Printer ink cartridge and method of assembling same

A printer ink cartridge, comprising:

• a. a shell defining a cavity therein for storing ink and an inlet port allowing access to the cavity;
• b. a seal disposed in the port for sealing the port, said seal capable of being pierced therethrough by a needle;
• and
• c. a movable barrier interposed between the cavity and said seal and covering the port for isolating the cavity from said seal, whereby the needle pushes said barrier after the needle pierces said seal, whereby said barrier moves as the needle pushes said barrier and whereby said barrier uncovers the port as said barrier moves.

A printer ink cartridge, comprising:

• a. a shell formed by a wall defining a cavity in the shell for storing ink and defining an inlet port through the wall for allowing access to the cavity;
• b. a septum matingly disposed in the port for sealing the port, said septum having a first surface and a second surface and a slit therethrough extending from the first surface to the second surface for sealably receiving an ink supply needle;
• and
• c. a movable barrier interposed between the cavity and the port and covering the port for isolating the ink in the cavity from said septum in order to avoid chemical interaction between the ink and said septum, whereby the needle pushes said barrier after the needle is received through the slit, whereby said barrier moves as the needle pushes said barrier and whereby said barrier uncovers the port as said barrier moves.

A method of assembling a printer ink cartridge, comprising the steps of:

• a. providing a shell defining a cavity and a port;
• b. spanning the port with a seal;
• and
• c. interposing a barrier between the cavity and the seal for isolating the cavity from the seal.

A method of assembling a printer ink cartridge, comprising the steps of:

• a. providing a shell defining a cavity therein for storing ink and an inlet port allowing access to the cavity;
• b. disposing a seal in the port for sealing the port, the seal capable of being pierced therethrough by a needle;
• and
• c. interposing a movable barrier between the cavity and the seal, the barrier covering the port for isolating the cavity from the seal, whereby the needle pushes the barrier after the needle pierces the seal, whereby the barrier moves as the needle pushes the barrier and whereby the barrier uncovers the port as the barrier moves.

A method of assembling a printer ink cartridge, comprising the steps of:

• a. providing a shell formed by a wall defining a cavity in the shell for storing ink and defining an inlet port through the wall for allowing access to the cavity;
• b. matingly disposing an elastomeric septum in the port for sealing the port, the septum having a first surface and a second surface and a slit therethrough extending from the first surface to the second surface for sealably receiving an ink supply needle;
• and
• c. interposing a movable barrier between the cavity and the port, the barrier covering the port for isolating the ink in the cavity from the septum in order to avoid chemical interaction between the ink and the septum, whereby the needle pushes the barrier after the needle is received through the slit, whereby the barrier moves as the needle pushes the barrier and whereby the barrier uncovers the port as the barrier moves.

A method of refilling a printer ink cartridge with ink, the cartridge including a shell defining a cavity therein and a port allowing access to the cavity, the port having a seal therein spanning the port, the cartridge having a barrier capable of being interposed between the cavity and the seal for isolating the cavity from the seal, the method comprising the steps of:

• a. disposing an ink supply needle adjacent to the seal;
• b. piercing the seal with the ink supply needle;
• and
• c. allowing the ink to flow through the needle and into the cavity.