Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080218548 | Digital solid ink stick identification and recognition - A system for an ink delivery system comprises a feed path having an insertion end and a melt end, and an ink stick transport for moving at least one ink stick between the insertion end and the melt end of the feed path. At least one sensor is positioned along the feed path. A controller is configured to actuate the transport to move at least one ink stick in a first direction from the insertion end toward the melt end of the feed path so that a coded sensor feature of the at least one ink stick actuates the at least one sensor to generate a signal. The controller is configured to actuate the transport to move the at least one ink stick in one of the first direction and a second direction toward the insertion end of the feed path in response to the signal. | 09-11-2008 |
20080218569 | Multi-position interlocking ink stick - An ink stick comprises an ink stick body having first and second opposed ends. A first interlocking face on the first end and a first interlocking face on the second end have complementary nesting shapes and are oriented to allow the first interlocking face of an end of the ink stick body to nest with a first interlocking face of an end of an adjacent ink stick when in a linear section of a feed path of an ink delivery system. A second interlocking face on the first end and a second interlocking face on the second end have complementary nesting shapes and are oriented to allow the second interlocking face of the ink stick body to nest with a second interlocking face of an end of an adjacent ink stick when in a non-linear section of the feed path. | 09-11-2008 |
20080218572 | Solid ink stick with reversible keying and interlocking features - An ink stick for use in an ink delivery system of a phase change ink imaging device comprises an ink stick body having first and second opposed end surfaces and first and second opposed lateral side surfaces. The ink stick body is rotationally symmetric about a vertical central axis of the ink stick body. The ink stick body includes an interlocking face on the first end surface and a complementarily shaped interlocking face on the second end surface. A key is on each of the first and second side surfaces. The keys of the first and second side surfaces are similarly shaped. The key on the first side surface and the key on the second side surface are rotationally symmetrically positioned with respect to each other about the vertical central axis. | 09-11-2008 |
20080218573 | Solid ink stick with multiple axis interlocking - An ink stick for use in an ink delivery system of a phase change ink imaging device comprises an ink stick body having first and second opposed ends and the ends are contoured to complement the feed path such that the sticks resist buckling due to feed forces. The ink stick body includes a first interlocking face at the first end and a second interlocking face at the second end. Each interlocking face includes a plurality of bosses and a plurality of boss recesses, the plurality of boss recesses of the first interlocking face are sized and positioned complementary to the plurality of bosses of the second interlocking face, and the plurality of boss recesses of the second interlocking face being sized and positioned complementary to the plurality of bosses of the first interlocking face. | 09-11-2008 |
20090102905 | Transport system for providing a continuous supply of solid ink to a melting assembly in a printer - A solid ink printer includes a solid ink transportation control system that helps ensure a continuous supply of solid ink to a melting device within a printer. The solid ink transportation control system includes an ink loss measurement circuit configured to identify an accumulated ink mass loss of ink from an ink reservoir in a printer and to generate an ink supply replenish signal in response to the accumulated ink mass loss reaching an accumulated loss threshold, a drive motor electrically coupled to the ink loss measurement circuit, the drive motor being configured to operate in response to the ink supply replenish signal, and an ink stick drive train coupled to the drive motor, at least a portion of the ink stick drive train moving towards a melting assembly in the printer in response to the operation of the drive motor. | 04-23-2009 |
20090128591 | System and method for measuring a supply of solid ink in a solid ink printer - A solid ink printer includes a solid ink measurement system that helps ensure an adequate supply of solid ink is in the feed channels delivering solid ink to a melting device within a printer. The solid ink measurement system includes a driving electrode mounted along a substantial length of a first structure of a first solid ink feed channel, a sensing electrode mounted along a substantial length of a second structure of the first solid ink feed channel, the sensing electrode being opposite and generally parallel to the driving electrode, an AC voltage source coupled to the driving electrode to generate an electrical field emitted from the driving electrode, and a capacitance measurement circuit coupled to the sensing electrode to receive an electrical signal induced in the sensing electrode by the electrical field generated by the driving electrode, the capacitance measurement circuit being configured to identify an amount of solid ink in the first feed channel that corresponds to the electrical signal received from the sensing electrode. | 05-21-2009 |
20100026769 | Melt Plate For Use In A Solid Ink Jet Printer - A melt plate for use in a solid ink printer is formed with a drip plate to provide controlled flow of melted ink from the melt plate to a drip point. The melt plate includes a first portion having a perimeter, a second portion having a perimeter, the second planar portion angling from the first portion along a transition boundary at a first angle, a first rim extending around the perimeter of the first portion except along the transition boundary, the first rim angling from the first portion at a second angle, and a second rim extending around the perimeter of the second portion except along the transition boundary and a drip point, the second rim angling from the second portion at a third angle, the third angle being different than the second angle. | 02-04-2010 |
20100053281 | Temperature Sensor Mount For Melt Plate - A solid ink printer comprises a melt plate configured to melt solid ink. A heater is connected to the melt plate in order to raise the temperature of the melt plate. The temperature of the melt plate is detected by a temperature sensor that is provided away from the surface of the melt plate but is configured to sense the temperature of the melt plate. A mount is positioned on the melt plate between the temperature sensor and the melt plate. The mount comprises a mica layer and at least one polyimide film layer. The mount is arranged on the melt plate such that the mica layer of the mount may be adjacent to the melt plate and the polyimide film layer may be adjacent to the temperature sensor. A pressure sensitive adhesive may be used to connect the mount to the melt plate. | 03-04-2010 |
20100302329 | Method For Feeding Solid Ink Stick With Multiple Interlocking Axis In A Solid Ink Printer - A method of feeding solid ink sticks to a melting device in a phase change ink imaging device enables the solid ink sticks to move through the ink delivery system without buckling or being diverted from the feed path. The ink sticks fed to the ink delivery system have first and second contoured ends that complement the feed path to resist buckling due to feed forces and the bosses of one contoured end nest in the boss recesses of another contoured end of an adjacent ink stick to resist the effects of the feed forces as well. | 12-02-2010 |
20120105557 | Melt Plate For Use In A Solid Ink Jet Printer - A melt plate for use in a solid ink printer is formed with a drip plate to provide controlled flow of melted ink from the melt plate to a drip point. The melt plate includes a first portion having a perimeter, a second portion having a perimeter, the second planar portion angling from the first portion along a transition boundary at a first angle, a first rim extending around the perimeter of the first portion except along the transition boundary, the first rim angling from the first portion at a second angle, and a second rim extending around the perimeter of the second portion except along the transition boundary and a drip point, the second rim angling from the second portion at a third angle, the third angle being different than the second angle. | 05-03-2012 |