Waste Liquid Container Terminal Positioning for Leak Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Waste liquid containers often leak, causing contamination within and outside the printer, as existing solutions fail to detect leaks promptly and accurately.
Innovation Solution
A waste liquid container design with a container-side terminal portion positioned lower than the connection opening, inclined to facilitate early detection of leaks by adhering to the terminal portion, and incorporating an optical sensor with a reflecting portion to determine mounting state and liquid presence.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the waste liquid container is mounted on the mounting portion, then the waste liquid can be contained, but if the waste liquid leaks from the connection opening, it contaminates the printer
Solution Approach 1:
The container-side terminal portion is preliminarily positioned at a lower location than the connection opening in an inclined posture. This preliminary positioning ensures that if waste liquid leaks, it will naturally flow down and adhere to the terminal portion before spreading to other areas, enabling early detection through electrical connection changes
Solution Approach 2:
The leaked waste liquid, which would normally cause contamination harm, is converted into a beneficial detection mechanism. The waste liquid adhering to the container-side terminal portion changes the electrical connection, transforming the harmful leak into a detectable signal that alerts the system before significant contamination occurs
2Reliability
If the container-side terminal portion is positioned at the same level as the connection opening, then the structure is simpler, but waste liquid cannot be detected early
Solution Approach 1:
The container-side terminal portion is positioned asymmetrically relative to the connection opening, specifically at a lower location. This asymmetric positioning creates a gravitational gradient that causes waste liquid to naturally flow toward the terminal portion, enabling early leak detection without requiring additional complex detection mechanisms
3Reliability
If the container-side terminal portion is disposed lower than the connection opening, then waste liquid can adhere to it for detection, but the connection accuracy may be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting structure incorporates a locking portion that dynamically adjusts to accommodate the inclined positioning of the container-side terminal portion. This dynamic locking mechanism ensures accurate electrical connection between the container-side and apparatus-side terminal portions while maintaining the beneficial lower position of the container-side terminal for leak detection
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
Enables early detection of leaks, improves connection accuracy, and ensures timely intervention to prevent contamination, enhancing the reliability of waste liquid containment.
Implementation Method 1
the waste liquid container may further include a reflecting portion, which is capable of reflecting light emitted from the light emitting portion to the light receiving portion
Implementation Method 2
when the waste liquid container is mounted on the mounting portion, the container-side terminal portion is positioned lower than the connection opening, and if the waste liquid flows down by being leaked from the connection opening, the waste liquid adheres to the container-side terminal portion
Data Source
AI summary
A waste liquid container is mounted on a mounting portion including a discharging portion discharging waste liquid and an apparatus-side terminal portion in accordance with movement in a mounting direction. The waste liquid container includes a waste liquid containing chamber which is capable of containing the waste liquid, a connection opening which is opened in the mounting direction in a shape of being connectable to the discharging portion, and a container-side terminal portion which is electrically connected to the apparatus-side terminal portion at the time of being mounted on the mounting portion. In a state of being mounted on the mounting portion, the container-side terminal portion is disposed lower than the connection opening in a posture of being inclined with respect to the mounting direction.