Printing Fluid Container Scalability Footprint
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Solution Overview
Problem
Higher volume commercial and industrial inkjet printers face challenges in scalability and cost reduction due to the limitations of collapsible ink supply bags, which are not easily adaptable to varying ink volumes while maintaining a consistent footprint in constrained printer designs.
Innovation Solution
A container design featuring a rigid hollow core with a collapsible bag, where one end is plugged and the other capped, using inexpensive molded plastic plugs and fiberboard cores, allowing for scalable capacity adjustments without altering the plug or cap, thus maintaining a constant footprint and enabling versatile integration into printer designs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If collapsible ink supply bags are used in higher volume commercial and industrial inkjet printers, then the printers can operate with flexible ink storage, but the scalability and cost reduction are limited due to inability to easily adapt to varying ink volumes while maintaining consistent footprint
Solution Approach 1:
The container is divided into three main segments: a rigid hollow core structure, a collapsible bag contained within the core, and a plug at one end. This segmentation allows the rigid core to maintain the external footprint while the collapsible bag adapts to varying ink volumes, resolving the contradiction between scalability and footprint consistency.
Solution Approach 2:
The collapsible bag is nested within the rigid hollow core, allowing the bag to collapse as ink is consumed while the rigid core maintains a constant external shape and footprint. This nested structure enables volume adaptation without changing the overall container dimensions.
2Ease of manufacture
If traditional ink supply bags are used, then installation is simple, but cost reduction and scalability are hindered
Solution Approach 1:
The plug is designed as an inexpensive molded plastic component that is disposable or single-use. This allows for cost-effective manufacturing and easy replacement, enabling scalability across different ink volume requirements without investing in expensive reusable components.
Solution Approach 2:
The container combines different materials: a rigid hollow core (likely plastic or composite), a collapsible bag (flexible material), and a molded plastic plug. This composite structure leverages the advantages of each material to achieve both cost reduction and adaptability to varying volumes.
3Quantity of substance
If container capacity is increased, then more ink can be stored, but the footprint may increase which is problematic in space-constrained printer designs
Solution Approach 1:
The collapsible bag within the rigid core provides dynamic volume adjustment. As ink is consumed, the bag collapses to maintain the same external footprint. This dynamic adaptation allows varying ink capacities without increasing the stationary footprint at the printer interface.
Solution Approach 2:
The internal volume parameter of the container can be changed by selecting different bag sizes or core lengths, while the external footprint parameters remain constant. This parameter separation enables capacity scaling without footprint increase.
Data Source
AI summary
In one example, a container includes a rigid hollow core, a bag in the core to hold a printing fluid, and a plug plugging one end of the core. The plug includes a flange covering the edge of the end of the core, a part protruding from the flange into and plugging the end of the core, and a port operatively connected to an outlet from the bag such that printing fluid can flow out of the bag and through the port.