Ink cartridge with color discrimination structure

An ink cartridge for an inkjet printer, the cartridge comprising:

• a cartridge housing for supporting an ink supply in a cavity within the cartridge housing;
• a color or ink type discrimination structure connected to the cartridge housing, the color or ink type discrimination structure having a keyway formed therein wherein the color or ink type discrimination structure may be oriented through rotation about an axis in one of plural allowable orientations when the cartridge housing is assembled or after assembly to define a color or ink type of ink in the cartridge or of ink to be placed in the cartridge;
• and
• wherein an ink bag is located within the cartridge, and a fitment attached to the ink bag is surrounded by the color or ink type discrimination structure as a collar.

An ink cartridge system for use with an ink jet printer having a plurality of receptacles each for receiving a different respective ink cartridge containing a different color or ink type, the system comprising:

• a plurality of ink cartridges, each cartridge containing ink of a different color or ink type, each cartridge including:
• (a) a cartridge housing for supporting an ink supply in a cavity within the cartridge housing;
• and
• (b) a color or ink type discrimination structure connected to the cartridge housing and which is adapted to be sensed or properly received by the respective receptacle, the color or ink type discrimination structure being identical for each of the plurality of ink cartridges but being oriented differently according to a respective color or ink type for the respective cartridge, the orientation difference between respective different color or ink type cartridges representing a difference through rotation of the structure so that the same color or ink type discrimination structure may be used for each of the respective different color or ink type cartridges.

A method of assembling an ink cartridge for an inkjet printer, the method comprising:

• providing a cartridge housing for supporting an ink supply in a cavity within the cartridge housing, the housing having a recess in the wall of the housing;
• and
• providing a color or ink type discrimination structure having a feature adapted to be sensed or properly received in a printer's cartridge receiving receptacle for delivering ink to the printer;
• and
• orienting the color or ink type discrimination structure during assembly to the cartridge housing so that the feature is oriented, through rotation of the color or ink-type discrimination structure, in correct orientation for assembly into the recess for proper receipt by the printer's cartridge receiving receptacle;
• and
• wherein the orientation difference between respective different color or ink type cartridges representing a difference through rotation of the color or ink-type discrimination structure so that the same color or ink type discrimination structure may be used for each of the respective different color or ink type cartridges.

A method of assembling a system of respective different color or type ink cartridges in a plurality of respective receptacles associated with an ink jet printer, the method comprising:

• providing a plurality of ink cartridges, each cartridge containing ink of a different color or ink type, each cartridge including:
• (a) a cartridge housing for supporting an ink supply in a cavity within the cartridge housing;
• and
• (b) a color or ink type discrimination structure connected to the cartridge housing and which is adapted to be sensed or properly received by the respective receptacle, the color or ink type discrimination structure being identical for each of the plurality of ink cartridges but being oriented differently according to a respective color or ink type for the respective cartridge, the orientation difference between respective different color or ink type cartridges representing a difference through rotation of the color or ink type discrimination structure so that the same color or ink type discrimination structure may be used for each of the respective different color or ink type cartridges;
• and
• positioning the plurality of ink cartridges in a respective different one of the receptacles wherein each receptacle includes a respective structure that is adapted to interface with the color or ink type discrimination structure for proper receipt within the respective receptacle.