Guide for solid ink stick feed
AssigneeXerox Corporation
InventorsBrent R. Jones, Frederick T. Mattern
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An ink stick for a phase change ink jet printer has a guide element formed in one portion of the ink stick body (such as the lower portion) for engaging a feed channel guide rail in a feed channel of a solid ink feed system of the printer. The guide element is substantially offset from the lateral center of gravity of the ink stick body. The guide element engages a feed channel guide rail in the printer. The feed channel guide rail is substantially narrower than the width of the feed channel. A second guide element is formed on the opposite side of the lateral center of gravity of the ink stick body. The second guide element engages a second feed channel guide rail in the feed channel.
Claims21
An ink stick for use in a solid ink feed system of a phase change ink jet printer, wherein the solid ink feed system includes at least one longitudinal feed channel having a longitudinal feed direction and having a longitudinal guide rail extending in the longitudinal feed direction, the ink slick comprising:
- a three dimensional ink stick body for insertion in an insertion direction into the longitudinal feed channel;
- wherein the insertion direction is different from the longitudinal feed direction;
- wherein the ink stick body has an insertion perimeter encompassing the outermost surfaces of the ink stick body in a plane substantially perpendicular to the insertion direction;
- wherein the outermost surfaces are oriented in a direction substantially aligned with the insertion direction;
- wherein the ink stick body has a vertical center of gravity relative to the direction of gravity when the ink stick is being inserted in the insertion direction into the longitudinal feed channel;
- and
- a guide element formed along a portion of the insertion perimeter of the ink stick body;
- wherein the guide element is adapted to slidingly engage a guide rail surface of the longitudinal guide rail;
- and
- wherein the guide element is adapted so that when the ink stick is placed in the longitudinal feed channel of the solid ink feed system, the guide element is above the vertical center of gravity of the ink stick body relative to the direction of gravity.
An ink stick for use in a solid ink feed system of a phase change ink jet printer, wherein the solid ink feed system includes at least one longitudinal feed channel having a longitudinal feed direction, the ink stick comprising:
- a three dimensional ink stick body having a first dimension and a second dimension, substantially perpendicular to the first dimension;
- wherein the ink stick body has a perimeter shape that fits within a keyed opening of the printer to permit the ink stick to be inserted in an insertion direction through the keyed opening into the feed channel,
- wherein the insertion direction is substantially parallel to the first dimension;
- wherein the insertion direction is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal feed direction;
- and
- a guide element formed in the ink stick body;
- wherein the guide element is formed along the perimeter shape at an extremity of the ink stick body in the second dimension for guiding the ink stick in the longitudinal feed direction along the longitudinal feed channel;
- and
- wherein the guide element is adapted so that when the ink stick is in the longitudinal feed channel, the guide element bears less than one half the weight of the ink stick body.
A method of loading an ink stick into a solid ink feed system of a phase change ink jet printer, the method comprising:
- inserting an ink stick in an insertion direction through a keyed opening into a longitudinal feed channel until the entire ink stick is through the keyed opening;
- and
- allowing the ink stick to rotate away from the insertion direction until a guide element portion of the ink stick applies a force to a surface of a guide rail of the solid ink feed system, wherein the direction of the force is substantially perpendicular to the insertion direction.
An ink stick for use in a solid ink feed system of a phase change ink jet printer, wherein the solid ink feed system includes at least one longitudinal feed channel having a longitudinal feed direction and having a longitudinal guide rail extending in the longitudinal feed direction, the ink stick comprising:
- a three dimensional ink stick body for insertion in an insertion direction into the longitudinal feed channel;
- wherein the insertion direction is different from the longitudinal feed direction;
- wherein the ink stick body has an insertion perimeter encompassing the outermost surfaces of the ink stick body in a plane substantially perpendicular to the insertion direction;
- wherein the insertion perimeter includes a lateral dimension oriented in a direction different from the insertion direction;
- and
- wherein the guide element is an extremity of the ink stick body in the lateral dimension;
- wherein the ink stick body has a vertical center of gravity relative to the direction of gravity when the ink stick is being inserted in the insertion direction into the longitudinal feed channel;
- and
- a guide element formed along a portion of the insertion perimeter of the ink stick body;
- wherein the guide element is adapted to slidingly engage a guide rail surface of the longitudinal guide rail;
- and
- wherein the guide element is adapted so that when the ink stick is placed in the longitudinal feed channel of the solid ink feed system, the guide element is above the vertical center of gravity of the ink stick body relative to the direction of gravity.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.