Abstract: An ink stick for a solid ink feed system of a phase change ink printer includes an ink stick body having an insertion perimeter, and a guide surface with a shaped guide element shaped to interact with an elongate shaped guide rail of the solid ink feed system. The ink stick insertion perimeter is in a plane substantially perpendicular to the insertion direction, and the insertion direction and the feed direction are different. The insertion perimeter has at least one perimeter section forming a nonlinear key element that matches in size and shape a nonlinear key element in the perimeter of the key plate insertion opening. In particular implementations, the insertion perimeter forms a visually recognizable symbol, such as an alphanumeric character. In particular implementations, a plurality of ink sticks form a set in which the visually recognizable symbols differ from one another, and may form a pattern of symbols, such as a sequence of alphanumeric characters.

Abstract: An intelligent on-board monitoring system for replaceable module for a printing apparatus includes a memory element, an input for receiving information either from sensors on the replaceable module, or from the printing apparatus concerning printing operations performed, and a microprocessor connected to the memory for performing calculations upon data stored in the memory and upon the input information. The calculations produce results related to the performance of the replaceable module. These results can either be communicated to the printing apparatus, or used to control an adjustable operating parameter of the replaceable module itself, all without requiring computational resources of the printing apparatus itself.

Abstract: An ink stick for use in a solid ink feed system of a phase change ink printer includes a three dimensional ink stick body that has formed in it guide means. The guide means is formed in a first portion of the ink stick body, for guiding the ink stick along a defined path in the ink stick feed system. An ink stick feed system includes a longitudinal guide rail in a first portion of a feed channel. The width of the longitudinal guide rail is substantially less than the width of the feed channel. The guide means in the ink stick is a longitudinal guide element having a shape that is substantially complementary of the shape of the longitudinal guide rail of the feed channel.

Abstract: A feature allows for removing an ink stick from an ink feed channel, through the keyed opening for that shape of ink stick. In a keyed key plate opening, a clearance area between the key plate opening and the outer perimeter of the ink stick provides access through which a removal tool can be inserted alongside an ink stick in the channel. In an example, the clearance area is provided by an outwardly directed section of the perimeter of the key plate opening. In a particular implementation, the edge key plate opening is chamfered across the thickness of the key plate, except for a small portion of the perimeter of the key plate opening, which has a straight edge. The end of the removal tool has a surface to engage the ink stick, so that pressing the removal tool against the ink stick, and drawing the removal tool back through the clearance area pulls the ink stick through the key plate opening.

Abstract: A cleaning station for a vertical nozzle plate of an ink jet printer includes a cylindrical cleaning roller that has an outer surface, and has a substantially vertical central axis and a substantially vertical rotational axis. The roller is spaced from the nozzle plate to form a cleaning cavity between the roller and the nozzle plate. The roller has a top end above the nozzle plate and a bottom end below the nozzle plate. A drive element is connected to the roller to rotate the roller about its rotation axis. A fluid outlet near the top of the roller directs cleaning fluid onto the outer surface of the roller, and into the cleaning cavity between the roller and the nozzle plate. A fluid reservoir stores cleaning fluid, and a fluid conduit conducts cleaning fluid from the fluid reservoir to the fluid outlet.

Abstract: An integrated image module for a document scanner includes a one piece die cast housing having a datum element and a support element. An imaging sensor array is enclosed in the housing. An array bias element urges the imaging sensor array against the datum element to provide accurate placement of the sensor array relative to the housing. A transport mechanism is attached to the housing so that the position of the transport mechanism accurately corresponds to the position of the imaging sensor array. The lens and the lamp for illumination are also attached to the housing so that the primary components of the imaging portion of the scanner are contained in a single module.

Abstract: In a printing apparatus, verification of the correctness of a particular replaceable module takes place before an operating element of the printing apparatus fully engages the replaceable module. A printing apparatus coupler establishes a communication link with a tag on the replaceable module as the replaceable module is being inserted into the printing apparatus. The printing apparatus coupler receives module identifying information from the tag. The coupler determines from the identifying information whether the replaceable module is appropriate for that location in that printing apparatus, and performs either an acceptance action to accept the replaceable module, or a rejection action to reject the module.

Abstract: A set of solid ink sticks for a phase change ink jet printer has a common printer key element that matches an insertion key in each in stick feed channel insertion opening. The key element is formed in a portion of the perimeter of each ink stick of the set. The key element is the same for all ink sticks of a set of ink sticks intended for a particular model printer. Different sets of solid ink sticks intended for different models of printers have different printer key elements in each set, to prevent an ink stick intended for one model printer from being incorrectly inserted into a different model printer.

Abstract: Each ink stick of a set of ink sticks for a phase change ink jet printer has formed on the top of the ink stick a three dimensional visually recognizable symbol. At least a portion of the visually recognizable symbol on each of the ink sticks is different, so that the printer user can distinguish which ink stick is intended for each of the ink feed channels of the ink jet printer.

Abstract: An ink stick for use in a solid ink feed system of a phase change ink jet printer includes an ink stick body that has a bottom surface and a lateral dimension. The ink stick body has a lateral center of gravity, and a guide element formed in the bottom surface of the ink stick body, which guide element is substantially vertically aligned with the lateral center of gravity of the body. The ink stick is used in a solid ink feed system for a phase change ink jet printer. The feed system includes a longitudinal feed channel, and a feed channel guide rail substantially centered in a lower portion of the feed channel. The guide element formed in the bottom surface of the ink stick body slidingly engages the central feed channel guide rail in the feed channel.

Abstract: An ink stick for a phase change ink jet printer has a guide element formed in one portion of the ink stick body (such as the lower portion) for engaging a feed channel guide rail in a feed channel of a solid ink feed system of the printer. The guide element is substantially offset from the lateral center of gravity of the ink stick body. The guide element engages a feed channel guide rail in the printer. The teed channel guide rail is substantially narrower than the width of the feed channel. A second guide element is formed on the opposite side of the lateral center of gravity of the ink stick body. The second guide element engages a second feed channel guide rail in the feed channel.

Abstract: A compact structure and rapid method for calibrating a document scanner provides for a substantially cylindrical calibration casing having a central axis and an outer surface, with a brightness calibration section of the outer surface encompassing a portion of the circumference of the outer surface, a document width detection segment encompassing a second portion of the circumference of the outer surface, and a document backer element encompassing a third segment of the circumference of the outer surface of the casing. A driver selectively positions the casing in different rotational positions in which the different segments of the outer surface of the cylinder face the optical element of the scanner.

Abstract: An ink jet printer includes a printhead and a print medium that move relative to one another in a printing direction. The printhead includes a plurality of ink delivery channels, and an ink outlet corresponding to each of the ink delivery channels. Each ink outlet includes at least two ink orifices offset from one another in a direction transverse to the printing direction, so that as the printhead traverses a print medium, control signals to the printhead can deposit two drops from each delivery channel, which drops are offset in the transverse direction, thereby permitting the use of smaller ink drops and a higher apparent print resolution for the image deposited on the print medium than the resolution of the print control signals in the transverse direction.

Abstract: A replaceable toner cartridge for a printing apparatus includes a waste toner auger rotationally driven by a printer drive gear. The auger includes a drive element for engaging the printer drive gear. The auger drive element includes drive paddles extending radially from the auger shaft. Each drive paddle has a radial edge adjacent an inclined radial face surface, so that the as the auger drive element and the printer drive gear axially engage one another, the drive paddles of the auger drive element and the gear lobes of the printer drive gear slide along one another until the auger drive element and the printer drive gear solidly engage one another. Each drive paddle also has an extension perpendicular to the radial direction of the paddle to increase the spacing between the axial engagement surface of the printer drive gear and the radial edge of the drive element paddle.