Storage Device Wall Thickness Variation for Ink Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing storage devices for liquids, such as ink tanks in printers, face challenges in accurately detecting the storage amount of liquids due to limitations in detection accuracy, which can lead to inefficient ink usage and potential printer malfunctions.
Innovation Solution
A storage device with a configuration of multiple walls, including a first electrode on a thinner portion of a wall and a second electrode on a thicker portion, where the detection circuit uses electric signals from the second electrode to accurately determine the liquid storage amount, enhancing detection precision.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a uniform wall thickness is used in the storage device, then the manufacturing process is simple, but the detection accuracy of liquid storage amount is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by making the first portion of the first wall thinner than other portions. This localized thickness variation specifically at the electrode region enhances the detection accuracy of liquid storage amount without requiring the entire structure to be complex. The thinner first portion allows better electric field penetration or sensing capability at the critical detection zone while maintaining uniform thickness elsewhere for manufacturing simplicity.
2Measurement precision
If the wall structure is made more complex to improve detection accuracy, then the detection precision improves, but the manufacturing difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention implements local quality by varying the wall thickness only at the specific region where the first electrode is provided, while keeping other portions of the wall with uniform thickness. This localized modification improves detection precision at the critical sensing area without significantly complicating the overall manufacturing process, as the majority of the structure remains simple and uniform.
Solution Approach 2:
The wall structure is segmented into different thickness regions: a thinner first portion at the electrode location and thicker second portions elsewhere. This segmentation allows the detection-critical area to have optimized properties for precision while the rest of the structure maintains manufacturing simplicity, effectively separating the functional requirements of different zones.
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
This configuration improves the detection accuracy of the liquid storage amount, preventing ink depletion issues and ensuring consistent printer operation by accurately monitoring the remaining ink levels.
Implementation Method 1
The remaining amount detection sensor detects the remaining amount of the contents of the container based on a capacitance measured by the detection electrode with a potential of the guard electrode as a reference potential
Data Source
AI summary
A storage device includes a storage section including a plurality of walls and storing an object in a space surrounded by the plurality of walls, a first electrode provided in a first portion of a first wall among the plurality of walls, and a second electrode provided in a second wall among the plurality of walls. The first portion is thinner than a second portion which is at least a part of the plurality of walls other than the first portion.