Patent ID: 6508547
Filing Date: 2003-01-21
Classification: B41J

Abstract:
An inkjet printing system having a scanning carriage, the inkjet printing system comprising:a receiving station mounted to the scanning carriage, the receiving station having a plurality of corresponding electrical contacts, a fluid inlet and a pair of guide rails extending along either side of the fluid inlet; and a replaceable ink container removably mountable to the receiving station for providing ink to the inkjet printing system, the replaceable ink container having a leading edge and a trailing edge relative to an insertion direction of the replaceable ink container into the receiving station, and a bottom surface orthogonal to the leading edge, the replaceable ink container including: a fluid outlet defined on the bottom surface and configured for connection to the fluid inlet associated with the receiving station; a plurality of electrical contacts electrically connected to an electrical storage device, the plurality of electrical contacts disposed on the leading edge of the replaceable ink container and configured for connection to the plurality of corresponding electrical contacts disposed on the receiving station; and a pair of outwardly extending guide rail engagement features with each of the pair of guide rail engagement features so disposed and arranged for engagement with each of the pair of guide rails, such that the pair of guide rails guide the replaceable ink container into the receiving station first in only a horizontal direction, then in both the horizontal direction and a vertical direction, and finally in the horizontal direction to align the fluid outlet with the fluid inlet to establish fluid communication between the ink container and the receiving station, and to align each of the plurality of electrical contacts electrically connected to the electrical storage device with each of the plurality of corresponding electrical contacts disposed on the receiving station to establish electrical communication between the ink container and the receiving station.