Method and apparatus for keying ink supply containers

An ink supply container for containing ink, the ink supply container configured for providing ink to an ink jet printing system, the ink supply container including:

• a first feature indicative of an ink family of a plurality of ink families associated with ink contained in the container, the first feature extending in a first direction;
• a second feature spaced from the first feature and extending in a second direction that is substantially opposite of the first direction, the second feature indicative of an ink color of a plurality of ink colors associated with ink in the container;
• a reservoir;
• a variable volume chamber;
• a valve interposed between the reservoir and the chamber to prevent the flow of ink from the chamber to the reservoir and allow the flow of ink from the reservoir to the chamber;
• and
• a fluid outlet for establishing a fluid connection between the chamber and the printing system when the ink supply container is placed in the printing system, the fluid outlet being closed to prevent the flow of ink from the chamber when the ink supply container is not within the printing system, whereby when the volume of the chamber is increased as ink is drawn from the reservoir through the valve and into the chamber and when the volume of the chamber is decreased ink is forced from the chamber through the fluid outlet.

A method of manufacturing an ink supply container to include features indicative of the type of ink contained in the container, the ink supply container configured for insertion into an ink jet printing system, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a cap;
• forming on the cap a first feature at a predetermined location on the cap, wherein the location is indicative of a particular one type of ink;
• forming on the cap a second feature indicative of a family of ink to be contained in the container;
• providing a shell for containing a reservoir of ink, the shell lacking any perceptible indicia of the type of ink to be contained in the reservoir;
• and
• attaching the cap to a leading end of the shell, the leading end of the shell being that end of the shell first received by the printing system upon insertion of the ink supply container into the printing system.

An ink container receiving station for receiving ink containers having proper ink parameters, the ink container receiving station comprising:

• a first latching member configured for engaging corresponding ink container first latch features disposed at ink container leading ends first received by the ink container receiving station;
• a second latching member configured for engaging corresponding ink container second latch features disposed at the ink container leading ends first received by the ink container receiving station;
• and
• a keying system component attached to the ink container receiving station to define, in conjunction with the first and second latch features ink containers having proper ink parameters.

A system for locating an ink container in an ink based printing device, the system comprising:

• a plurality of ink containers, each of the plurality of ink containers having a plurality of latching features indicative of an ink parameter;
• keying components integrated into the ink based printing device to guide the insertion of ink containers having corresponding latching features and to restrict the insertion of ink containers having latching features which correspond to non-compatible ink parameters;
• and
• a latching mechanism configured for engaging the plurality of latching features for securing ink containers corresponding to keying components to the ink based printing device.