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:
May. 13, 2014
Filed:
Oct. 11, 2012
Xerox Corporation, Norwalk, CT (US);
Reid Wayne Gunnell, Wilsonville, OR (US);
Xerox Corporation, Norwalk, CT (US);
Abstract
An ink transport system for a phase change ink printer has been developed that enables accurate control of refilling a second ink reservoir from a first ink reservoir with minimal moving parts. The system includes a thermoelectric device that is operatively connected to a thermally conductive tube, which fluidly connects the first and second ink reservoirs. The thermoelectric device is operated by a controller to heat phase change ink in the thermally conductive tube and enable flow of ink from the first reservoir to the second reservoir, and to remove heat from the phase change ink in the thermally conductive tube to solidify ink in the tube and disable flow of ink from the first reservoir to the second reservoir.