Repair Chip for Damaged Ink Cartridge Resistor

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Solution Overview

Problem

The low utilization rate of recycled ink cartridges due to damaged resistors in the chip, which renders them unusable after initial damage, leading to high scrap rates and increased costs.

Innovation Solution

A repair chip with a substrate, contact points, tin points, and a repair resistor is integrated into the ink cartridge, allowing for electrical connection and repair of damaged resistors, enabling the reuse of recycled ink cartridges.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If a recycled ink cartridge is used, then cost is reduced, but the chip resistor damage prevents reuse

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovecostVSAvoidchip functionality
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a repair chip as an intermediary component between the printer and the damaged chip on the ink cartridge. This repair chip contains a healthy resistor that electrically connects to the damaged chip's contact points, mediating the electrical connection and allowing the recycled ink cartridge to function properly without replacing the entire cartridge.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments the chip repair function into a separate,独立的 repair chip component. Instead of repairing the damaged resistor in place, the solution divides the system into the original damaged chip, the repair chip with functional resistor, and the connection interface, allowing the damaged component to be bypassed while maintaining overall functionality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Manufacturing precision

If an integrated ink cartridge with nozzle is used, then printing quality is improved, but the cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprinting qualityVSAvoidcost
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent enables the recovery and reuse of ink cartridges that would otherwise be discarded due to chip damage. By providing a repair chip solution, the system recovers the value of the ink cartridge body and nozzle assembly, allowing them to be refilled and reused multiple times, thereby reducing the need for frequent purchases of new integrated cartridges.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #34Discarding and recovering

3Reliability

If a used ink cartridge is scrapped, then chip damage is avoided, but the utilization rate decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvechip integrityVSAvoidutilization rate
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The repair chip serves as a mediator that restores functionality to the damaged chip without requiring the entire ink cartridge to be discarded. It bridges the gap between the damaged original chip and the printer's reading mechanism, enabling the recycled cartridge to be utilized again while maintaining chip integrity through the repair interface.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP3907083B1Repair chip, ink cartridge, and printer
Publication Date: 2024.12.04 HANGZHOU CHIPJET TECH CO LTD
  • EP3907083B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3907083B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP3907083B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

A repair chip (100), an ink cartridge, and a printer are provided. In the repair chip (100), a first surface (12) of a substrate (10) is provided with a first contact point (14) and a second contact point (16). A repair resistor (28), a first tin point (24), and a second tin point (26) are provided on a second surface (22) of the substrate (10). Each of the first tin point (24) and the second tin point (26) is connected to both ends of the repair resistor (28). Each of the first contact point (14) and the second contact point (16) is electrically connected to the printer. The first contact point (14) is connected to the first tin point (24), and the second contact point (16) is connected to the second tin point (26); each of the first tin point (24) and the second tin point (26) is connected to the chip contact points of an ink cartridge chip (120).