Patent ID: 8052255

Claim:
A method of mounting an ink cartridge to an inkjet printer, wherein the cartridge comprises a case having a first opening and second opening formed therethrough, and an ink chamber formed within the case, wherein the inkjet printer comprises a recording head, a buffer tank, and a mounting portion comprising an ink supply tube and an air intake tube, wherein the method comprises the steps of: (a) establishing fluid communication between an interior of the ink chamber and the ink supply tube via the first opening, wherein the ink supply tube is configured to be in fluid communication with the buffer tank, and the buffer tank is configured to be in fluid communication with the recording head; and (b) establishing fluid communication between the interior of the ink chamber and the air intake tube via the second opening, wherein the air supply tube is configured to be in fluid communication with an outside atmosphere, wherein step (a) is performed before step (b), and a pressure of the interior of the ink chamber is below an atmospheric pressure before step (a) is performed.