Waste Ink Absorber Density Gradient for Permeability Retention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing waste ink absorbers in liquid ejecting devices face a trade-off between permeability and retention performance, where high permeability leads to poor retention and vice versa due to uniform density materials.
Innovation Solution
A waste ink absorber with distinct high and low density portions along its surface area, allowing for efficient impregnation and retention of waste ink, comprising a mixture of cellulose fibers, thermoplastic resin, and flame retardant, with the high density portion retaining ink and the low density portion facilitating easy impregnation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If the waste liquid absorbing material has high permeability to allow easy impregnation of waste liquid, then the absorption speed is improved, but the retention performance for retaining absorbed waste liquid deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The waste liquid absorbing material is designed with spatially varying density: a first region with lower density (0.05-0.15 g/cm³) for high permeability and fast absorption, and a second region with higher density (0.15-0.30 g/cm³) for strong retention. This local differentiation allows each region to optimize its function - the low density region facilitates rapid waste liquid impregnation while the high density region ensures reliable retention, resolving the contradiction between absorption speed and retention performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The absorbing material is segmented into distinct functional regions with different density characteristics. The first region (lower density) and second region (higher density) are spatially separated and serve different purposes in the absorption-retention process. This segmentation allows the system to simultaneously achieve fast absorption in one region and secure retention in another, eliminating the need to compromise between these opposing requirements.
2Reliability
If the waste liquid absorbing material has high retention performance to prevent leakage, then the reliability is improved, but the permeability for absorbing waste liquid deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
Different regions of the absorbing material have different density properties optimized for their specific functions. The first region with lower density (0.05-0.15 g/cm³) provides high permeability for effective waste liquid absorption, while the second region with higher density (0.15-0.30 g/cm³) provides strong retention performance. This local quality differentiation ensures that high retention does not compromise permeability, as each property is optimized in its appropriate region.
3Manufacturing precision
If the density of the waste liquid absorbing material is made uniform to simplify manufacturing, then the manufacturing precision is improved, but both permeability and retention performance deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
Rather than maintaining uniform density throughout, the invention intentionally creates local density variations with a first region (0.05-0.15 g/cm³) and a second region (0.15-0.30 g/cm³). This approach prioritizes overall performance over manufacturing simplicity, as the density gradient enables both high permeability in the first region and strong retention in the second region, achieving superior functional performance that uniform density cannot provide.
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 provides a waste ink absorber with enhanced permeability and retention performance, preventing ink leakage even when the waste ink tank is positioned obliquely, and ensures reliable ink absorption in liquid droplet ejecting devices.
Implementation Method 1
In the first density portion lower in density than the second density portion, the waste ink can be easily impregnated
Implementation Method 2
In the second density portion higher in density than the first density portion, the waste ink impregnated can be retained
Data Source
AI summary
To provide a waste ink absorber excellent in permeability and retaining performance, a waste ink absorber to be mounted in a waste ink tank to absorb waste ink discharged from a head for ejecting ink, includes, in a state of a single piece of the waste ink absorber not mounted in the waste ink tank, a portion low in density and a portion higher in density as compared with the portion low in density in a direction along a plane surface having a largest surface area.