Inkjet printing system with off-axis ink supply having ink path which does not extend above print cartridge

An ink system for an inkjet printing system having a print zone for depositing ink on a printing medium and a rigid frame including a fixed supply station, said printing system having a bottom surface when supported on a planar surface for printing, said printing system having a carriage for scanning across the print zone, said carriage having an upper surface and a first fluid interconnect extending upward from said upper surface, said printing system also having a print cartridge removably mounted on said carriage, said cartridge having a second fluid interconnect coupled to said first fluid interconnect and a printhead for ejecting ink in a first direction toward said bottom surface and onto the printing medium, said printhead extending in a plane substantially parallel to said bottom surface, said second fluid interconnect being spaced farther away from said bottom surface than said printhead and extending in said first direction, said print system also having an ink conduit coupled between said first fluid interconnect and said fixed supply station, said ink system comprising:

• an off-carriage ink supply, with a rigid shell removably mountable on said fixed supply station, said ink supply having a discharge port;
• an ink reservoir in said ink supply in fluid communication with said discharge port;
• and
• ink contained in the reservoir that passes out of the discharge port, through said conduit, to said first fluid interconnect on said carriage, and into the cartridge through said second fluid interconnect in a second direction that is opposite to said first direction of ink ejected from said printhead, when the off-carriage ink supply is removably mounted on the supply station.

A method of using a printing system having a bottom surface when supported on a planar surface for printing, said method comprising the steps of:

• inserting a print cartridge into a scanning carriage, said scanning carriage having an upper surface and a first fluid interconnect extending upward from said upper surface, said print cartridge having a second fluid interconnect, said second fluid interconnect forming a fluid connection with said first fluid interconnect, said print cartridge further including an ink chamber in fluid communication with said second fluid interconnect and a printhead for ejecting ink in a first direction toward the bottom surface, said printhead extending in a plane substantially parallel to the bottom surface, said second fluid interconnect being spaced farther away from said bottom surface than said printhead;
• supplying ink from an ink source, said ink source connected by a flexible tube to said first fluid interconnect mounted on said scanning carriage to allow said ink to flow from said ink source to said flexible tube and into said first fluid interconnect mounted on said carriage;
• and
• channeling said ink into said second fluid interconnect such that a flow of ink between said first fluid interconnect and said ink chamber does not extend to a height above said print cartridge.