Patent ID: 8162463

Claim:
A system for an ink delivery system of a phase change ink imaging device, the system comprising: a feed chute having a first end configured to receive a solid ink stick and a second end positioned proximate a melting device to melt the solid ink stick, the feed chute being configured to guide at least one solid ink stick from the first end of the feed chute to the second end of the feed chute; at least one sensor positioned proximate a portion of the feed chute between the first end of the feed chute and the second end of the feed chute, the at least one sensor being configured to detect a coded sensor feature of the solid ink stick as the solid ink stick moves from the first end of the feed chute to the second end of the feed chute; and a pair of nudgers, each nudger in the pair of nudgers being positioned on opposite sides of the feed chute and extending toward a middle of the feed chute, the pair of nudgers being positioned between the first end of the feed chute and the second end of the feed chute and the pair of nudgers being configured to orient the solid ink stick to enable the at least one sensor to detect the coded sensor feature of the solid ink stick at the portion of the feed chute between the first end of the feed chute and the second end of the feed chute.