Ink stick transport system

摘要

A solid ink stick transport system has been developed that differentiates between ink sticks inserted into a single insertion port of an inkjet printer. The system includes a solid ink support platform that moves between a position exposed outside of a printer housing to receive solid ink sticks and a position within the housing. The support includes a sensor that enables a controller to identify the solid ink stick before transporting the solid ink stick to an appropriate feed channel.

主权项

1. A system for transporting solid ink in a printer comprising:
a housing configured for a printer, the housing having an opening; a plurality of feed channels within the housing, each feed channel in the plurality of feed channels having a first end and a second end; an ink stick support member having a planar surface configured to support a single solid ink stick; an actuator operatively connected to the ink stick support member, the actuator being configured to move the ink stick support member from a first position at least partially outside the housing to the first end of any single feed channel within the housing; a first sensor associated with the housing that generates an electrical signal indicative of a single solid ink stick being positioned on the ink stick support member when the ink stick support member is in the first position; a second sensor located within the housing, the second sensor being configured to generate an electrical signal that identifies a single solid ink stick on the ink stick support member; and a controller operatively connected to the first sensor, the second sensor and to the actuator, the controller being configured to operate the actuator to move the ink stick support member from the first position to a position within the housing to enable the second sensor to generate the electrical signal that identifies the single ink stick on the ink stick support member in response to the first sensor generating the electrical signal indicative of a single solid ink stick being positioned on the ink stick support member at the first position and to operate the actuator to move the ink stick support member to the first end of the feed channel corresponding to the electrical signal generated by the second sensor that identifies the single ink stick on the ink stick support member to enable the single solid ink stick to enter the feed channel and move through the feed channel to a melting device at the second end of the feed channel.