Patent ID: 6866375

Claim:
In a high-speed phase change ink image producing machine having a printhead system and a controller, a method of melting solid phase change ink into melted molten liquid ink, and controlling the melted molten liquid ink for a high throughput rate of image production, the method comprising: (a) first feeding solid pieces of phase change ink into a solid pieces melter housing; (b) heating and melting said solid pieces of phase change ink within said melting housing to form melted molten liquid ink; (c) next feeding and controlling a first quantity of said melted molten liquid ink into a first storage reservoir; (d) connecting to said first storage reservoir, a second storage reservoir for holding a second volume of said melted molten liquid ink; and (e) controlling flow of melted molten liquid ink from said first storage reservoir into said second storage reservoir and from said second storage reservoir towards a printhead system, said controlling of flow of melted molten liquid ink comprising allowing melted molten liquid ink to flow gravitationally through a check valve device from said first storage reservoir into said second storage reservoir.