# US 2013/0155156 A1 · Fluid cartridge > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2013/0155156 A1 - Document ID: US20130155156A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/765,451 - Filed: 2013-02-12 - Published: 2013-06-20 - Earliest claimed: 2010-10-22 - Assignees: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. - Inventors: David C. Harvey; Curt Gonzales; Ralph L. Stathem; David Olsen; David Welter - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130155156A1 ## CPC - B41J 2/1721: {Collecting waste ink; Collectors therefor} - B41J 2/1752: {Mounting within the printer} - B41J 2/17553: {Outer structure} - B41J 2/17546: {electronically} - Y10T 292/0964: Cam - Y10T 292/0977: Cam - B41J: TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract An ink cartridge for an inkjet printer includes a bottom face and a front face; interfaces on the front face of the ink cartridge for connection to a cartridge receiving structure, the interfaces including an ink interface; a guide interface in the bottom face for guiding the cartridge along a straight line for connecting the interfaces; and a latch stop and a latch track disposed in the bottom face of the ink cartridge to guide and retain, respectively, a latch of the cartridge receiving structure. The latch track includes a locking track and an unlocking track to accommodate movement of the latch with respect to the latch stop, the locking track being at least partly separate from the unlocking track, the movement of the latch being along the locking track into a locked engagement position at insertion, and along the unlocking track into an unlocked position at ejection. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An ink cartridge for an inkjet printer, the ink cartridge comprising: a bottom face and a front face; interfaces on the front face of the ink cartridge for connection to a cartridge receiving structure, the interfaces including an ink interface; a guide interface in the bottom face for guiding the cartridge along a straight line for connecting the interfaces; and a latch stop and a latch track disposed in the bottom face of the ink cartridge to guide and retain, respectively, a latch of the cartridge receiving structure; wherein the latch track comprises a locking track and an unlocking track to accommodate movement of the latch with respect to the latch stop, the locking track being at least partly separate from the unlocking track, the movement of the latch being along the locking track into a locked engagement position at insertion, and along the unlocking track into an unlocked position at ejection. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The ink cartridge of claim 1, comprising a latch guide wall at an end of the locking track to direct the latch to engagement with the latch stop. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The ink cartridge of claim 1, wherein the latch stop comprises a latch stop wall and a latch abutment, the latch abutment comprising a protrusion in the latch stop wall for retaining the latch. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The ink cartridge of claim 1, wherein the latch stop is disposed between and separates portions of the locking track and the unlocking track. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The ink cartridge of claim 1, wherein the guide interface comprises a guide track that extends parallel to said straight line. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The ink cartridge of claim 5, wherein the guide track and the latch track are formed by one integral cut out in the bottom face of the ink cartridge. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The ink cartridge of claim 5, wherein the guide track comprises a T-shaped cut out for guiding a corresponding T-shaped rail of the cartridge receiving structure. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The ink cartridge of claim 7, wherein the guide track comprises a guide stop for engaging an end of the T-shaped rail. ### Claim 9 (depends on 5) The ink cartridge of claim 5, wherein the guide track comprises a tapered receiving opening at the front face of the ink cartridge. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The ink cartridge of claim 9, wherein the guide track comprises flanges being tapered near the receiving opening. ### Claim 11 (depends on 5) The ink cartridge of claim 5, wherein the ink interface comprises a socket for receiving a pen having a length that is as long or shorter than the guide track, wherein a central axis of the socket is parallel to said straight line. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The ink cartridge of claim 1, wherein the ink interface comprises a socket for receiving a conically shaped pen of the receiving structure, the ink interface comprising a seal ring of resilient material to stretch an inner diameter to engage the pen along its conical shape at insertion. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The ink cartridge of claim 1, wherein the interfaces comprise an electrical circuit for electrical contact between the ink cartridge and the cartridge receiving structure. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The ink cartridge of claim 13, wherein the electrical circuit is recessed in the front face of the ink cartridge, so that electrical contact is made after at least one other interface has been connected. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The ink cartridge of claim 14, wherein the electrical circuit comprises electrodes that extend in a plane that is approximately perpendicular to the front face of the ink cartridge, and approximately parallel to the straight line, for establishing a sideways connection with a corresponding connector circuit of the ink cartridge receiving structure. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The ink cartridge of claim 13, wherein the electrical circuit is disposed in an upper portion of the front face of the ink cartridge and the ink interface is disposed in a lower portion of the front face of the ink cartridge. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The ink cartridge of claim 1, wherein the interfaces on the front face comprise an ejector alignment interface, the ejector alignment interface comprising a ring-shaped ridge. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The ink cartridge of claim 1, further comprising a projection extending into the latch track that directs the latch to the locking track, rather than the unlocking track. ### Claim 19 (depends on 4) The ink cartridge of claim 4, further comprising a projection extending into the latch track that directs the latch toward the locking track on a first side of the latch stop, rather than the unlocking track on an opposite side of the latch stop. ### Claim 20 (depends on 4) The ink cartridge of claim 4, further comprising a jog in the latch track directing the latch into the locking track along a first side of the latch stop for insertion of the ink cartridge in the cartridge receiving structure, wherein the latch moves in the unlocking track along a second, opposite side of the latch stop during removal of the ink cartridge.