Patent ID: 8162465

Claim:
A system for recycling waste phase change ink in a phase change ink imaging device, the system comprising: a waste phase change ink collector positioned within a phase change ink imaging device to collect waste phase change ink produced by a printhead in the phase change ink imaging device, the waste phase change ink collector including: a heater for heating the waste phase change ink in the waste phase change ink collector to at least a phase change ink melting temperature, and a sump chamber incorporated into the printhead and located below an on-board ink reservoir of the printhead, the sump chamber including a low pressure chamber and a high pressure chamber fluidly connected by an inlet opening having a valve configured to close when positive pressure is introduced to enable waste ink to be forced from the high pressure chamber to the on-board ink reservoir via a waste ink return path and to open when positive pressure is removed from the high pressure chamber to enable waste ink to flow from the low pressure chamber to the high pressure chamber, the low pressure chamber being configured to receive waste phase change ink emitted by the printhead and the waste ink return path extends between the high pressure chamber of the waste phase change ink collector and the on-board ink reservoir; and a waste phase change ink conveyor having a pressure source configured to introduce positive pressure into the high pressure chamber to convey melted waste phase change ink from the waste phase change ink collector to the on-board ink reservoir for the printhead.