Granted Patent B2

US 6,857,732 · App. 10/135,067 · Granted Feb 22, 2005

Abstract

Claims (34)

1. A set of ink sticks for use in a solid ink feed system of a phase change ink jet printer, wherein the solid ink feed system has a plurality of feed channels, each feed channel identified with a different visually recognizable symbol, the set of ink sticks comprising:

a plurality of ink sticks;

wherein each of the ink sticks comprises;

an ink stick body having a plurality of side surfaces and a general top surface substantially perpendicular to each of the side surfaces; and

a visually recognizable symbol formed on the top surface of the ink stick and corresponding to one of the visually recognizable symbols that identifies one of the feed channels; and

wherein the visually recognizable symbol on the top surface encompasses less than all of the top surface;

wherein at least a portion of each of the ink stick visually recognizable symbols has a vertical dimension relative to another portion of the top surface;

wherein a first one of the ink sticks has a first visually recognizable symbol;

wherein a second one of the ink sticks has a second visually recognizable symbol;

wherein the second visually recognizable symbol is different from the first visually recognizable symbol;

wherein a third one of the ink sticks has a third visually recognizable symbol;

wherein a fourth one of the ink sticks has a fourth visually recognizable symbol;

wherein the first, second, third, and fourth visually recognizable symbols form a pattern of symbols; and

wherein the first, second, third, and fourth visually recognizable symbols are first, second, third, and fourth consecutive alphanumeric characters.

2. A solid ink feed system for a phase change ink jet printer, the solid ink feed system comprising:

a plurality of longitudinal feed channels, each identified by a unique feed channel visually recognizable symbol, wherein the feed channel visually recognizable symbols collectively form a pattern of visually recognizable symbols;

a plurality of openings, each providing access to one of the longitudinal feed channels; and

a plurality of ink sticks, each having a planar surface;

a first visually recognizable symbol formed on the planar surface of a first of the ink sticks;

wherein the first visually recognizable symbol corresponds to one of the feed channel visually recognizable symbols; and

wherein the first visually recognizable symbol has a dimension substantially perpendicular to the surface of the planar surface; and

a second visually recognizable symbol formed on the planar surface of a second of the ink sticks;

wherein the second visually recognizable symbol corresponds to another of the feed channel visually recognizable symbols; and

wherein the second visually recognizable symbol has a dimension substantially perpendicular to the surface of the planar surface;

wherein the pattern of recognizable symbols is a pattern of alphanumeric characters; and

wherein the pattern of alphanumeric characters is a series of letters, wherein each letter is the first letter of a name of a type of ink intended for the associated feed channel.

3. A method of inserting ink into a solid ink feed system of a phase change ink jet printer, wherein the solid ink feed system comprises a plurality of feed channels, the method comprising:

providing an ink stick having a plurality of side surfaces and a top surface substantially perpendicular to each of the side surfaces;

identifying a visually recognizable symbol formed in the top surface of the ink stick;

wherein the visually recognizable symbol encompasses less than the entire top surface of the ink stick; and

wherein the visually recognizable symbol has a vertical dimension relative to another portion of the top surface;

determining if the visually recognizable symbol matches any symbols of a pattern of visually recognizable symbols, wherein each symbol of the pattern corresponds to one of the feed channels of the solid ink feed system; and

if the ink stick visually recognizable symbol matches one of the feed channel visually recognizable symbols, inserting the ink stick into the corresponding feed channel;

wherein determining if the ink stick visually recognizable symbol matches any symbols of a pattern of visually recognizable symbols comprises determining if the ink stick visually recognizable symbol matches any of a sequence of four consecutive alphanumeric characters, wherein each of the four consecutive alphanumeric characters corresponds to one of the feed channels of the solid ink teed system.

Assignments (8)