Patent ID: 7857440

Claim:
An ink stick formed of a phase change ink material, the ink stick comprising: an ink stick body configured for insertion in an insertion direction into an ink loader of a phase change ink imaging device and for feeding in the ink loader in a feed direction, the ink stick body having an insertion perimeter in a plane substantially perpendicular to the insertion direction and having a longitudinal dimension for aligning with the feed direction, the insertion perimeter being formed by a plurality of sides extending between a top surface and a bottom surface of the ink stick body; a symbol contour formed in a first position on at least one side of the insertion perimeter of the ink stick body extending at least partially along the ink stick body in a direction substantially parallel to the insertion direction, the symbol contour defining a portion of a perimeter of a visually recognizable symbol shape, the symbol contour occupying only a portion of the at least one side of the insertion perimeter of the ink stick to enable a remaining portion of the at least one side that also forms a portion of the insertion perimeter to be formed with features that do not form a portion of the visually recognizable symbol shape.