Load and feed apparatus for solid ink
AssigneeXerox Corporation
InventorBrent R. Jones
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A solid ink loader for feeding colored solid ink sticks in a phase change ink jet printer, wherein the feed system includes at least one feed channel for receiving ink sticks having a first ink stick color, at least one key plate for the at least one feed channel, wherein the at least one key plate has a first insertion opening for admitting the ink sticks having the first color into the at least one feed channel, and wherein the at least one key plate has first ink stick color identification markings corresponding to the first ink stick color.
Claims28
A solid ink loader for feeding colored solid ink sticks in a phase change ink jet printer, the loader comprising:
- at least one feed channel for receiving ink sticks having a first ink stick color;
- at least one key plate for the at least one feed channel,
- wherein the at least one key plate has a first insertion opening for admitting the ink sticks having the first color into the at least one feed channel, and
- wherein the at least one key plate has first ink stick color identification markings corresponding to the first ink stick color.
A solid ink feed loader for feeding multiple colors of solid ink sticks in a phase change ink jet printer, loader comprising:
- a plurality of feed channels, each feed channel capable of receiving a plurality of ink sticks;
- a plurality of key plates, each key plate for use with a particular feed channel, wherein each key plate has color identification markings corresponding to a particular color of solid ink stick.
A solid ink loader for feeding in a phase change ink jet printer ink sticks, each of which has one of a plurality of colors, the loader comprising:
- a first feed channel for receiving ink sticks of a first color;
- a second feed channel for receiving ink sticks of a second color;
- a first key plate covering the first feed channel;
- a second key plate covering the second feed channel;
- wherein the first key plate is substantially completely marked with a first marking corresponding to the first color;
- wherein the second key plate is substantially completely marked with a second marking corresponding to the second color.
A key plate for use with a first feed channel,
- wherein the key plate has a first insertion opening for admitting into the first feed channel ink sticks having a first color, and wherein
- the key plate has first ink stick color identification markings corresponding to the first ink stick color.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.