Ink supply having an integral pump

A chassis for a replaceable ink supply system for insertion into a docked position within a docking bay of an ink-jet printer, the docking bay having a pump actuator and a fluid inlet in fluid communication with a trailing tube for supplying ink to a movable print head, the chassis comprising:

• a body;
• a frame extending from one side of the body for supporting a flexible ink reservoir containing a supply of ink;
• a pump chamber carried by the body;
• a pump inlet through said body to allow ink flow from the ink reservoir to the pump chamber;
• a valve associated with the pump inlet, the valve limiting the return flow of ink from the pump chamber to the ink reservoir;
• a fluid outlet in fluid communication with the pump chamber, the fluid outlet engaging the fluid inlet and allowing the flow in ink through the fluid outlet to the fluid inlet when in the docked position and preventing the flow of ink through the fluid outlet when not in the docked position.

A replaceable ink supply for removable insertion into a docking position in a docking station of an ink-jet printer, the docking station having an actuator, and a fluid inlet coupled to a trailing tube that supplies ink to a movable print head, the replaceable ink supply comprising:

• a chassis defining a pump inlet and a pump outlet;
• a quantity of ink;
• a flexible ink reservoir for containing the quantity of ink;
• a frame carried by the chassis for supporting the ink reservoir, the ink reservoir attached to the chassis in fluid communication with the pump inlet;
• a protective shell made of a substantially rigid material, the protective shell containing the ink reservoir and having an open end receiving the chassis;
• a valve positioned within the pump inlet to allow the flow of ink from the ink reservoir through the pump inlet and limit the flow of ink into the ink reservoir through the pump inlet;
• a pump carried on the chassis, the pump having a variable volume pump chamber biased toward an expanded position to draw ink through the pump inlet from the ink reservoir, the pump being positioned such that the actuator is selectively movable into an engaged position when the ink supply is in the docked position, the actuator in the engaged position biasing the variable volume chamber toward a retracted position to pressurize ink within the variable volume chamber and to expel ink from the variable volume chamber through the pump outlet;
• and
• a fluid outlet carried on the chassis, the fluid outlet comprising a boss containing a spring and a sealing member, a septum positioned over the boss such that the spring presses the sealing member against the septum in a sealing position, and a crimp cover positioned about the septum and crimped to the boss to hold the septum, sealing member and spring within the boss, the fluid inlet penetrating the septum and engaging the sealing member to move the sealing member from the sealing position to an open position when the ink supply is inserted into the docking position.

A replaceable ink supply for removable insertion into a docked position within a docking bay of an ink-jet printer, the docking bay having a fluid inlet coupled to a trailing tube for supplying ink to a movable print head, the ink supply comprising:

• a frame that defines four sides of a generally rectangular ink reservoir,
• at least one flexible sheet of material attached to the frame to define an ink reservoir;
• a generally rigid protective shell covering the flexible sheet of material;
• and
• a fluid outlet for engaging the fluid inlet when the ink supply is in the docked position, the fluid outlet including a passageway defined through the frame to allow the flow of ink from the ink reservoir when the ink supply is in the docked position.