US 4,229,748 AGranted

Jet drop printer

AssigneeThe Mead Corporation

InventorsTed F. Williams, Charles L. Cha

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Abstract

A jet drop printer for depositing drops of print fluid on a moving print medium includes an elongated fluid reservoir with an orifice plate extending the length of the fluid reservoir and communicating therewith. The orifice plate defines a plurality of orifices from which filaments of print fluid emerge. The orifices are positioned along an orifice line on the orifice plate which is non-parallel with respect to the center line of the orifice plate, which center line extends in the direction of elongation of the reservoir. A stimulator induces bending waves in the orifice plate which travel along the orifice plate in a direction parallel to the center line. Substantially uniform break up of the filaments into drop streams occurs as the bending waves impart substantially the same amplitude of mechanical stimulation to each of the fluid filaments. The drops in the drop streams are selectively charged and deflected such that selected ones of the drops are directed to strike the print medium and others of the drops are directed to a catcher.

Claims15

Dependent claims

An ink jet printer for depositing a plurality of drops of print fluid on a moving print medium, comprising:

fluid reservoir means defining an elongated fluid receiving reservoir for receiving a print fluid,
orifice plate means extending the length of said fluid receiving reservoir and communicating therewith, said orifice plate means defining a plurality of orifices from which filaments of said print fluid emerge, said orifices being positioned along an orifice line on said orifice plate means which is non-parallel with respect to the center line of said orifice plate means, all of said orifices along said orifice line being positioned to one side of said center line for decreased point-to-point variation in stimulation amplitude, said center line extending in the direction of elongation of said fluid receiving reservoir,
stimulator means for inducing bending waves in said orifice plate means which travel along said orifice plate means in a direction parallel to said center line, said waves imparting mechanical stimulation to each of said fluid filaments to cause break up of said filaments into drop streams,
means for selectively charging said drops in said drop streams,
catcher means, positioned adjacent said drop streams, for catching drops in said drop streams, and
means for deflecting charged drops in said drop streams such that selected ones of said drops are directed to strike said print medium and others of said drops are directed to said catcher means to be caught thereby.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.