1. A solid ink printer comprising:
a print head that ejects melted ink;
a web of image substrate that moves past the print head to receive melted ink ejected from the print head;
a pair of fixing rollers positioned downstream of the print head, the fixing rollers forming a nip through which the web of image substrate passes to fix the ink onto the web of image substrate; and
a melting device coupled to the print head to provide melted ink to the print head, the melting device comprising:
a housing having an opening to receive solid ink;
a first rotatable member mounted within the housing;
a second rotatable member mounted within the housing, the second rotatable member being proximate to, but spatially separated from the first rotatable member mounted within the melting housing,
a heater located within the first rotatable member to heat the first rotatable member to a temperature at which the solid ink melts; and
a motor coupled to the first rotatable member and the second rotatable member to rotate the first rotatable member and the second rotatable member within the housing to shear the solid ink as the solid ink melts against the heated first rotatable member.
2. The printer of claim 1 further comprising:
a heater mounted within the second rotatable member to heat the second rotatable member to the temperature at which the solid ink melts.
3. The printer of claim 2 wherein the first rotatable member is a cylinder having teeth in a surface of the cylinder; and
the second rotatable member is a second cylinder having teeth in a surface of the second cylinder.
4. The printer of claim 3 wherein the teeth of the cylinder for the first rotatable member and the teeth of the second cylinder intermesh with one another.
5. The printer of claim 4 wherein the teeth of the cylinder for the first rotatable member and the teeth of the second cylinder are arranged longitudinally on the surfaces of the first rotatable member and the second rotatable member.
6. The printer of claim 4 wherein the teeth of the cylinder for the first rotatable member and the teeth of the second cylinder are arranged circumferentially on the surfaces of the first rotatable member and the second rotatable member.
7. The printer of claim 2 wherein the heater in the first rotatable member and the heater in the second rotatable member are electrical resistive heaters.
8. A solid ink melting device for use in a solid ink printer comprising:
a housing having an opening to receive solid ink;
a first rotatable member mounted within the housing having a plurality of teeth;
a second rotatable member having a plurality of teeth, the second rotatable member being mounted within the housing, parallel and proximate to, but spatially separated from, the first rotatable member, and configured to enable the teeth of the second rotatable member to intermesh with the teeth of the first rotatable member;
a heater that heats the first rotatable member to a temperature at which solid ink melts; and
a motor coupled to the first rotatable member and the second rotatable member to rotate the first rotatable member and second rotatable member within the housing to shear the solid ink as the solid ink melts against the heated first rotatable member.
9. The melting device of claim 8 wherein the first and the second rotatable members are arranged horizontally with reference to a plane of the opening in the housing.
10. The melting device of claim 8 wherein the first and the second rotatable members are arranged vertically with reference to a plane of the opening in the housing.
11. The melting device of claim 8 wherein the heater is located within the first rotatable member; and
the second rotatable member includes a second heater located within the second rotatable member to heat the second rotatable member to a temperature at which solid ink melts.
12. The melting device of claim 8 wherein the heater is a halogen quartz lamp.
13. The melting device of claim 8 wherein the motor is an alternating current (AC) synchronous motor having a rotating output shaft; and
a gear train couples the output shaft of the AC synchronous motor to the first and the second rotatable members.
14. A solid ink melting device for use in a solid ink printer comprising:
a housing having an opening to receive solid ink;
a first rotatable member mounted within the housing;
a halogen quartz lamp that heats the first rotatable member to a temperature at which the solid ink melts; and
a motor coupled to the first rotatable member to rotate the rotatable member within the housing to shear the solid ink as the solid ink melts against the heated first rotatable member.
15. The melting device of claim 14 further comprising:
a second rotatable member mounted proximate to, but spatially separated from the first rotatable member mounted within the housing; and
the motor being coupled to the second rotatable member to move the second rotatable member within the housing to cooperate with the movement of the first rotatable member and assist in the shearing of the solid ink as the solid ink melts within the housing.
16. The melting device of claim 15, the first rotatable member and the second rotatable member being parallel to one another in the melting housing.
17. The melting device of claim 16, the first rotatable member having a plurality of teeth and the second rotatable member having a plurality of teeth.
18. The melting device of claim 17, the first and the second rotatable members being configured to intermesh the teeth of the first rotatable member with the teeth of the second rotatable member.
19. The melting device of claim 15 wherein the first and the second rotatable members are arranged horizontally with reference to a plane of the opening in the housing.
20. The melting device of claim 15 wherein the first and the second rotatable members are arranged vertically with reference to a plane of the opening in the housing.
21. The melting device of claim 15 wherein the halogen quartz lamp is located within the first rotatable member; and
the second rotatable member includes a second halogen quartz lamp located within the second rotatable member to heat the second rotatable member to a temperature at which the solid ink melts.
22. The melting device of claim 15 wherein the motor is an alternating current (AC) synchronous motor having a rotating output shaft; and
a gear train couples the output shaft of the AC synchronous motor to the first and the second rotatable members.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A method comprising: by a first computing device,
receiving a first communication packet from a second computing device destined to a third computing device;
if the first communication packet is a connection-initiating packet having no customization indicator, then:
generating a second connection-initiating packet having a customization indicator and addressed to the third computing device;
setting a value of the customization indicator of the second connection-initiating packet to 0; and
sending the second connection-initiating packet to the third computing device;
if the first communication packet is a connection-initiating packet having a customization indicator with a value of 0, then:
generating a third connection-initiating packet having a customization indicator and addressed to the third computing device;
setting a value of the customization indicator of the third connection-initiating packet to 1; and
sending the third connection-initiating packet to the third computing device;
if the first communication packet is a connection-initiating packet having a customization indicator with a value of 1, then:
generating a first connection-acknowledgement packet having a customization indicator and addressed to the second computing device;
setting a value of the customization indicator of the first connection-acknowledgement packet to 1; and
sending the first connection-acknowledgement packet to the second computing device;
if the first communication packet is a connection-acknowledgement packet having no customization indicator, then:
installing an intercept rule;
generating a second connection-acknowledgement packet having a customization indicator and addressed to the second computing device;
setting a value of the customization indicator of the second connection-acknowledgement packet to 1; and
sending the second connection-acknowledgement packet to the second computing device; and
if the first communication packet is a connection-acknowledgement packet having a customization indicator with a value of 1, then:
installing a bypass rule.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first computing device is situated along a communication path in between the second computing device and the third computing device.
3. The method of claim 1, further comprising if the first communication packet is a connection-initiating packet having no customization indicator, then:
completing a first connection between the first computing device and the second computing device; and
initiating a second connection between the first computing device and the third computing device.
4. The method of claim 1, further comprising if the first communication packet is a connection-initiating packet having a customization indicator with a value of 0, then:
suspending a first connection between the first computing device and the second computing device;
initiating a second connection between the first computing device and the third computing device; and
holding the first communication packet.
5. The method of claim 1, further comprising if the first communication packet is a connection-acknowledgement packet having a customization indicator with a value of 1, then
closing a connection between the first computing device and the third computing device; and
forwarding a previously received connection-initiating packet having a customization indicator with a value of 0 to the third computing device.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein the bypass rule and the intercept rule each comprise a peer identifier, a destination Internet Protocol (IP) address, and a destination port.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein the bypass rule and the intercept rule each comprise a source IP address, a source port, a destination IP address, and a destination port.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein:
if the first communication packet is a connection-initiating packet having no customization indicator, then the first computing device establishes a transparent connection with a concentrator device; and
if the first communication packet is a connection-acknowledgement packet having no customization indicator, then first computing device establishes a transparent connection with a branch device.
9. A first system comprising:
a memory comprising instructions executable by one or more processors; and
the one or more processors coupled to the memory and operable to execute the instructions, the one or more processors being operable when executing the instructions to:
receive a first communication packet from a second system destined to a third system;
if the first communication packet is a connection-initiating packet having no customization indicator, then:
generate a second connection-initiating packet having a customization indicator and addressed to the third system;
set a value of the customization indicator of the second connection-initiating packet to 0; and
send the second connection-initiating packet to the third system;
if the first communication packet is a connection-initiating packet having a customization indicator with a value of 0, then:
generate a third connection-initiating packet having a customization indicator and addressed to the third system;
set a value of the customization indicator of the third connection-initiating packet to 1; and
send the third connection-initiating packet to the third system;
if the first communication packet is a connection-initiating packet having a customization indicator with a value of 1, then:
generate a first connection-acknowledgement packet having a customization indicator and addressed to the second system;
set a value of the customization indicator of the first connection-acknowledgement packet to 1; and
send the first connection-acknowledgement packet to the second system;
if the first communication packet is a connection-acknowledgement packet having no customization indicator, then:
install an intercept rule;
generate a second connection-acknowledgement packet having a customization indicator and addressed to the second system;
set a value of the customization indicator of the second connection-acknowledgement packet to 1; and
send the second connection-acknowledgement packet to the second system; and
if the first communication packet is a connection-acknowledgement packet having a customization indicator with a value of 1, then:
install a bypass rule.
10. The first system of claim 9, wherein the first system is situated along a communication path in between the second system and the third system.
11. The first system of claim 9, wherein the one or more processors are further operable when executing the instructions to, if the first communication packet is a connection-initiating packet having no customization indicator, then:
complete a first connection between the first system and the second system; and
initiate a second connection between the first system and the third system.
12. The first system of claim 9, wherein the one or more processors are further operable when executing the instructions to, if the first communication packet is a connection-initiating packet having a customization indicator with a value of 0, then:
suspend a first connection between the first system and the second system;
initiate a second connection between the first system and the third system; and
hold the first communication packet.
13. The first system of claim 9, wherein the one or more processors are further operable when executing the instructions to, if the first communication packet is a connection-acknowledgement packet having a customization indicator with a value of 1, then
close a connection between the first system and the third system; and
forward a previously received connection-initiating packet having a customization indicator with a value of 0 to the third system.
14. The first system of claim 9, wherein the bypass rule and the intercept rule each comprise a peer identifier, a destination Internet Protocol (IP) address, and a destination port.
15. The first system of claim 9, wherein the bypass rule and the intercept rule each comprise a source IP address, a source port, a destination IP address, and a destination port.
16. The first system of claim 9, wherein:
if the first communication packet is a connection-initiating packet having no customization indicator, then the first system establishes a transparent connection with a concentrator system; and
if the first communication packet is a connection-acknowledgement packet having no customization indicator, then first system establishes a transparent connection with a branch system.
17. One or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media embodying software operable when executed by a first computer system to:
receive a first communication packet from a second computer system destined to a third computer system;
if the first communication packet is a connection-initiating packet having no customization indicator, then:
generate a second connection-initiating packet having a customization indicator and addressed to the third computer system;
set a value of the customization indicator of the second connection-initiating packet to 0; and
send the second connection-initiating packet to the third computer system;
if the first communication packet is a connection-initiating packet having a customization indicator with a value of 0, then:
generate a third connection-initiating packet having a customization indicator and addressed to the third computer system;
set a value of the customization indicator of the third connection-initiating packet to 1; and
send the third connection-initiating packet to the third computer system;
if the first communication packet is a connection-initiating packet having a customization indicator with a value of 1, then:
generate a first connection-acknowledgement packet having a customization indicator and addressed to the second computer system;
set a value of the customization indicator of the first connection-acknowledgement packet to 1; and
send the first connection-acknowledgement packet to the second computer system;
if the first communication packet is a connection-acknowledgement packet having no customization indicator, then:
install an intercept rule;
generate a second connection-acknowledgement packet having a customization indicator and addressed to the second computer system;
set a value of the customization indicator of the second connection-acknowledgement packet to 1; and
send the second connection-acknowledgement packet to the second computer system; and
if the first communication packet is a connection-acknowledgement packet having a customization indicator with a value of 1, then:
install a bypass rule.
18. The media of claim 17, wherein the first computer system is situated along a communication path in between the second computer system and the third computer system.
19. The media of claim 17, wherein the software is further operable when executed by the first computer system to, if the first communication packet is a connection-initiating packet having no customization indicator, then:
complete a first connection between the first computer system and the second computer system; and
initiate a second connection between the first computer system and the third computer system.
20. The media of claim 17, wherein the software is further operable when executed by the first computer system to, if the first communication packet is a connection-initiating packet having a customization indicator with a value of 0, then:
suspend a first connection between the first computer system and the second computer system;
initiate a second connection between the first computer system and the third computer system; and
hold the first communication packet.
21. The media of claim 17, wherein the software is further operable when executed by the first computer system to, if the first communication packet is a connection-acknowledgement packet having a customization indicator with a value of 1, then
close a connection between the first computer system and the third computer system; and
forward a previously received connection-initiating packet having a customization indicator with a value of 0 to the third computer system.
22. The media of claim 17, wherein the bypass rule and the intercept rule each comprise a peer identifier, a destination Internet Protocol (IP) address, and a destination port.
23. The media of claim 17, wherein the bypass rule and the intercept rule each comprise a source IP address, a source port, a destination IP address, and a destination port.
24. The media of claim 17, wherein:
if the first communication packet is a connection-initiating packet having no customization indicator, then the first computer system establishes a transparent connection with a concentrator computer system; and
if the first communication packet is a connection-acknowledgement packet having no customization indicator, then first computer system establishes a transparent connection with a branch computer system.