Patent ID: 7303265
Filing Date: 2007-12-04
Classification: B41J

Abstract:
1. A drop deflector apparatus for a continuous drop emission system that deposits a liquid pattern on a receiver according to liquid pattern data comprising: a plurality of drop nozzles formed along a nozzle array axis and emitting a plurality of continuous streams of a liquid that breaks up into a plurality of streams of drops having nominal flight paths that are substantially parallel and substantially within a nominal flight plane; an airflow plenum having an evacuation end connected to a negative pressure source and an impingement end having an opening located adjacent the nominal flight plane into which ambient air is drawn for the purpose of deflecting drops in an air deflection direction perpendicular to the nominal flight plane; the opening being bounded by upstream and downstream wall ends having upstream and downstream inner edges oriented parallel to the nozzle array axis and by first and second side wall ends having first and second side inner edges oriented generally parallel to the nominal flight paths, wherein the upstream and downstream inner edges are spaced away from the nominal flight plane in the air deflection direction by a larger amount than are the first and second side inner edges.