Phase change ink replenishment system

In a color printer including print head means for effecting printing with a phase change ink and provided with a plurality of reservoirs each for holding a supply of ink of a respectively different color, the improvement comprising:

• ink storage means removably held in the printer for storing a plurality of pellets of ink in solid phase, said ink storage means being composed of a plurality of storage devices, each of the storage devices having an outlet and a supply channel for storing a plurality of pellets of ink of a respectively different color in solid phase and for supplying the pellets to said outlet at least in part by gravitational force;
• pellet conveying means disposed between said storage device outlets and said reservoirs of said print head means and movable between a receiving position for receiving at least one pellet from a storage device outlet and a delivery position for conveying a pellet received in the receiving position to a reservoir of said print head means;
• drive means coupled to said pellet conveying means for moving said pellet conveying means between said receiving and delivery positions;
• and selecting means operatively associated with said pellet conveying means for selecting a pellet of ink of a given color for conveyance by said conveying means to a corresponding reservoir, wherein said pellet conveying means have a plurality of pellet conveyance channels each associated with a respective storage device and a respective reservoir.