Xerox Corporation

3d Systems, Inc.

Xxerox Corporation

Frederick T Mattern

Brent Rodney Jones

Christopher R Gold

William L Emery

Ernest I Esplin

Troy A Gomm

Jasper Kent Wong

Timothy L Crawford

Barry Daniel Reeves

James D Rise

Brian Walter Aznoe

Richard Guy Chambers

Kuoyong Huang

Henry Y Chin

Edward Francis Burress

Gustavo J Yusem

Adam Douglas Ledgerwood

Kenneth Paul Moore

Michael Alan Fairchild

John B Gilbert

Donald Richard Fess

Dan Leo Massopust

Arthur Harold Kahn

Andrew Enslow

Gordon Byron Reid

James A Ellers

Terry Alan Smith

Karen Vicki Zocchi

Bjoern Erik Brunner

Danielle R Hall

Joseph Michael Ferrara

Martin Scott Walsh

James A Ellers, Jr

Paul T Sullivan

R Scott Johnson

William Loren Emery

A three-dimensional (3D) printing system is configured to manufacture a three-dimensional 3D article in a layer-by-layer manner. The 3D printing system includes a resin vessel, a tank agitation subsystem, a fabrication subsystem, and a controller. The resin vessel is configured to contain photocurable resin and has a lower region within a distance H of a bottom surface of the resin vessel. The agitation subsystem includes (a) a grating disposed within the lower region of the resin vessel and (b) an agitation movement mechanism coupled to the grating. The fabrication subsystem is configured to form the 3D article by a layer-by-layer selective curing of the photocurable resin. The controller is configured to operate the agitation movement mechanism to oscillate the grating along a lateral Y-axis to remix filler particulates within the photocurable resin.

3D printing system with agitation device

A printer extracts a media sheet from a plurality of media sheets in a media supply and moves the media sheet along a media path. A plurality of sensors on the media path generate signals as the media sheet moves past the sensors, and the printer identifies a cross-process direction dimension of the media sheet with references to signals generated by the sensors. The printer identifies the dimension of the print medium without requiring media size sensors in the media supply.

System and method for identification of media sheet size

A solid ink stick configuration efficiently provides functional features for use of the ink stick in a phase change ink printer without adversely impacting the volumetric content of the ink stick and its appearance.

Solid ink stick configuration

A solid ink stick enables identification of the ink stick in a variety of different orientations, while preventing the ink stick from being inserted into an ink loader in an orientation in which the ink stick cannot be identified. The ink stick includes two polygon end surfaces opposite one another. Each edge of the end surfaces has a first and a second identifier, which are identical to one another to enable the ink stick to be inserted into an ink loader without regard to the orientation of the edges.

Solid ink stick having identical identifying features on a plurality of edges

An ink loader enables identification of features on a solid ink stick placed on an ink stick support in the ink loader. The ink loader includes two optical sources configured to emit diffuse light toward different surfaces of the solid ink stick. Two corresponding sets of optical sensors are positioned to receive light reflected from identifying features, if present, on the solid ink stick. A controller receives signals generated by the two sets of optical sensors and identifies the ink stick with reference to the signals from the sensors.

Ink loader having optical sensors to identify solid ink sticks

Office machine

A solid ink stick delivery apparatus uses a rotating member mounted within a plurality of hollow sleeves to transport solid ink sticks to a melting device. The interior surface of the hollow sleeves are configured with a surface that frictionally engages the rotating member, but enables the member to slip past the interior surface when the hollow sleeve is stopped from proceeding along the length of the member.

Solid ink stick delivery apparatus using a lead screw drive

A phase change ink imaging device includes an ink loader operatively connected within a housing of the imaging device. At least a portion of the ink loader is configured to be withdrawn from the housing to enable ink stick insertion.

Solid ink loader with pull-out drawer for insertion access

A solid ink loading system for a phase change ink imaging device includes an ink loader having a first end, a second end, and at least one feed channel extending between the first and the second end. The at least one feed channel includes an insertion region intermediate the first and the second end where ink sticks enter the at least one feed channel. The at least one feed channel is configured to guide ink sticks in a feed direction from the insertion region toward the second end. An ink stick retractor is configured for movement between a forward position and a rearward position substantially parallel to at least a portion of the at least one feed channel. The forward position is closer to the second end of the feed channel than the first position. The ink stick retractor is configured to selectively move ink sticks in the at least one feed channel in a retraction direction toward the first end.

Ink loader with ink stick retractor

A solid printer includes a solid ink container that expels solid ink units in predetermined amounts for delivery to a melting device within the printer. The solid ink container includes a housing in which solid ink pellets are stored, an opening in the housing through which solid ink units are expelled, a first moveable member located within the housing proximate to the opening, the first moveable member being configured to move solid ink units through the opening, and a second moveable member located within the housing, the second moveable member being configured to move solid ink pellets to the first moveable member to enable the first moveable member to expel solid ink pellets through the opening in the housing.

No spill, feed controlled removable container for delivering pelletized substances

An ink loader for a phase change ink imaging device includes an automated access control system that enables ink stick insertion based on user initiated ink load requests with reference to the operating state of the imaging device.

Ink loader with access synchronization

An ink delivery system of a phase change ink imaging device more effectively guides properly configured solid ink sticks from a first end of a feed chute to a melting device at a second end of the feed chute. The feed chute may include a sensor to detect coded sensor features on the properly configured solid ink sticks traveling along the feed chute and an obstructor configured to block improperly configured solid ink sticks inserted into the first end of the feed chute.

Solid ink stick delivery system with static constraints, strategic barriers and breakage control

A method of using a phase change ink imaging device includes receiving an nink stick in an ink loader of a phase change ink imaging device where n is a predetermined number. The nink stick includes at least one sensor contour formed thereon. The at least one sensor contour is associated with an ink stick identifier. The at least one sensor contour on the nink stick is detected using a sensor system in the ink loader. At least one signal is generated based on the detection of the at least one sensor contour, the at least one signal being indicative of the ink stick identifier. The ink stick identifier indicated by the at least one signal is then stored as a designated ink stick identifier for use with the phase change ink imaging device.

Method for reconfiguring ink loaders to accept different ink stick identifiers

An ink stick for use in a phase change ink imaging device 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.

Solid ink stick with visual orientation indicator

A method of manufacturing an ink stick for use in a phase change ink jet imaging device comprises heating phase change ink material to an extrusion temperature at which the phase change ink material is in a malleable state. The heated ink material is then extruded through an extrusion orifice to form an extruded element. A forging element is then pressed against the extruded element to form an ink stick.

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Portland, OR, United States of America

Frederick T Mattern