Ink container configured for use with compact supply station

A printing system having a printhead mounted in a scanning carriage, the printing system including a plurality of replaceable ink containers and a supply station for receiving the plurality of replaceable ink containers, the supply station being in fluid communication with the printhead, the printing system comprising:

• a supply station in fluid communication with the printhead, the supply station having a plurality of fluid inlets and a plurality of pairs of guiding features disposed on opposite sides of the supply station;
• and
• a plurality of replaceable ink containers with each ink container including a fluid outlet configured for engaging a corresponding fluid inlet of the plurality of fluid inlets on the supply station, and a pair of guide features disposed on opposite sides of each ink container, the pair of guide features of each ink container being configured to engage a corresponding pair of guiding features of the plurality of pairs of guiding features on the supply station to guide each ink container of the plurality of replaceable ink containers into the supply station upon non-rotatable insertional movement of each ink container into the supply station to fluidically couple the fluid outlets and the corresponding fluid inlets.

A method for inserting an ink container into a printer having a printhead mounted in a scanning cartridge, the printer including a supply station in fluid communication with the printhead, the method comprising the steps of:

• positioning a first ink container into the supply station so that first and second guide features disposed on opposite sides of an outer surface of the first ink container engage first and second guiding features, respectively, disposed on opposite ends of the supply station;
• inserting the first ink container into the supply station using non-rotatable movement of the first ink container such that the first and second guiding features on the supply station together with the first and second guide features of the first ink container guide the first ink container into the supply station to position an ink outlet of the first ink container into engagement with an ink inlet of the supply station to fluidically couple the first ink container and the supply station.