Transport System Having Single Insertion Port For Solid Ink Delivery In A Printer
AssigneeXerox Corporation
InventorsDavid Allen Mantell, Brent Rodney Jones
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method is implemented to deliver a solid ink stick from a single 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 a single insertion port, identifying each ink stick received in the single insertion port, and transporting each identified ink stick from the single insertion port to one feed channel in a plurality of feed channels to enable delivery of the identified ink stick to the melting assembly appropriate for the identified ink stick.
Claims20
A system for providing solid ink to a printer comprising:
- a single insertion port that receives solid ink sticks;
- a plurality of feed channels, each of which terminates into a melting device that heats solid ink sticks to a melting temperature;
- a sensor that generates an electrical signal that identifies a solid ink stick received in the single insertion port;
- and
- an ink stick transporter configured to move solid ink sticks from the single insertion port to one of the feed channels in the plurality of feed channels to enable delivery of the identified solid ink stick through the feed channel to which the identified solid ink stick was moved.
The system of claim I further comprising:
- a second sensor to generate an electrical signal indicating a solid ink stick is proximate the sensor that generates an electrical signal that identifies a solid ink stick received in the single insertion port;
- and
- a processor for comparing the electrical signal generated by the sensor to stored data to identify the ink stick inserted in the insertion port in response to the electrical signal generated by the second sensor.
A method for providing solid ink to a melting device in a solid ink printer comprising:
- receiving solid ink sticks in a single insertion port;
- identifying each ink stick received in the single insertion port;
- and
- transporting each identified ink stick from the single insertion port to one feed channel in a plurality of feed channels to enable delivery of the identified solid ink stick through the feed channel to which the identified solid ink stick was transported.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.