Patent ID: 8529030

Claim:
In a high-speed phase change ink image producing machine having a printhead system and a system for feeding and controlling melted liquid ink provided to the printhead system, the printhead system having a plurality of printheads, the feeding and controlling system having a plurality of storage reservoirs for receiving and holding a volume of melted ink of a plurality of different colors and at least one receiving unit for receiving melted ink from one or more of the storage reservoirs, a valve unit operable in an open position to control the flow of melted ink from each of the storage reservoirs to a receiving unit and in a closed position to prevent backflow of melted ink from the receiving unit to each of the storage reservoirs, said valve unit comprising: a lower valve housing defining a plurality of inlet passageways therethrough in communication with a corresponding one of the plurality of storage reservoirs, each inlet passageway defining a valve seat and a valve axis aligned with said valve seat; a corresponding plurality of ball elements, each sized to seat on a corresponding valve seat in the closed position to prevent backflow through the corresponding inlet passageway; and an upper valve housing mated to said lower valve housing to capture each of said plurality of ball elements between said upper and lower housings, said upper valve housing defining a like plurality of discharge passageways having a discharge opening in communication with the at least one receiving unit and aligned with a corresponding inlet passageway, each discharge passageway defining an angled end wall facing said valve seat and oriented at a non-perpendicular angle relative to said valve axis, said angled end wall diverging from said valve seat toward said discharge opening, each discharge passageway having a first portion that is cylindrical along said valve axis and sized to receive a corresponding ball element when said ball element is unseated from said valve seat in the open position, said first portion aligned with said valve axis, and each discharge passageway having a second portion offset from said valve axis and communicating with said first portion at an intersection, the second portion being cylindrical along an axis substantially parallel to said valve axis and offset from said valve axis so that said first and second cylindrical portions overlap to define said intersection and the intersection is sized to prevent passage of said ball element from said first portion into said second portion.