IC Identification Help - "Name the Mystery Component" Game ;)

[davidDac]

Hi all, I'm wondering if anyone can help me identify this mystery component?

I attached a picture of the component, sorry it's blurry but my iphone isn't being very cooperative. The dimensions measure:

9x5x3 mm, with a bevel shown by how the light reflects off of it.

The red plastic looks like a sheath on top of something, and there is what appears to be an epoxy between the legs.

Outer two legs measure .5 ohms resistance between them.

The middle leg does not measure continuity to either outer leg, but does measure capacitance of .35nF against either outer leg.

Diode measurement of the legs registers a value only between the outer legs, and it is 0.00V in either orientation/direction.

It was put in an Epson ink cartridge detection spoofing circuit by a Chinese manufacturer. The integrated components of the ink cartridge which couple to 9 contacts in the printer when installed include;
1) a little circuit with a blob of black epoxy for hiding the component and that appear to use 7 of the 9 contacts (no picture attached for this one)
2) what appears to be some sort of ink sensor (see photo), using 2 of the remaining contacts/leads, integrated physically into a little ink reservoir, about 1 inch away from the cartridge "chip" itself. The two contacts meet at what appears to be a tiny gap, held in place by a thin membrane or film no larger than .5mm.

The mystery red component is integrated again into the Chinese spoofing system, soldered in place where the 2 leads from the ink sensor mates to the printer. But, the Chinese ink sensor has 3 connections, not 2 like the actual ink sensor it is spoofing.

I'm trying to identify this because the Chinese ink spoofing system won't work on my printer at the level of this ink sensor. The only difference I can find between readings I can make from the 2 leads of the actual ink sensor and the Chinese mystery component to spoof it is one of capacitance. The actual ink sensor measures .25nF, where as the Chinese one measures .35nF.

I've found information about capacitive fluid sensors online, so I know they exist. I can't reason why the Chinese component would require 3 legs, or why if my theory was right, that it is a capacative ink sensor, why they would have put a 3 leg component in place of what could be achieved with a 2 leg capacitor.

My lack of understanding of these issues is clearly not great, so I was hoping some folks out there might have an idea, or suggestions on what else to measure to try to identify what those Chinese folks were trying to do, and then I might be able to adjust the specs possibly to make it work in my situation.

Thanks All ! David

[bjcuizon]

I'm not too sure what that is but you can also try posting it here on the What's This Please Thread: https://www.eevblog.com/forum/chat/what's-this-please-(component-advice)/

[davidDac]

Oh, that's great, thank you so much!