechanisms
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
The solution effectively prevents waste liquid leakage and extends the waste pack's usage period by maintaining an airtight seal and promoting evaporation, reducing the need for frequent replacements and ensuring user safety during handling.
Implementation Method 1
an urging member (spring) configured to urge the sealing member in a direction in which the port is closed
Implementation Method 2
an urging member (spring) configured to urge the sealing member in a direction in which the port is closed
Implementation Method 3
efficient evaporation to extend the waste pack's usage period
Data Source
AI summary
A waste pack for a printer includes a port, a sealing member configured to seal the port, and an urging member. When the waste pack is attached to the printer, a discharge port of the printer pushes the sealing member and enters the waste pack through the port. When the waste pack is detached, the sealing member urged by the urging member closes the port.