primeiro conjunto de bastões de tinta, pluralidade de conjuntos de bastões de tinta sólida e método de produção de múltiplos conjuntos de bastões de tinta sólida

A set of solid ink sticks (30,130) for a phase change ink jet printer has a common printer key element (170) that matches an insertion key in each in stick feed channel insertion opening (24). The key element is formed in a portion of the perimeter of each ink stick of the set. The key element is the same for all ink sticks of a set of ink sticks intended for a particular model printer. Different sets of solid ink sticks intended for different models of printers have different printer key elements in each set, to prevent an ink stick intended for one model printer from being incorrectly inserted into a different model printer.