Solid ink stick with canted surface

A method of feeding ink sticks in an ink loader of a phase change ink imaging device, the method comprising:

• inserting a first ink stick into a feed channel of an ink loader;
• inserting a second ink stick into the feed channel;
• abutting a trailing canted face of the first ink stick with a leading canted face of the second ink stick;
• engaging guides on the abutted ink sticks with guide rails in the feed channel;
• and
• urging the first and second ink sticks toward a melt end of the ink loader.

A set of ink sticks for use in a phase change ink imaging device, the set comprising:

• a first and second ink stick, the first and second ink sticks each having:
• a leading surface, a trailing surface, and a top surface, the top surface having a front edge that is rearwardly offset from a top edge of the leading surface, and a back edge that is at least partially rearwardly offset from the top of the trailing surface;
• a leading canted face extending between the top edge of the leading surface and the front edge of the top surface;
• and
• a trailing canted face extending between the top edge of the trailing surface and the back edge of the top surface of the top surface, the back edge including a key that is complementary to an insertion opening key of an ink loader;
• the leading canted face of the first stick including a nomenclature mark identifying a first insertion opening, and the key of the first ink stick being complementary to the insertion opening key of the first insertion opening;
• and
• the leading canted face of second ink stick including a nomenclature mark corresponding to a second insertion opening, and the key of the second ink stick being complementary to the insertion opening key of the second insertion opening.

Multiple sets of ink sticks for a phase change ink jet printer, the sets being substantially identical, differing by length of the sticks such that color keying features of any one set are substantially identical in position and form relative to a common one of the stick front or rear ends between sets;

• and
• each stick in each set of ink sticks further including:
• a leading surface, a trailing surface, and a top surface, the top surface having a front edge that is rearwardly offset from a top edge of the leading surface, and a back edge that is at least partially rearwardly offset from the top of the trailing surface;
• a leading canted face extending between the top edge of the leading surface and the front edge of the top surface;
• and
• a trailing canted face extending between the top edge of the trailing surface and the back edge of the top surface of the top surface, the back edge including a key that is complementary to an insertion opening key of an ink loader;
• the leading canted face of the first stick including a nomenclature mark identifying a first insertion opening, and the key of the first ink stick being complementary to the insertion opening key of the first insertion opening;
• and
• the leading canted face of second ink stick including a nomenclature mark corresponding to a second insertion opening, and the key of the second ink stick being complementary to the insertion opening key of the second insertion opening.