LIQUID CONTAINMENT AND DISPENSING DEVICE WITH IMPROVED POSITION INDICATING INDICIA

An ink containment and dispensing device for an ink-jet printer is provided with a main reservoir in the form of a flexible pouch, which is typically mainta ined at ambient pressure. The main reservoir is coupled to a variable volume chamber via one-way valve which allows the flow of ink from the reservoir to the chamber and prevents the flow of ink from the chamber to the reservoir. The chamber is coupl ed to a fluid outlet, which is normally closed to prevent the outward flow of ink. How ever, when the ink supply is installed in a printer, the fluid outlet establishes a fl uid connection between the chamber and the printer. The chamber is port of a pump provided with the ink supply that can be actuated to supply ink from the reservo ir to the printer. The pump has a linearly acting pumping member and a flexible diaphragm that overlies the pumping member, the diaphragm being impervious to th e transmission of oxygen and moisture therethrough to prevent degradation of the i nk within the chamber. The flexible pouch is contained within a rigid, outer shell having an opposed pair of shorter sides interspersed with an opposed pair of longer sid es, and he shorter sides of the shell, in the region of the closed end of a cup-shaped s hell, are configured for grasping and for identifying the location of the closed end of th e shell.