The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 20, 2004
Filed:
Apr. 29, 2002
Brent R. Jones, Tualatin, OR (US);
Frederick T. Mattern, Portland, OR (US);
Barry D. Reeves, Lake Oswego, OR (US);
Timothy L. Crawford, Saint Paul, OR (US);
James D. Rise, Lake Oswego, OR (US);
Xerox Corporation, Stamford, CT (US);
Abstract
An ink stick for use in a solid ink feed system of a phase change ink jet printer includes a three dimensional ink stick body that has a lateral center of gravity, a substantially horizontal perimeter, and opposed end surfaces. An ink stick guide element is formed in the bottom of the ink stick body, and the ink stick is adapted to travel through the feed channel along a feed channel guide rail. A portion of the ink stick perimeter forms a visually recognizable symbol, and a portion of the ink stick perimeter that is transverse to the feed direction of the channel has an insertion key element. Nesting elements are formed in the leading and trailing end surfaces of the ink stick body to nest with one another when ink sticks abut in the feed channel.