Patent ID: 8152288

Claim:
A system for use with a direct to paper phase change ink imaging device, the system comprising: a leveler roller positioned in the imaging device at a location that enables the leveler roller to receive a portion of a web onto which melted phase change ink has been applied before the portion of the web reaches the leveler roller, the leveler roller being formed of a thermally conductive material and including a heater configured to generate thermal energy to heat the leveler roller to a leveling temperature, the leveling temperature being less than a temperature of a continuous web moving along the web path and melted phase change ink on the moving continuous web, the leveler roller being positioned to be partially wrapped by the continuous web to generate a predetermined dwell time between the continuous web and the leveler roller as the continuous web is being moved, the predetermined dwell time being configured to allow conductive heat transfer to occur between the continuous web and the leveler roller to equalize the continuous web and the melted phase change ink temperatures on the web to within a predetermined range about the leveling temperature; and a midheater positioned in the imaging device at a location that enables the portion of a web to reach the midheater after the portion of the web has passed the leveler roller, the midheater configured to heat the continuous web and the melted phase change ink to a midheating temperature that is greater than the leveling temperature.