Recording cartridge with replaceable liquid-containing reservoir

A refill insert for an ink cartridge, said ink cartridge including a shell having an open end and adapted to receive said refill insert in said shell, said refill insert comprising:

• a housing having a defined volume therein for receiving a predetermined quantity of ink and having an ink egress port and an air ingress port separated a distance from said ink egress port;
• a subhousing located within said housing and spanning said distance and having an interior volume defined by at least two walls projecting into said defined volume of said housing, said interior volume encompassed by said defined volume of said housing about said at least two walls and in fluid communication with said defined volume of said housing and said air ingress port;
• and
• an ink entraining material disposed in said subhousing allowing said ink to flow from within said housing to said ink egress port, said ink entraining material having capillaries that retain and allow the flow of ink therethrough, air entering said subhousing by way of said air ingress port to thereby equalize a pressure of said housing with an ambient atmospheric pressure external to said housing.

A method of providing a supply of ink to an ink jet printhead by way of a refill insert, said method comprising the steps of:

• coupling said refill insert to said ink jet printhead:
• by way of a housing having an enclosed, defined volume therein and having an ink egress port and an air ingress port separated a distance from said ink egress port,
• providing a subhousing within said housing for flowing a quantity of ink therefrom;
• flowing a quantity of ink from said subhousing, said subhousing spanning said distance and having an interior volume defined by at least two walls projecting into said defined volume of said housing, said interior volume encompassed by said defined volume of said housing about said at least two walls and in fluid communication with said defined volume of said housing and said air ingress port, and
• flowing a quantity of ink from an ink entraining material, said ink entraining material disposed in said subhousing and allowing said ink to flow from within said housing to said ink egress port, said ink entraining material having capillaries that retains and allows said flowing of said quantity of ink therethrough, air entering said subhousing by way of said air ingress port to thereby equalize a pressure of said housing with an ambient atmospheric pressure external to said housing;
• and
• causing said ink to flow from within said housing to a printhead that is coupled to said housing by way of said ink egress port.

A refill insert couplable to an ink jet printhead, wherein said ink jet printhead is coupled to an ink jet printhead shell, said shell having a wall, said refill insert comprising:

• a housing having a defined volume therein for receiving a predetermined quantity of ink and having an ink egress port in fluid communication with said printhead and an air ingress port separated a distance from said ink egress port;
• a subhousing located within said housing, sharing a common wall with said housing and spanning said distance and having an interior volume defined by at least two walls projecting into said defined volume of said housing, said interior volume encompassed by said defined volume of said housing about said at least two walls and in fluid communication with said defined volume of said housing by way of an intermediate port proximate a floor of said housing and said air ingress port, and said subhousing further having an air channel located along an inner surface thereof;
• a sponge disposed in an entirety of said interior volume of said subhousing and having capillaries therein to retain said ink, air entering said subhousing through said air ingress port and passing between said housing and said subhousing by way of said air channel, to thereby equalize a pressure of said housing with an ambient atmospheric pressure external to said housing;
• and
• a fastener for attaching said insert to said ink jet printhead.