Electrical and fluidic interface for an ink supply

A replaceable ink container for use with a printing portion of an off axis printing system, the replaceable ink container having a docked position wherein the replaceable ink container is mounted to the printing portion, the replaceable ink container provides ink to the printing portion, and the printing portion is responsive to electrical signals produced by the replaceable ink container for controlling printing system parameters, the replaceable ink container comprising:

• a fluid outlet portion for providing fluid to the printing portion, wherein the fluid outlet portion is mounted rigidly to the ink container and is configured for engaging corresponding guiding features of the printing portion that align the fluid outlet portion with corresponding fluid inlet portions of the printing portion;
• and
• an electrical interface portion having a plurality of electrical contacts for transferring the electrical signals between the replaceable ink container and the printing portion, the electrical interface portion including an engagement portion separated from and positioned opposite to the plurality of electrical contacts, wherein the electrical interface portion in the docked position engages guiding features of the printing portion to position electrical contact portions attached to a movable device of the printing portion between the engagement portion and the plurality of electrical contacts to electrically engage the replaceable ink container with the printing portion without applying a force to the replaceable ink container that would result in fluid leakage at the fluid outlet portion.

An off-axis ink-jet printing system having a printing portion for forming images on print media and a replaceable ink container for providing ink to the printing portion, the printing portion being responsive to electrical signals produced by the replaceable ink container for controlling printing portion parameters, the off-axis ink-jet printing system comprising:

• a replaceable ink container having a reservoir for containing ink, the replaceable ink container being insertable into the printing system along an insertion axis and having a leading edge defined as that edge of the replaceable ink container first received by the printing system, the replaceable ink container including:
• a plurality of electrical contacts on the leading edge at a first side of the leading edge;
• and
• a fluid outlet on the leading edge at a second side of the leading edge that is directly opposite to the first side, such that the fluid outlet is separated from the plurality of electrical contacts;
• and
• a printing portion, the printing portion including:
• a fluid inlet configured for engaging the fluid outlet of the replaceable ink container;
• and
• a plurality of electrical contacts supported by an electrical connector, the electrical connector having a limited amount of freedom of motion in a plane perpendicular to the insertion axis of the replaceable ink container, wherein the plurality of electrical contacts are on the electrical connector to engage the plurality of electrical contacts of the replaceable ink container upon complete insertion of the replaceable ink container into the printing system.

A replaceable ink container for use in an off axis printing system, the printing system being responsive to electrical signals produced by the replaceable ink container for controlling printing system parameters, the replaceable ink container having a leading edge defined as that edge of the replaceable ink container first received by the printing system, the replaceable ink container comprising:

• a plurality of electrical contacts on the leading edge at a first side of the leading edge, the plurality of electrical contacts configured for engaging a plurality of corresponding electrical printer contacts of the printing system;
• a fluid outlet on the leading edge at a second side of the leading edge that is directly opposite to the first side such that the fluid outlet is separated from the plurality of electrical contacts, the fluid outlet being in fluid communication with the replaceable ink container and configured for engaging a fluid inlet of the printing system;
• and
• a latch feature, the replaceable ink container having an unlatched position and a latched position, in the latched position the latch feature is in engagement with corresponding engagement features of the printing system, wherein the plurality of electrical contacts of the replaceable ink container engage the plurality of corresponding electrical printer contacts, and wherein the fluid outlet is in fluid communication with the fluid inlet of the printing system.

A replaceable ink container for use with a printing portion of an off axis printing system, the replaceable ink container having a docked position wherein the replaceable ink container is mounted to the printing portion, the replaceable ink container provides ink to the printing portion, and the printing portion is responsive to electrical signals produced by the replaceable ink container for controlling printing system parameters, the replaceable ink container comprising:

• a fluid outlet portion for providing fluid to the printing portion, wherein the fluid outlet portion is mounted rigidly to the ink container and is configured for engaging corresponding guiding features of the printing portion that align the fluid outlet portion with corresponding fluid inlet portions of the printing portion;
• and
• an electrical interface portion having a plurality of electrical contacts for transferring the electrical signals between the replaceable ink container and the printing portion, the electrical interface portion including an engagement portion separated from and positioned opposite to the plurality of electrical contacts, wherein the electrical interface portion in the docked position engages guiding features of the printing portion to position electrical contact portions attached to a movable device of the printing portion between the engagement portion and the plurality of electrical contacts to electrically engage the replaceable ink container with the printing portion without applying a force to the replaceable ink container that would result in fluid leakage at the fluid outlet portion, and wherein the electrical interface portion is a cavity within an outer surface of the replaceable ink container, the cavity having a first inner surface defining the engagement portion and a second inner surface having the plurality of electrical contacts thereon.

A replaceable ink container for use with a printing portion of an off axis printing system, the replaceable ink container having a docked position wherein the replaceable ink container is mounted to the printing portion, the replaceable ink container provides ink to the printing portion, and the printing portion is responsive to electrical signals produced by the replaceable ink container for controlling printing system parameters, the replaceable ink container comprising:

• a fluid outlet portion for providing fluid to the printing portion, wherein the fluid outlet portion is mounted rigidly to the ink container and is configured for engaging corresponding guiding features of the printing portion that align the fluid outlet portion with corresponding fluid inlet portions of the printing portion;
• an electrical interface portion having a plurality of electrical contacts for transferring the electrical signals between the replaceable ink container and the printing portion, the electrical interface portion including an engagement portion separated from and positioned opposite to the plurality of electrical contacts, wherein the electrical interface portion in the docked position engages guiding features of the printing portion to position electrical contact portions attached to a movable device of the printing portion between the engagement portion and the plurality of electrical contacts to electrically engage the replaceable ink container with the printing portion without applying a force to the replaceable ink container that would result in fluid leakage at the fluid outlet portion;
• and
• a latch feature, wherein the replaceable ink container has an unlatched position and a latched position, in the latched position the latch feature is in engagement with corresponding engagement features of the printing system, wherein the plurality of electrical contacts of the electrical interface portion engage the electrical contact portions of the printing portion, and wherein the fluid outlet portion is in fluid communication with the fluid inlet portions of the printing portion.