Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080204532 | System for loading and feeding solid ink sticks to an ink melter in a phase change ink printer - A solid ink delivery system for a phase change ink image generator includes a solid ink stick loader and a solid ink stick feeder that cooperate to provide solid ink sticks to an ink melter. The solid ink delivery system includes a solid ink stick loader having a moving support that transports a solid ink stick from a loading area and a solid ink stick feeder having a moving gripper for engaging a solid ink stick received from the solid ink stick moving support. The moving gripper remains in engagement with the solid ink stick as the ink stick is delivered to an ink melter and converted to liquid ink. The loader and gripper members of the delivery system interact with ink sticks that are configured with drive engagement structures at opposed sides of the ink stick. | 08-28-2008 |
20080225096 | Solid ink stick with canted surface - An ink stick for use in a phase change ink imaging device comprises an ink stick body having a leading surface, a trailing surface, and a top surface. The top surface has a front edge that is rearwardly offset from a top edge of the leading surface, and a back edge that is at least partially rearwardly offset from the top of the trailing surface. A leading canted face extends between the top edge of the leading surface and the front edge of the top surface. A trailing canted face extends between the top edge of the trailing surface and the back edge of the top surface. The back edge includes a key that is complementary to an insertion opening key of an ink loader. | 09-18-2008 |
20080237940 | Sold ink stick formation with flexible molding tool - A molding tool is provided for forming solid ink sticks. The molding tool comprises a vessel having at least one sidewall defining a cavity for receiving molten phase change ink material. The molding tool includes a lid for covering an opening over the cavity of the vessel. The lid has an interior surface for at least partially enclosing the cavity. The enclosed cavity has a shape corresponding to at least a portion of an ink stick shape. The at least one sidewall of the vessel and/or the interior surface of the lid are configured to flex to facilitate release of an at least partially solidified ink stick from the cavity. | 10-02-2008 |
20090091609 | Solid ink stick with visual orientation indicator - An ink stick for use in a phase change ink imaging device comprises an ink stick body configured for insertion in an insertion orientation into an ink loader of the phase change ink imaging device. The ink stick body has a plurality of surfaces. A visual orientation indicator is formed on at least one surface in the plurality of surfaces. The visual orientation indicator is configured to visually indicate a direction of orientation of at least one surface of the plurality of surfaces to place the ink stick body in the insertion orientation. | 04-09-2009 |
20090207219 | Mechanized Feed Channel Barrier In A Solid Ink Printer - A method is implemented to control movement of a solid ink stick from an insertion port to a corresponding feed channel to help ensure that each feed channel in a plurality of feed channels contains only ink sticks corresponding to the feed channel. The method includes receiving solid ink sticks in an insertion port located at one end of a feed channel in the solid ink printer, identifying each ink stick received in the insertion port, and removing a passage barrier from the feed channel in response to the ink stick being identified as corresponding to ink configured for passage through the feed channel. | 08-20-2009 |
20100020143 | Solid Ink Stick with Reflection Features - An ink stick for use in an imaging device comprises an ink stick body formed of a phase change ink material; and a reflection surface formed in the ink stick body. The reflection surface is configured to receive light from a light source associated with the reflection surface in an ink delivery system of a phase change ink imaging device. The reflection surface is configured to direct the light from the light source away from or onto one or both a first light detector and a second light detector associated with the reflection surface in the ink delivery system. | 01-28-2010 |
20100276018 | System For Maintaining Temperature Of A Fluid In A Conduit - A fluid transport apparatus maintains temperature of a fluid transported through a conduit. The fluid transport apparatus includes a fluid transport conduit that is selectively deformed by a pressure within a compressor conduit and allowed to return to its original shape by venting the pressure through a venting valve. The alternating pressurization and release of pressure from the compressor conduit moves fluid through the fluid transport conduit. A thermal conductor is associated with the fluid transport conduit to maintain the temperature of the fluid in the fluid transport conduit within a predetermined range. | 11-04-2010 |
20110032318 | Solid Ink Stick with Interface Element - An ink stick for use in a phase change ink imaging device has a protrusion with a predetermined height that is configured to enable a sensor in an ink loader of the imaging device to detect the height of the protrusion. The predetermined height of the protrusion corresponds to a control parameter for the imaging device. | 02-10-2011 |
20110298874 | SOLID INK STICK WITH RETRIEVAL FEATURE - A solid ink stick for use in an imaging device, such as a phase change inkjet printer, is provided. The solid ink stick has a retrieval feature located on a top surface thereof. When the ink stick is incorrectly loaded through the insertion opening of a feed channel of the printer, the retrieval feature has a vertical dimension such that the ink stick can be grasped, such as by two fingers of a user, to remove the ink stick through the insertion opening. The retrieval feature generally includes two lower surfaces interconnected with at least one upper surface. | 12-08-2011 |
20120013689 | Solid Ink Stick with Motion Control Inset - A solid ink stick for use in solid ink printers is provided that enables adjacent ink sticks to be separated and retained at a predetermined location in the feed channel. | 01-19-2012 |