Continuous ink jet printer with micromechanical actuator drop deflection

Apparatus for controlling ink in a continuous ink jet printer in which a continuous stream of ink is emitted from a nozzle;

• said apparatus comprising:
• an ink stream generator which establishes a continuous flow of ink in a stream;
• a droplet generator which causes the stream to break up into a plurality of droplets at a spaced position from the ink stream generator;
• and
• a stream deflector including a toroidal-shaped control surface positioned adjacent to the stream between the ink stream generator and the position whereat the stream breaks up into droplets such that the stream contacts the control surface and is thereby deflected due to a gain in free energy caused by physical contact between the ink in the stream and the control surface.

A process for controlling ink in a continuous ink jet printer in which a continuous stream of ink is emitted from a nozzle;

• said process comprising:
• establishing a continuous flow of ink in a stream which breaks up into a plurality of droplets at a position spaced from the nozzle;
• and
• contacting the stream by a toroidal-shaped control surface positioned adjacent to the stream between the nozzle and the position whereat the stream breaks up into droplets such that the stream is deflected due to a gain in free energy caused by physical contact between the ink in the stream and the control surface.

Apparatus for controlling ink in a continuous ink jet printer in which a continuous stream of ink is emitted from a nozzle;

• said apparatus comprising:
• an ink stream generator which establishes a continuous flow of ink in a stream, said stream breaking up into a plurality of droplets at a position spaced from the ink stream generator;
• a stream deflector including a control surface positioned adjacent to the stream between the ink stream generator and the position whereat the stream breaks up into droplets such that the stream contacts the control surface and is thereby deflected due to a gain in free energy caused by physical contact between the ink in the stream and the control surface;
• and
• apparatus to modulate the position of the control surface generally parallel to the direction of flow of the ink in the stream to change the direction of the stream between a print direction and a non-print direction.