Ink container having electronic and mechanical features enabling plug compatibility between multiple supply sizes

A replaceable ink container to be installed at a particular location in a receiving station fluidically coupled to a printhead of an ink jet printing system, the receiving station providing ink from the replaceable ink container to the printhead, the replaceable ink container comprising:

• a housing having an elongate cross section defining an axis of elongation forming a central plane that substantially bisects the replaceable ink container;
• latching features on the housing, wherein the latching features are bisected by the central plane, the latching features being engageable with corresponding latching features of the receiving station upon insertion of the replaceable ink container at the particular location of the receiving station for securing the replaceable ink container to the receiving station against unintentional extraction from the particular location;
• an ink supply within the housing, the ink supply containing a volume of ink;
• a fluid outlet on the housing along the central plane defined by the axis of elongation, the fluid outlet being connected to the ink supply such that when the replaceable ink container is fully installed at the particular location in the receiving station, the fluid outlet engages a corresponding fluid inlet at the particular location in the receiving station to allow ink to flow from the ink supply of the replaceable ink container to the printhead;
• an information storage device on the housing, the information storage device storing information indicative of the volume of ink within the ink supply;
• and
• a plurality of container electrical contacts on the housing along the central plane defined by the axis of elongation, the plurality of container electrical contacts being connected to the information storage device such that when the replaceable ink container is fully installed at the particular location in the receiving station, the plurality of container electrical contacts engage corresponding receiving station electrical contacts to electrically couple the information storage device to the ink jet printing system, wherein the fluid outlet and the plurality of container electrical contacts are bisected by the central plane defined by the axis of elongation to allow the replaceable ink container to be fully installed at the particular location in the receiving station.

A replaceable ink container to be installed into a receiving apparatus fluidically coupled to a printhead of an ink jet printing system, the receiving apparatus including opposing walls for receiving the replaceable ink container therebetween, the replaceable ink container comprising:

• a housing having an axis of elongation perpendicular to the opposing walls when the replaceable ink container is fully installed in the receiving apparatus;
• a latch feature located on the housing on the axis of elongation, the latch feature being engageable with a corresponding latch feature of the receiving apparatus when the replaceable ink container is fully installed in the receiving apparatus for securing the replaceable ink container to the receiving apparatus against unwanted extraction from the receiving apparatus;
• an ink supply within the housing, the ink supply containing a volume of ink;
• a fluid outlet on the housing and positioned on the axis of elongation, the fluid outlet being connected to the ink supply, the fluid outlet engaging a fluid inlet in the receiving apparatus when the replaceable ink container is fully installed in the receiving apparatus;
• an information storage device associated with the housing, the information storage device storing information indicative of the volume of ink;
• and
• a plurality of container electrical contacts positioned proximate to the axis of elongation and connected to the information storage device, the plurality of container electrical contacts being connected to a plurality of corresponding electrical contacts associated with the receiving apparatus when the replaceable ink container is fully installed in the receiving apparatus.

An ink supply for providing ink to a printhead of an ink jet printing system, the printing system including a receiving apparatus fluidically coupled to the printhead, the ink supply comprising:

• a container housing portion having an axis of elongation that is perpendicular to a vertical direction when the housing portion is installed in the receiving apparatus, the container housing portion having opposing sides located on the axis of elongation;
• a latch feature located on one of the opposing sides for engaging a corresponding latch feature of the receiving apparatus upon installation of the ink supply into the receiving apparatus for mounting the ink supply to the receiving apparatus against inadvertent removal from the receiving apparatus;
• and
• a planar arrangement of electrical contacts located along the axis of elongation and parallel to the vertical direction.

An ink supply for providing ink to a printhead of an ink jet printing system that can accept ink supplies carrying varying amounts of ink, the printing system including a receiving station fluidically coupled to the printhead, the receiving station including at least two inwardly facing opposing walls, the ink supply comprising:

• an outer housing having an axis of elongation that is substantially perpendicular to and spanning at least part of the distance between the two opposing walls, the outer housing including a pair of opposing sides positioned on the axis of elongation, the outer housing having a connecting end located between the opposing sides;
• a fluid reservoir;
• a latch feature positioned on one of the opposing sides for engaging a corresponding latch feature of the receiving station upon insertion of the ink supply into the receiving station for securing the ink supply to the receiving station against unintentional extraction from the receiving station;
• a fluid outlet coupled to the reservoir, the fluid outlet positioned on the connecting end of the ink container between the opposing ends and positioned on the axis of elongation;
• a plurality of electrical contacts positioned along the axis of elongation;
• and
• an information storage device coupled to the contacts and providing information indicative of an amount of ink stored in the fluid reservoir.