Patent ID: 6217163
Filing Date: 2001-04-17
Classification: B41J

Abstract:
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 delivery channel;a source of pressurized ink communicating with the ink delivery channel;a nozzle bore perimeter defining a nozzle bore which opens into the ink delivery channel to establish a continuous flow of ink in a stream;a heater having a plurality of selectively independently actuated sections which are positioned along respectively different portions of the nozzle bore perimeter; andan actuator adapted to selectively activate none, one, or a plurality of said heater sections such that:actuation of heater sections associated with only a portion of the entire nozzle bore perimeter produces an asymmetric application of heat to the stream to control the direction of the stream between a print direction and a non-print direction, andsimultaneous actuation of different numbers of heater sections associated with only a portion of the entire nozzle bore perimeter produces corresponding different asymmetric application of heat to the stream to thereby control the direction of the stream between one print direction and another print direction.