an ink cartridge carrier for an ink cartridge of an ink jet printing device is resiliently mounted to the ink cartridge carrier to minimize the size of the ink cartridge carrier . the reduction in size is accomplished by mounting the latching mechanism to the ink cartridge carriage with an expansion spring positioned in a spring opening in both the latching mechanism and the ink cartridge carrier . only a latching lip of the latching member extends above the ink cartridge carrier so as to engage an upper surface of the ink cartridge .