Patent Application
20090091609
This disclosure relates generally to phase change ink jet printers and the solid ink sticks used in such ink jet printers.
Solid ink or phase change ink printers conventionally receive ink in a solid form, either as pellets or as ink sticks. The solid ink pellets or ink sticks are typically inserted through an insertion opening of an ink loader for the printer, and the ink sticks are pushed or slid along the feed channel by a feed mechanism and/or gravity toward a heater plate in the heater assembly. The heater plate melts the solid ink impinging on the plate into a liquid that is delivered to a print head for jetting onto a recording medium.
The correct loading and feeding of ink sticks has typically been accomplished by incorporating loading features, such as, for example, keying, guiding, alignment, orientation and/or sensor actuating features, into the exterior surface of an ink stick. These features are protuberances or indentations that are located in different positions on an ink stick. Corresponding keys or guide elements on the perimeters of the openings through which the ink sticks are inserted or fed exclude ink sticks which do not have the appropriate perimeter key elements while ensuring that the ink stick is properly aligned and oriented in the feed channel. Another method that has been implemented to aid in the correctly loading of an ink stick is the incorporation of encoding features into the exterior surface of ink sticks that interact with sensors in the ink delivery system. Ink stick data may be encoded into these features by configuring the features to interact with one or more sensors in an ink loader to generate a signal or coded pattern of signals that corresponds to information specific to the ink stick. The ink stick data encoded onto the ink stick may be read by the print controller in a suitably equipped phase change ink jet printing device to control imaging operations. For example, the controller may enable or disable operations, optimize operations or influence or set operation parameters based on the ink stick data encoded onto the ink stick.
Customers, however, may not be familiar with the loading features of the various ink stick configurations. Consequently, customers may not know the appropriate orientation for inserting an ink stick into an ink loader. A customer believing that they have correctly oriented an ink stick for insertion may override resistance caused by insertion keying features and inadvertently force an incorrectly oriented ink stick through an opening into a feed channel. If the loaded ink stick is the wrong color for a particular feed channel or if the ink stick is incompatible with the phase change ink jet printer in which it is being used, considerable errors and malfunctions may occur. Even if an ink stick is the correct configuration for use in a particular feed channel, an ink stick that is not oriented correctly prior to insertion may not feed properly along the feed channel and/or may not engage the ink melter appropriately. In addition, encoding features on an ink stick that has been inserted incorrectly may not be positioned optimally in the feed channel to interact with sensors resulting in faulty actuation of the sensors or no actuation at all. Nesting features have been incorporated in ink sticks to benefit feed control, differentiate between models and other benefits but such features have never been configured to serve as obvious orientation aids.
An ink stick for use in a phase change ink imaging device has been developed that includes a feature for visually indicating to a printer user the correct insertion orientation for the ink stick. The ink stick comprises an ink stick body configured for insertion in an insertion orientation into an ink loader of the phase change ink imaging device. The ink stick body has a plurality of surfaces. A visual orientation indicator is formed on at least one surface in the plurality of surfaces. The visual orientation indicator is configured to visually indicate a direction of orientation of at least one surface of the plurality of surfaces to place the ink stick body in the insertion orientation.
In another embodiment, a system of visually indicating appropriate ink stick orientation is utilized. The system comprises a solid ink stick configured for insertion in an insertion orientation into an ink loader of a phase change ink imaging device. The solid ink stick includes a visual orientation indicator incorporated into one or more surfaces of the ink stick. The visual orientation indicator comprises a mark for visually indicating the insertion orientation of the ink stick. The system also includes a complementary orientation indicator positioned on one or more surfaces of the imaging device. The complementary orientation indicator comprises a mark for visually indicating the insertion orientation.
In yet another embodiment, an ink stick for use in an ink loader of a phase change ink imaging device comprises an ink stick body adapted to be received through an insertion opening of an ink loader of a phase change ink imaging device in an insertion orientation. The ink stick body includes a leading end and a trailing end. The leading end is for orienting substantially in a feed direction of the ink loader when in the insertion orientation, and the trailing end is for orienting opposite the feed direction when in the insertion orientation. A visual orientation indicator is formed on at least one surface of the ink stick body. The visual orientation indicator being configured to visually indicate a direction of orientation of the leading and trailing ends of the ink stick body to place the ink stick body in the insertion orientation.
For a general understanding of the present embodiments, reference is made to the drawings. In the drawings, like reference numerals have been used throughout to designate like elements. As used herein, the term “printer” refers, for example, to reproduction devices in general, such as printers, facsimile machines, copiers, and related multi-function products, and the term “print job” refers, for example, to information including the electronic item or items to be reproduced. References to ink delivery or transfer from an ink cartridge or housing to a printhead are intended to encompass the range of melters, intermediate connections, tubes, manifolds and/or other components and/or functions that may be involved in a printing system but are not immediately significant to the present invention.
Referring now to
The embodiment of
Operation and control of the various subsystems, components and functions of the machine or printer 10 are performed with the aid of a controller 38. The controller 38, for example, may be a micro-controller having a central processor unit (CPU), electronic storage, and a display or user interface (UI). The controller reads, captures, prepares and manages the image data flow between image sources 40, such as a scanner or computer, and imaging systems, such as the printhead assembly 20. The controller 38 is the main multi-tasking processor for operating and controlling many or all of the other machine subsystems and functions, including the machine's printing operations, and, thus, includes the necessary hardware, software, etc. for controlling these various systems.
Referring now to
In the embodiment of
An ink stick may take many forms. One exemplary solid ink stick 100 for use in the ink delivery system is illustrated in
Ink sticks may include a number of features that aid in correct loading, guidance, sensing and support of the ink stick when used. These features may comprise protrusions and/or indentations that are located in different positions on an ink stick for interacting with key elements, guides, supports, sensors, etc. located in complementary positions in the ink loader. For example, as shown in
Each color for a printer may have a unique arrangement of one or more key elements in the outer perimeter of the ink stick to form a unique cross-sectional shape for that particular color ink stick. The combination of the keyed openings in the key plate and the keyed shapes of the ink sticks insure that only ink sticks of the proper color are inserted into each feed channel. A set of ink sticks is formed of an ink stick of each color, with a unique key and/or sensing feature arrangement for ink sticks of each color.
Insertion keying may also be used to differentiate ink sticks intended for different models of printers. One type of insertion key may be placed in all the keyed openings of feed channels of a particular model printer. Ink sticks intended for that model printer contain a corresponding insertion key element. An insertion key of a different size, shape, or position may be placed in the keyed openings of the feed channels of different model printers.
While the insertion keying features describe above may aid in ensuring that an ink stick is inserted with the proper insertion orientation, these features are primarily exclusionary in that the insertion keying features act to exclude ink sticks from being inserted that are not oriented correctly. Because customers may not be familiar with the loading features of the various ink stick configurations, customers may not know the appropriate orientation for inserting an ink stick into an ink loader. A customer believing that they have correctly oriented an ink stick for insertion may override resistance caused by insertion keying features and inadvertently force an incorrectly oriented ink stick through an opening into a feed channel.
To further aid in the correct loading of ink sticks into the ink delivery system, the ink stick may include a visual orientation indicator 200 as shown in
In the embodiments of
A system that readily clarifies orientation for a user would include an ink stick with orientation indication as well as illustration information or symbols on the printer, typically on or near the insertion area of a loader. Such illustration may include text and/or symbols and may be on a label or etched, printed, embossed or otherwise made visible on the ink loader or other printer structure or part. For example,
The visual orientation indicator 200 may be the same for each ink stick in a set. The use of a common orientation indicator along with similarly shaped and sized key elements for the ink sticks of a particular set of ink sticks for a printer facilitates manufacture of the ink sticks, and enhances the “family” appearance of the set of ink sticks for that particular printer. Different visual orientation indicator shapes and/or sizes of indicators may be used to enhance differentiation of ink sticks intended for different models of printers.
In another embodiment, a visual orientation indicator may be formed into the ink stick as part of its shape. For example,
The use of stick shape for orientation indication has additional benefits. For example, the leading end and trailing end of the ink sticks of
Those skilled in the art will recognize that numerous modifications can be made to the specific implementations described above. Those skilled in the art will recognize that the interface elements may be formed into numerous shapes and configurations other than those illustrated. Therefore, the following claims are not to be limited to the specific embodiments illustrated and described above. The claims, as originally presented and as they may be amended, encompass variations, alternatives, modifications, improvements, equivalents, and substantial equivalents of the embodiments and teachings disclosed herein, including those that are presently unforeseen or unappreciated, and that, for example, may arise from applicants/patentees and others.
