Patent ID: 7780278

Claim:
An ink coupling for establishing fluid communication between an inkjet printer and a replaceable cartridge for installation in the printer, the coupling comprising: a cartridge valve on the cartridge side of the ink coupling; and, a printer conduit on the printer side of the coupling, the cartridge valve and the printer conduit configured to form a coupling seal when brought into engagement; wherein, the cartridge valve has an elastomeric sleeve with a sealing collar and a valve member, the valve member is fixed relative to the sealing collar which is biased into sealing engagement with the valve member to close the cartridge valve, and the printer conduit is sized to engage the sealing collar and move the sealing collar out of sealing engagement with the valve member by compressing the elastomeric sleeve while the valve member moves into the printer conduit interior in order to open the cartridge valve; such that, during disengagement of the cartridge valve and the printer conduit, an ink meniscus forms and recedes from the valve member while pinning to the printer conduit.