US 6,981,754 B2 | ||
Ink delivery and printing method for phasing printing systems | ||
Amin M. Godil, Vancouver, Wash. (US); Larry E. Hindman, Woodburn, Oreg. (US); and Amy B. Thornton, Tigard, Oreg. (US) | ||
Assigned to Xerox Corporation, Stamford, Conn. (US) | ||
Filed on Dec. 30, 2003, as Appl. No. 10/749,289. | ||
Prior Publication US 2005/0140705 A1, Jun. 30, 2005 | ||
Int. Cl. B41J 29/38 (2006.01) |
U.S. Cl. 347—17 | 15 Claims |
1. A method of controlling an ink melt heater in a solid to liquid ink phasing delivery system for supplying ink to a printer,
wherein the phasing system includes a heater disposed to engage a solid ink stick and heat an engaging portion of the ink
stick to a liquid phase for communication to a reservoir associated with a print head, the reservoir including an ink level
detector, and a controller for selectively supplying power to the heater plate, the method comprising:
supplying a predetermined amount of power through the controller to the heater for melting the ink stick to liquid ink for
filling the reservoir;
measuring with the ink level detector an amount of liquid ink in the reservoir;
when the amount of liquid ink is measured to be at a predetermined level, calculating thereafter an amount of ink delivered
from the reservoir for printing; and,
when the calculating indicates that the amount of ink delivered from the reservoir approximates an amount of ink stored therein
at the predetermined level and the level detector indicates that the ink in the reservoir remains below the predetermined
level thereby indicative of an ink stick jam, halting the supplying of power to the heater.
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