Aside from making a huge mess, it took a surprisingly long time to reverse engineer this cartridge due to the clever way it forms ink and air channels that cross from side to side.

I'll guess that the main reason for the complexity is that it needs to withstand a wide range of temperature variations and random orientations during shipping and storage.
The air release valve had done its job well, as there was ink on one side, but none on the air intake side.

It has been suggested that the biggest challenge these cartridges have to face is the significant variations in barometric pressure in different locations, and when being shipped by air in an unpressurised cargo hold. That could explain the large air void and pressure valve system.

The sump tube may also be used for the filling process, as a tube with rubber seal could inject ink into that port if the outlet port was also actuated to provide a way out for the displaced air.
I'd guess that the cartridge would be upside down for the filling process. That port has a plastic seal applied across it after manufacture.


If you enjoy these videos you can help support the channel with a dollar for coffee, cookies and random gadgets for disassembly at: https://www.bigclive.com/coffee.htm
This also keeps the channel independent of YouTube's algorithm quirks, allowing it to be a bit more dangerous and naughty.


#ElectronicsCreators