Waste Liquid Container Terminal Positioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
In liquid ejecting apparatuses, waste liquid often adheres to the periphery of the waste liquid introduction portion in the waste liquid container and drops onto the container-side connection terminal, causing improper electrical connections and contamination.
Innovation Solution
A waste liquid container design with a first container portion for waste liquid introduction and a second container portion below, where the container-side connection terminal is positioned to avoid overlap with the first container portion, ensuring the connection terminal is not directly below the discharge portion, thus minimizing the risk of waste liquid reaching it.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the container-side connection terminal is disposed on the side face of the waste liquid container at a position lower than the waste liquid introduction portion, then the electrical connection can be established, but waste liquid may drop onto the connection terminal causing contamination
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from a two-dimensional vertical arrangement (introduction portion above, connection terminal below) to a three-dimensional spatial arrangement where the connection terminal is positioned laterally offset from the waste liquid flow path. Specifically, the connection terminal is disposed on the side face of the container body at a position that does not overlap with the projection of the introduction portion in the vertical direction, creating a spatial separation that prevents waste liquid contamination while maintaining electrical connection functionality.
2Ease of operation
If the waste liquid introduction portion is located in the upper portion of the container, then waste liquid can be introduced from the discharge portion, but adhered waste liquid may drop downward onto lower components
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the connection terminal from the vertical path beneath the introduction portion and relocates it to a separate spatial zone on the side face of the container. This extraction removes the vulnerability of the connection terminal to waste liquid dripping while preserving the upper positioning of the introduction portion for effective waste liquid reception from the discharge portion.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the second container portion is formed larger than the first container portion in plan view, then the connection terminal can be positioned outside the waste liquid path, but the container structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the container into two distinct portions: a first container portion for receiving waste liquid with the introduction portion, and a second container portion with larger planar dimensions that accommodates the connection terminal on its side face. This segmentation allows each portion to be optimized for its specific function while maintaining a relatively simple overall container structure through the use of a single continuous container body.
Data Source
AI summary
A waste liquid container configured to be attachably and detachably mounted in a mounting portion including an apparatus-side connection terminal includes a first container portion including a waste liquid introduction portion, the waste liquid introduction portion being configured to enable the waste liquid discharged from the discharge portion to be introduced; a second container portion disposed below the first container portion in a vertical direction and communicating with the first container portion in the state in which the waste liquid container is mounted in the mounting portion; and a container-side connection terminal electrically connected to the apparatus-side connection terminal. Further, in a plan view from above, the second container portion is formed so as to be larger than the first container portion, and in the second container portion, the container-side connection terminal is disposed at a position not overlapping with the first container portion in the vertical direction.