Ink interconnect between print cartridge and carriage

A method of providing ink to a print cartridge mounted in a carriage, said print cartridge having a first side of a housing having electrical contact pads for coupling said print cartridge to controller electronics on said carriage, said method comprising:

• supplying ink from an ink source to a conduit connected to an ink outlet on said carriage;
• inserting said print cartridge into said carriage to engage a fluid interconnect on said print cartridge to said ink outlet on said carriage, said fluid interconnect being on a second side on said housing, opposite said first side, such that ink flows through said ink outlet and into said fluid interconnect along a flow path separated from said electrical contact pads by said housing;
• and
• allowing ink to flow from said fluid interconnect and into an internal chamber in said print cartridge.

An ink delivery system for an inkjet printing system, in which a print cartridge having a printhead is removably mounted on a carriage that scans across a print zone to eject droplets of ink onto media in response to electric signals received on electrical contact pads, said carriage having a first interconnect member for receiving ink from a fixed supply station, said first interconnect member for making a releasable airtight fluid connection to a second interconnect member on a print cartridge that contains said printhead, said system comprising:

• an off-carriage ink supply containing a reservoir, said ink supply being adapted to be removably mounted to said supply station;
• a discharge port in fluid communication with said reservoir;
• ink contained in said reservoir which passes out of said discharge port, through a conduit and said first interconnect member and into said second interconnect member;
• and
• said print cartridge having said electrical contact pads and said second interconnect member on opposing sides of said print cartridge to maximize a distance between said electrical contact pads and the flow of ink through said first interconnect member and into said second interconnect member.